tomhill's review against another edition
3.0
Fun because it uses the backdrop of estate sales and antiques, hoarding and old junk to tell a story of connections between the past and present in a small town.
aotrejo's review against another edition
4.0
It's not a graphic novel I get to see everyday. The topic of hoarders always get to me. My grandmother struggles with this everyday. She lives with my mom and me, so we all struggle. I think this book really captivates this obstacle that everyone undergoes, whether it's with physical objects or mental this gn really explores all that is encompassed in hoarding.
mschlat's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a huge fan of Carla Speed McNeil's work (almost exclusively found in her Finder volumes), so I picked up this work based on her illustration --- this is my first exposure to Sara Ryan.
McNeil excels in so many areas, but this work highlights two of them. First, she's great at emotional range, both at showing characters having breakdowns and at expressing quiet reserve. Bad Houses requires that --- we have the pain and angst of the teenage protagonists and the deeper hurts and habits of their families.
Second, McNeil can create well-defined spaces. In the Finder universe, those spaces are often fantastical. Here, they are more mundane, but in a novel about estate sales and hoarders, she gets across the detail of the stuff in peoples' houses (and what that stuff means).
A great read --- sobering to start (so much so I was unsure of any happiness for anyone), but signs of hope at the end.
McNeil excels in so many areas, but this work highlights two of them. First, she's great at emotional range, both at showing characters having breakdowns and at expressing quiet reserve. Bad Houses requires that --- we have the pain and angst of the teenage protagonists and the deeper hurts and habits of their families.
Second, McNeil can create well-defined spaces. In the Finder universe, those spaces are often fantastical. Here, they are more mundane, but in a novel about estate sales and hoarders, she gets across the detail of the stuff in peoples' houses (and what that stuff means).
A great read --- sobering to start (so much so I was unsure of any happiness for anyone), but signs of hope at the end.
bardic_llama's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
dawnoftheread's review against another edition
4.0
http://www.unshelved.com/bookclub/2013-10-18#9781595829931
robinsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't yet figured out why, but I've had a hard time getting into graphic novels. I like the Lucy Knisley memoirs (RELISH, AGE OF LICENSE, DISPLACEMENT) but others I've tried leave me a little frustrated.
BAD HOUSES was recommended by a colleague and I'm really glad she did as I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a few sections I kind of lost track of who was who but I thought it was a great story with realistic characters that was very well conveyed through the drawings.
I really should try more because they read so quickly that it helps keep me on track of my yearly reading challenge. :-)
BAD HOUSES was recommended by a colleague and I'm really glad she did as I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a few sections I kind of lost track of who was who but I thought it was a great story with realistic characters that was very well conveyed through the drawings.
I really should try more because they read so quickly that it helps keep me on track of my yearly reading challenge. :-)
pogue's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
stenaros's review against another edition
3.0
Great graphic novel that balances several plots with a deft hand. Or rather, hands, as there is an author and an illustrator to think of.
mhall's review against another edition
3.0
Just a nice realistic graphic novel about estate sales and hoarding in a small town in Oregon.