gsroney's review
5.0
“To live (as I understand it) is to exist within a conception of time.
But to remember is to vacate the very notion of time.
Every memory, no matter how remote its subject, takes place 'Now,' at the moment it's called to the mind.
The more something is recalled, the more the brain has a chance to refine the original experience.
Because every memory is a re-creation, not a playback.”
But to remember is to vacate the very notion of time.
Every memory, no matter how remote its subject, takes place 'Now,' at the moment it's called to the mind.
The more something is recalled, the more the brain has a chance to refine the original experience.
Because every memory is a re-creation, not a playback.”
jonathanlibrarian's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gardenofpoem's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
novelerachavela's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jekutree's review
5.0
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli is one of the most stunning, ambitious and impressive comic books to ever be written. The amount of care and detail that goes into every page of this masterpiece is rivaled by no comic. Mazzucchelli uses the medium perfectly, better than any other before or after him. Everything down to the lettering (every character having their own unique font and bubble shape, this instantly reveals a character’s personality) is intricately planned by Mazzucchelli and serves to boost the narrative he’s crafting.
Known for his groundbreaking art work on famous stories like Batman Year One and Daredevil Born Again (both with Frank Miller), Mazzucchelli switches his style up dramatically for Asterios Polyp. He uses a cartoony style that perfectly fits the tone of this story of self realization, philosophy, relationships and much more.
The story follows Asterios Polyp, an architect he might be a little too full of himself for his own good, as he navigates through a relationship with a woman named Hana. Throughout the story, we get three main stories. How Asterios and Hana met (and eventually divorced), how Asterios deals with the fallout of the relationship and experimental dream like breaks where Mazzucchelli uses Asterios’s stillborn twin Ignazio as symbolism for the man Asterios strives to be. In these breaks, Mazzuchelli also explores the philosophy of Art, relationships and much more. The main story is very moving and engaging and this mainly comes from Asterios. He’s a very real character with realistic flaws. He’s extremely human and I find him to be very very relatable. He very well might be my favorite comic book character of all time. His relationship with Hana reminds me of mine with my girlfriend, this book reminds me to do better by her all the time. Through reading Asterios’s journey, I found myself to become a better person. There hasn’t been a comic book or graphic novel that has changed me as a person more than Asterios Polyp.
A combination of the cutting edge techniques Mazzucchelli uses, the exploration of various philosophies and concepts and the down to earth, relatable story of a man trying to understand himself, this book stands as a milestone in the comics industry. It’s without a doubt one of the best to ever been made, and Mazzucchelli is one of the best to ever do it.
10/10
Known for his groundbreaking art work on famous stories like Batman Year One and Daredevil Born Again (both with Frank Miller), Mazzucchelli switches his style up dramatically for Asterios Polyp. He uses a cartoony style that perfectly fits the tone of this story of self realization, philosophy, relationships and much more.
The story follows Asterios Polyp, an architect he might be a little too full of himself for his own good, as he navigates through a relationship with a woman named Hana. Throughout the story, we get three main stories. How Asterios and Hana met (and eventually divorced), how Asterios deals with the fallout of the relationship and experimental dream like breaks where Mazzucchelli uses Asterios’s stillborn twin Ignazio as symbolism for the man Asterios strives to be. In these breaks, Mazzuchelli also explores the philosophy of Art, relationships and much more. The main story is very moving and engaging and this mainly comes from Asterios. He’s a very real character with realistic flaws. He’s extremely human and I find him to be very very relatable. He very well might be my favorite comic book character of all time. His relationship with Hana reminds me of mine with my girlfriend, this book reminds me to do better by her all the time. Through reading Asterios’s journey, I found myself to become a better person. There hasn’t been a comic book or graphic novel that has changed me as a person more than Asterios Polyp.
A combination of the cutting edge techniques Mazzucchelli uses, the exploration of various philosophies and concepts and the down to earth, relatable story of a man trying to understand himself, this book stands as a milestone in the comics industry. It’s without a doubt one of the best to ever been made, and Mazzucchelli is one of the best to ever do it.
10/10
deservingporcupine's review
3.0
I enjoyed parts of this novel, but generally struggle with the kind of pretentious dialogue and narration that seems to show up a lot in graphic novels. I have heard that this one benefits from a second reading, so I may have to give it another chance.
jcschildbach's review
5.0
This is a sort of midlife crisis story--or maybe later-than-midlife-crisis story told in graphic novel form, where the drawings are really adding to the interpretation of the story. For instance, characters appear differently based on how they are being perceived by the main character or how they are perceiving themselves in context of the main character. Okay, that probably didn't help clarify much, but if you pick this up, you'll know what I mean. The story is much more about character than plot, and will stick with you like a good, quiet movie.