This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1London_StJ
Hello, friends and strangers.
I made it ... ten months. Does it count as eleven?
It's been a hell of a year, in a lot of good ways. But I have a regret: no longer having a set space to track my reading has lead that reading to ... dwindle. So, I'm throwing my tassels into the ring for 2020, starting with an attempt to list what I managed to get to in 2019.
Edited to add an "about me": I am a burlesque and sideshow performing, scholarship publishing, costuming making, modeling, comics reading, film watching, queer atheist cultural historian aerialist student and PhD candidate.
The List of Links
Books Read in 2018 (79 Books. Major Events: Gah, I can't remember. My best friend died. I performed a lot. I defended by dissertation prospectus. It's been a year now...)
Books Read in 2017 (-- Books. Major Events, excising rotten and hard: burlesque debut; won a pinup competition; decide to leave adjuncting; started my LLC; remarried my amazing wife in a fabulously gothic ceremony; spoke at two conferences; had two chapters accepted for publication - still pending; organized a panel for THE conference for my field (taking place in January); brought home a third poodle; started volunteering at an animal shelter)
Books Read in 2016 (108 Books. Major Events: Completed PhD coursework; passed PhD exams; taught in the spring semester; published a brief article, had a chapter accepted for 2017 publication, and two papers accepted for 2017 conferences; sewed two wedding dresses and one groom's suit; planned and executed two weddings for my best friend, who was diagnosed with cancer; finally built a website for my costuming portfolio; brought home a second poodle; general chaos and joy of living with my dear family)
Books Read in 2015 (75 Books. Major Events: Four semesters of PhD coursework (spring, two summer, fall); published two reviews, spoke and organized at two conferences; taught 20+ credits a semester; bought a house; didn't forget the names of my children or partner; costumed like the enthusiastic amateur I am)
Books Read in 2014 (96 Books. Major Events: First two semesters of PhD coursework; published three papers, two reviews, spoke at two conferences, and organized two conference panels; taught at two schools simultaneously and did my first (and last) stint in a writing center.)
Books Read in 2013 (87 Books. Major Events: Published two papers!)
Books Read in 2012 (81 Books. Major Events: New - additional - Teaching Position, Moving, Surgery)
Books Read in 2011 (101 Books. Major Events: Birth of Third Monster, Poor health and a death in the family)
Books Read in 2010 (100 Books. Major Event: Second Adjunct Position Obtained)
Books Read in 2009 (145 Books. Major Event: Birth of Second Monster)
Books Read in 2008 (61 Books. Major Events: Birth of First Monster, First Adjunct Position Obtained)
Books Read in 2007 (85 Books. Major Event: Finished my MA in English Lit)
What's going on these days: My article for The Wilkie Collins Journal was officially published, and my author copy of Fashion and Material Culture in Victorian Fiction and Periodicals should arrive any day now. I just sent in a book chapter for a forthcoming volume on sartorial fandom, I have a book proposal in the works, and I'm working on edits for another book chapter on feminism and comics. I'm loving my work. I have two more chapters to write for my dissertation, which I'm hoping to defend this spring.
I am also performing quite a bit, and loving it more and more. I went to my first festival this summer, flew to Colorado to perform with my burlesque idol in Satanic Panic, and am about to jet off to New Orleans to perform in the NOLA Nerdlesque Festival. It feels good and invigorating and exciting and fulfilling.
Here is what I think I've read so far. I won't make it to 75 by December 31, but there's nothing to be done about that.
