periodicreader's review against another edition
4.0
It took me awhile to get through this one, mostly because politics in general (especially those of other countries) goes over my head, so I end up researching things as I read...which doesn't exactly make for a good bedtime story. I love how Laurie Penny writes because she sticks her words right into your jugular. Molly Crabapple (my hero) illustrates the book, which is the main reason I picked it up, but wasn't necessarily the reason I continued reading. I loved reading this...even if it did take me forever.
janedallaway's review against another edition
4.0
Molly Crabapple was one of the speakers at The Story 2013. She spoke a lot about her experiences illustrating the time spent in Athens. And I was intrigued as to how the words and illustrations worked together.
It was an interesting read, a good combination of observation and experience.
Worth a read.
It was an interesting read, a good combination of observation and experience.
Worth a read.
janedallaway's review
4.0
Molly Crabapple was one of the speakers at The Story 2013. She spoke a lot about her experiences illustrating the time spent in Athens. And I was intrigued as to how the words and illustrations worked together.
It was an interesting read, a good combination of observation and experience.
Worth a read.
It was an interesting read, a good combination of observation and experience.
Worth a read.
olrandir's review
4.0
Beautifully written, and the illustrations blend with the text in a fascinating way. An extraordinary way of describing my very familiar Athens.
patchworkbunny's review
4.0
Laurie Penny and Molly Crabapple journey to Greece to cover the state of the nation following financial collapse. Discordia reports on the struggle of normal people who have gone from living comfortably to the other side of the poverty line. They look at the failings of the government and austerity measures that are making things worse and the rise of fascism and violence towards immigrants.
It’s an eye-opening look at a country many of us wouldn’t hesitate to go to on our summer holidays. Perhaps it is a little one-sided but it’s a side we don’t really get to hear about. My heart goes out the people of Greece whose lives have been ruined by economics and the innocent who are blamed in the backlash. It’s also quite critical of traditional press, both in Greece and at home, looking at the natural evolution of reporting in the digital age but Laurie also explains how it’s hard making a living as an independent journalist. Sometimes she is not welcomed on either side of the picket line.
Of course, what sets Discordia apart from other pieces of journalism is Molly’s wonderful illustrations. The ink and pencil drawings are the perfect medium for ebooks, something that the eInk renders well. I will admit to reading it on my iPad for the subtleties of colour but really, they don’t need to be seen in colour to be appreciated. They are a mix of sketches on ruled notebooks, made on the spot, and more considered drawings done from photos and memories. Laurie’s text and Molly’s drawings were done independently of each other but they fit together seamlessly, drawn from the same experiences.
I’m not sure if it was a compatibility issue or a formatting error with the ePUB but there were some duplicate images. This could be on purpose, but the illustrations are placed at relevant points in the text, and where the duplicates appeared they just didn’t seem to correspond. I would be interested to know if anyone noticed this on the Kindle version.
It’s an eye-opening look at a country many of us wouldn’t hesitate to go to on our summer holidays. Perhaps it is a little one-sided but it’s a side we don’t really get to hear about. My heart goes out the people of Greece whose lives have been ruined by economics and the innocent who are blamed in the backlash. It’s also quite critical of traditional press, both in Greece and at home, looking at the natural evolution of reporting in the digital age but Laurie also explains how it’s hard making a living as an independent journalist. Sometimes she is not welcomed on either side of the picket line.
Of course, what sets Discordia apart from other pieces of journalism is Molly’s wonderful illustrations. The ink and pencil drawings are the perfect medium for ebooks, something that the eInk renders well. I will admit to reading it on my iPad for the subtleties of colour but really, they don’t need to be seen in colour to be appreciated. They are a mix of sketches on ruled notebooks, made on the spot, and more considered drawings done from photos and memories. Laurie’s text and Molly’s drawings were done independently of each other but they fit together seamlessly, drawn from the same experiences.
I’m not sure if it was a compatibility issue or a formatting error with the ePUB but there were some duplicate images. This could be on purpose, but the illustrations are placed at relevant points in the text, and where the duplicates appeared they just didn’t seem to correspond. I would be interested to know if anyone noticed this on the Kindle version.
kurenai's review
4.0
They don't know that we are the media.
They don't know that we start the mania.
They don't know that we start the mania.
- Amanda Palmer, Map of Tasmania
I thought this was a good insight into what happened/is happening in Greece. Laurie Penny has a way for words that keeps us, the reader, interested and engaged and Molly Crabapple's artwork is a wonderful addition.
My main problem had nothing to do with the content and everything to do with the text size. I bought and read this on Kindle Cloud through the internet rather than through my actual Kindle in the hopes that the images would be of much better quality. However, I had to oscillate between huge, regular, and mini-note sized text. Really hard to read!!
Otherwise than that I have nothing to complain about.
ricardoreading's review
4.0
Initially I picked this up because I love both Laurie Penny's writing (I think she's the closest thing we have to an actual, factual Spider Jerusalem) and Molly Crabapple's art. And I guess I wanted to know more about Greece's troubles, as one of the things I've been working on this year is being more politically aware.
I certainly didn't expect to read something that was so totally relevant to what we're currently going through in Puerto Rico. Greece is an ocean away, after all, and their politics are so different than ours. How could....
But once again, it turned out to be a case of me underestimating our innate and so so human ability to brilliantly and marvelously fuck things up.
Puerto Rico's going through something of an economic upheaval, and it's left our politics and political discourse in disarray. So much of the subject matter and attitudes discussed here struck so many similar chords that it left me a bit shaken, to say the least. Greece has been journeying through this deep and problematic cavern for a while now, though, and we're just now, foolishly and recklessly stumbling into it. We can just see the dark abyss for now, and that in of itself is scary enough, but if Penny and Crabapple's reportage is anything to go by, there is light shining at the end of it all.
It's a distant light, of course, and you have to struggle to see it. But that is kind of the point.
I certainly didn't expect to read something that was so totally relevant to what we're currently going through in Puerto Rico. Greece is an ocean away, after all, and their politics are so different than ours. How could....
But once again, it turned out to be a case of me underestimating our innate and so so human ability to brilliantly and marvelously fuck things up.
Puerto Rico's going through something of an economic upheaval, and it's left our politics and political discourse in disarray. So much of the subject matter and attitudes discussed here struck so many similar chords that it left me a bit shaken, to say the least. Greece has been journeying through this deep and problematic cavern for a while now, though, and we're just now, foolishly and recklessly stumbling into it. We can just see the dark abyss for now, and that in of itself is scary enough, but if Penny and Crabapple's reportage is anything to go by, there is light shining at the end of it all.
It's a distant light, of course, and you have to struggle to see it. But that is kind of the point.
welshcoaster's review
3.0
I really like Laurie Penny's journalism and this short book/extended column is a good example of her writing. It's accompanied by Molly Crabapples brilliant illustrations so it is a modern gonzo reportage similar but different to Hunter S Thompson and Ralph Steadman. The story of Greek misery is distressing however and I worry what the future holds for us.
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