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redroseses's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Medical content, War, and Classism
billyjepma's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Jesus, this was grim. Before this, my only exposure to Stålenhag was the TV show adaptation of Tales From the Loop, which was imaginative enough that I wanted to see more of the work its original creator had done. This is a pretty straightforward story and honestly doesn't have much to say that similar post-apocalyptic tales have already covered. The moral reasoning reminded me of The Last of Us, specifically, which should give an idea of how dire it is. But I like grim, and I like dire, and there's something fascinating about the cruelty of this world Stålenhag creates.
I wish we had learned more about it, though, since his illustrations are rich and captivating in ways that the plot isn't. His realistic style is immediately striking, especially when paired with the higher-concept sci-fi-apocalypse designs he injects into that realism. It's riveting stuff on a visual level, and I spent almost as much time soaking up his illustrations as I did his writing. He's also a great writer, even if I wasn't enamored with this particular story. He hits on too many familiar notes, which robs the story's ability to shock you the way it needs. Otherwise, Stålenhag's voice is sharp and concise. His measured tone makes the horrors of the visuals and story feel almost drab, which obviously makes them that much more upsetting.
My narrative qualms aside, Stålenhag is someone whose work I will continue seeking out. His stylistic leanings scratch a particular itch that few things manage to reach, and I'll take as much of it as I can get.
I wish we had learned more about it, though, since his illustrations are rich and captivating in ways that the plot isn't. His realistic style is immediately striking, especially when paired with the higher-concept sci-fi-apocalypse designs he injects into that realism. It's riveting stuff on a visual level, and I spent almost as much time soaking up his illustrations as I did his writing. He's also a great writer, even if I wasn't enamored with this particular story. He hits on too many familiar notes, which robs the story's ability to shock you the way it needs. Otherwise, Stålenhag's voice is sharp and concise. His measured tone makes the horrors of the visuals and story feel almost drab, which obviously makes them that much more upsetting.
My narrative qualms aside, Stålenhag is someone whose work I will continue seeking out. His stylistic leanings scratch a particular itch that few things manage to reach, and I'll take as much of it as I can get.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement
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