1. Hellboy Volume 1: Seeds of Destruction
2. Maestra by L. S. Hilton
3. Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs
4. The Superhero Costume by Barbara Brownie and Danny Graydon
5. Serpentine by Laurell K. Hamilton
6. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
7. How the Finch Stole Christmas! By Donna Andrews
8. Gothic in Comics and Graphic Novels by Julia Round
9. Boy Wonder by Burt Ward
10. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
11. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
12. Dracula by Bram Stoker
13. Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
14. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
15. How to Marry a Werewolf by Gail Carriger
16. Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger
17. Romancing the Werewolf by Gail Carriger
18. Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue DeConnick
19. The Beetle by Richard Marsh
20. Uncle Silas by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
21. Two Face: A Celebration of 75 Years
22. Batman Arkham: Poison Ivy
23. Bitch Planet 2 by Kelly Sue DeConnick
24. The Wicked and the Divine Book One by Kieron Gillen
25. Lumberjanes by Grace Ellis
26. Castle Waiting Vol. 1 by Linda Medley
27. Seed by Ania Ahlborn
28. Paper Girls: Book One by Brian K. Vaughan
29. Batman: Arkham Asylum by Grant Morrison
30. The Devil Crept in by Ania Ahlborn
31. Ghost Story by Peter Straub
32. Brother by Ania Ahlborn
33. Thrillkiller by Bob Kane
34. Home After Dark by David Small
35. Every Tool’s a Hammer by Adam Savage
36. Mr. Higgins Comes Home by Mike Mignola
37. Bad Girls by Alex De Campi
38. Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett
39. Snuff by Terry Pratchett
40. The Power by Naomi Alderman
41. Prudence by Gail Carriger
42. Imprudence by Gail Carriger
43. Competence by Gail Carriger
44. Reticence by Gail Carriger
45. The Poison Thread by Laura Purcell
46. Making Money by Terry Pratchett
47. Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
48. The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor
49. When I arrived at the Castle by Emily Carroll
50. Soulless by Gail Carriger
51. The Five by Hallie Rubenhold reviewed here
52. Changeless by Gail Carriger
53. N0S4A2 by Joe Hill. November 21, 2019. ****
54. Monster by Walter Dean Myers. November 2019. ****
55. The Truth by Terry Pratchett. November 2019. *****
56. The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale by Tim Hanley. November 2019. ***1/2
57. Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery": The Authorized Graphic Adaptation by Miles Hyman. December 11, 2019. *****
58. Catwoman: Copycats by Joelle Jones. December 12, 2019. *****
59. Catwoman: Far From Gotham by Joelle Jones. December 2019. ***1/2
60. These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker. December 28, 2019. ***
4London_StJ
Thanks, folks!
5London_StJ
52. Changeless by Gail Carriger
My nightmares have taken on an entirely different shape lately, coming to me before I even fall asleep, and keeping me from feeling rested. To help keep them at bay I've taken to picking up comfort reads, on which I can literally fall asleep at night. It's generally working, and I've just finished one such again - Changeless, the second in the Parasol Protectorate series. This one will forever hold a special place for introducing one of my favorite literary crushes - Madame Lefoux.
6London_StJ
53. 
Title: N0s4A2
Author: Joe Hill
Pages: 720
Date Finished: November 21, 2019
Rating: ****
Amazon Synopsis: Don't slow down
Victoria McQueen has an uncanny knack for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. When she rides her bicycle over the rickety old covered bridge in the woods near her house, she always emerges in the places she needs to be. Vic doesn't tell anyone about her unusual ability, because she knows no one will believe her. She has trouble understanding it herself.
Charles Talent Manx has a gift of his own. He likes to take children for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the vanity plate NOS4A2. In the Wraith, he and his innocent guests can slip out of the everyday world and onto hidden roads that lead to an astonishing playground of amusements he calls Christmasland. Mile by mile, the journey across the highway of Charlie's twisted imagination transforms his precious passengers, leaving them as terrifying and unstoppable as their benefactor.
And then comes the day when Vic goes looking for trouble...and finds her way, inevitably, to Charlie.
That was a lifetime ago. Now, the only kid ever to escape Charlie's unmitigated evil is all grown up and desperate to forget.
But Charlie Manx hasn't stopped thinking about the exceptional Victoria McQueen. On the road again, he won't slow down until he's taken his revenge. He's after something very special - something Vic can never replace.
As a life-and-death battle of wills builds her magic pitted against his - Vic McQueen prepares to destroy Charlie once and for all...or die trying....
