A review by acetokki99
Killing and Dying, by Adrian Tomine
3.0
Characters: This was a selection of characters that felt and read like real people. I don’t mean a relatable chosen one, I’m talking about the girl you walked by to get to class and you can’t really remember her face (you certainly don’t know her name) but if her picture were on the news you’d squint at it for a second. It was honesty refreshing to read from these people. It felt mote personal and I liked that, even if they were boring people I didn’t care about. -3
Atmosphere: The book definitely had a vibe like the coffee shop comics I used to get beside my hot chocolate when I was kid. The Sunday morning strip read before Church. It’s not the kind of graphic novel I typically reach for but I was thoroughly pleased with the mood of this read. -5
Substance: I can’t think of one of these stories that had a complete story arch. There was a lack of background, character building, resolve, and endings. This missing bit definitely added to the feeling that you were reading a moment of someone else’s life and only that moment. The stories could be dull but the ideas were always great. A college student that finds out she has a porn star doppelgänger, or a man that grieves his loss and breaks into the apartment that was once his to make a meal and feel at home. My favorite story was the Translated one, it felt the most sacred and real. -2
Enjoyment: I did like this read. Would I have loved to have a little more on every front? Yes. At the end of the day, I had a good time but wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. -3
Total:13
13 / 4 = 3.5
Atmosphere: The book definitely had a vibe like the coffee shop comics I used to get beside my hot chocolate when I was kid. The Sunday morning strip read before Church. It’s not the kind of graphic novel I typically reach for but I was thoroughly pleased with the mood of this read. -5
Substance: I can’t think of one of these stories that had a complete story arch. There was a lack of background, character building, resolve, and endings. This missing bit definitely added to the feeling that you were reading a moment of someone else’s life and only that moment. The stories could be dull but the ideas were always great. A college student that finds out she has a porn star doppelgänger, or a man that grieves his loss and breaks into the apartment that was once his to make a meal and feel at home. My favorite story was the Translated one, it felt the most sacred and real. -2
Enjoyment: I did like this read. Would I have loved to have a little more on every front? Yes. At the end of the day, I had a good time but wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. -3
Total:13
13 / 4 = 3.5