Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Black Hole by Charles Burns

2 reviews

avidales's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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hermitlyinclined's review

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challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

3/5 - GOOD
 
The story in Black Hole isn't anything special, particularly when read later in life. But with the care and consideration Charles Burns took in writing and illustrating the work, Black Hole becomes a timeless coming of age piece. The story follows a group of teenagers exploring the forays of sex and love for the first time, applying the motif of an STI that inflicts body horrors onto the host. While Burns has stated the mutation reflects an adolescence tranformation into adulthood, I prefer to see it as a reflection of the sense of permanence each of us feel in our youth; every decision, consequence, and state of being will continue on in perpetuity.
My only evidence would be the reveal that the mutations eventually disappear and victims return to (relatively) normal appearance.
 
The actions of the book reflect how various characters adapt to that illusion permanence. Many hide away in darkness, not wanting to expose their vulnerabilities and finding others like them to empathise with. Some are fully enveloped by that darkness and look to drag as many others down into their misery as possible. Others want to understand what they are going through and find someone to understand both themselves and the world around them. And then there are those who look to redeem themselves, however poorly. 
 
It is a short series, 12 trade-paperbacks worth of content, with a tendency to drag through the middle-third, but it was a warm memory of a time gone by for me. The events readers witness do go to some unnecessary (fantastical) extremes - and there are some loose ends left untied - but the language used doesn't date the contents. Despite being written throughout the 90s and 00s, the setting is a suburban America of the late 70s early 80s. The art further lends itself to it being of a bygone era without feeling out of place - seemingly combining 1950s pop line-art with a wood carving asthetic. The simplicity of some panels allows for the extremes of horror and psychodelia to leap off of the page. 
 
In general, this would be a strong recommendation for late-teenagers (that can stomach gore and violence) to reassure them that they are not alone in some of the struggles they inevitable go through. 
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