rudwulf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
wenzy's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! An incredible piece of alternate history and one of the most important pieces of Filipino literature!
jsmithborne's review against another edition
3.0
This was good, and I wanted to like it more than I did based on all the buzz I'd read. Maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace for it.
zaisgraph's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
This graphic novel is simply amazing. I was flabbergasted how effective yet simple the story was. In 135 pages, Gerry was able to discuss the struggles of minorities, a little bit of how it is to be a second generation immigrant, accepting and coming to terms with your history and identity, forgiveness and the value of family among dozens of other things.
The drawings were very good, Gerry used some gore to drive his points across. I'm fine with this. The topics brought up in Elmer aren't supposed supposed to be sugar-coated. Minorities die worldwide daily because of bigotry. There are well off children who didn't know how hard things were for their parents. Many people now do not know or at least appreciate the sacrifices of their ancestors for the freedoms they currently enjoy. Learning history is very important. It must be vigilantly protected with accurate recording and constant remembrance because it can be forgotten and worse, distorted.
Life can get ugly, we may ultimately die with plenty of regret. So while we still draw breath, let's lessen the things left unsaid and celebrate what we do have. Let the people who are there for us know that they are loved because things never remain the same. This graphic novel is a thing of beauty. I strongly recommend Elmer.
Read the physical copy.
The drawings were very good, Gerry used some gore to drive his points across. I'm fine with this. The topics brought up in Elmer aren't supposed supposed to be sugar-coated. Minorities die worldwide daily because of bigotry. There are well off children who didn't know how hard things were for their parents. Many people now do not know or at least appreciate the sacrifices of their ancestors for the freedoms they currently enjoy. Learning history is very important. It must be vigilantly protected with accurate recording and constant remembrance because it can be forgotten and worse, distorted.
Life can get ugly, we may ultimately die with plenty of regret. So while we still draw breath, let's lessen the things left unsaid and celebrate what we do have. Let the people who are there for us know that they are loved because things never remain the same. This graphic novel is a thing of beauty. I strongly recommend Elmer.
Read the physical copy.
haewilya's review against another edition
4.0
I love the art. I am not really a fan of alternate earth but it was inetersting and kinda reminds me of Maus (a little bit).
bluenicorn's review against another edition
3.0
It was good, I'm just perplexed why it keeps showing up on lgbt comics lists. There's a possibly gay side character... but that's weak. This was way bigger than that.
teacher2library's review against another edition
4.0
What does it mean when I have more sympathy for our feathered friends than my fellow homo sapiens? Alanguilan's just that good. It's nice to read about sentient chickens struggling for their rights every one in awhile instead of robots.
mrsthrift's review against another edition
4.0
It's a book about chickens, and did you know I am obsessed with chickens? So... pretty much there is no way for me to not love this book and I was relieved that it fulfilled my expectations for both chicken content and an interesting story. I wanted to get tattoos of several panels (chickens watching the sunset, for example). I even had a dream that I took this book to a tattoo parlor and got a chicken tattoo.
This is the story of the day the chickens of the world developed souls / consciousness (and everything that happened afterwards). As in, suddenly all the chickens can talk and express feelings and build relationships and hold jobs and have opinions. It is told from the perspective of a second-generation chicken who, like many second-generation kids, takes a lot of daily life's privileges for granted. Upon his father's death, he receives a journal that his dad kept from the early days and experiences of chickens who can talk and feel. The story is framed as this intergenerational forgetting/remembering process. It's about love, loss and dignity. Also, there is this subplot about basic (civil/human) rights (who gets them? who decides? how can they be enforced? what does it mean to be human? etc.)
This is the story of the day the chickens of the world developed souls / consciousness (and everything that happened afterwards). As in, suddenly all the chickens can talk and express feelings and build relationships and hold jobs and have opinions. It is told from the perspective of a second-generation chicken who, like many second-generation kids, takes a lot of daily life's privileges for granted. Upon his father's death, he receives a journal that his dad kept from the early days and experiences of chickens who can talk and feel. The story is framed as this intergenerational forgetting/remembering process. It's about love, loss and dignity. Also, there is this subplot about basic (civil/human) rights (who gets them? who decides? how can they be enforced? what does it mean to be human? etc.)
tiffany_lishan's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
shawntowner's review against another edition
4.0
The story of an angry chicken with a chip on his shoulder (do chickens have shoulders?), Elmer is a beautifully inventive black-and-white comic book graphic novel that takes place in a world where chickens have the intelligence of humans. Jake, the aforementioned angry chicken, is furious at all the perceived slights and injustices he experiences every day at the hands of humans who do not accept chickens are their equals. After the death of his father, Jakes learns of his family's history--and the history of all chickens who suddenly became sentient--and comes to realize what true suffering and hardship is.
Also, I should mention that this book opens with a chicken masturbating to online photos of a naked human starlet. So, if that's your type of thing, you've got something to look forward to.
Also, I should mention that this book opens with a chicken masturbating to online photos of a naked human starlet. So, if that's your type of thing, you've got something to look forward to.