My Review: I first saw this book mentioned this fall, when I saw someone ask on Twitter for horror novel recommendations. I knew nothing of it when I picked it up - not even the above-quoted synopsis - but I had before found Hill's Horns reasonably good fun, and so thought to give this other a try. Initially, I found the novel slow-going, even putting it down several times until my library loan expired. I came back to it as a digital loan, but without the gusto to read it before the loan expired again ... until I got halfway through.
Up to this point I found it difficult to track the narrative; without much to go on I wasn't quite sure where things were going, and so I wasn't entirely convinced I cared. By midway, though, narrative energy begins o match the world-building, and the pieces of the puzzle begin to make more sense. I flew through the second half, forgoing writing responsibilities to do so. The foreshadowing hits readers in the head like a bone hammer, but Joe Hill really knows how to end a novel, and I was quite pleased with the conclusion.
Title: N0s4A2
Author: Joe Hill
Pages: 720
Date Finished: November 21, 2019
Rating: ****
Amazon Synopsis: Don't slow down
Victoria McQueen has an uncanny knack for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. When she rides her bicycle over the rickety old covered bridge in the woods near her house, she always emerges in the places she needs to be. Vic doesn't tell anyone about her unusual ability, because she knows no one will believe her. She has trouble understanding it herself.
Charles Talent Manx has a gift of his own. He likes to take children for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the vanity plate NOS4A2. In the Wraith, he and his innocent guests can slip out of the everyday world and onto hidden roads that lead to an astonishing playground of amusements he calls Christmasland. Mile by mile, the journey across the highway of Charlie's twisted imagination transforms his precious passengers, leaving them as terrifying and unstoppable as their benefactor.
And then comes the day when Vic goes looking for trouble...and finds her way, inevitably, to Charlie.
That was a lifetime ago. Now, the only kid ever to escape Charlie's unmitigated evil is all grown up and desperate to forget.
But Charlie Manx hasn't stopped thinking about the exceptional Victoria McQueen. On the road again, he won't slow down until he's taken his revenge. He's after something very special - something Vic can never replace.
As a life-and-death battle of wills builds her magic pitted against his - Vic McQueen prepares to destroy Charlie once and for all...or die trying....
My Review: I first saw this book mentioned this fall, when I saw someone ask on Twitter for horror novel recommendations. I knew nothing of it when I picked it up - not even the above-quoted synopsis - but I had before found Hill's Horns reasonably good fun, and so thought to give this other a try. Initially, I found the novel slow-going, even putting it down several times until my library loan expired. I came back to it as a digital loan, but without the gusto to read it before the loan expired again ... until I got halfway through.
Up to this point I found it difficult to track the narrative; without much to go on I wasn't quite sure where things were going, and so I wasn't entirely convinced I cared. By midway, though, narrative energy begins o match the world-building, and the pieces of the puzzle begin to make more sense. I flew through the second half, forgoing writing responsibilities to do so. The foreshadowing hits readers in the head like a bone hammer, but Joe Hill really knows how to end a novel, and I was quite pleased with the conclusion.
7FAMeulstee
Happy to see you back with us.
Love the pictures with the rainbow flag on your website.
Love the pictures with the rainbow flag on your website.
8London_StJ
>7 FAMeulstee: Thank you x2! That photo set makes me very happy, and I'm happy to be back.
54.
Title: Monster
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Pages: 281
Date Finished: November 2019
Rating: ****
Amazon Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed in his store, and the word is that Steve served as the lookout.
Guilty or innocent, Steve becomes a pawn in the hands of "the system," cluttered with cynical authority figures and unscrupulous inmates, who will turn in anyone to shorten their own sentences. For the first time, Steve is forced to think about who he is as he faces prison, where he may spend all the tomorrows of his life.
As a way of coping with the horrific events that entangle him, Steve, an amateur filmmaker, decides to transcribe his trial into a script, just like in the movies. He writes it all down, scene by scene, the story of how his whole life was turned around in an instant. But despite his efforts, reality is blurred and his vision obscured until he can no longer tell who he is or what is the truth. This compelling novel is Walter Dean Myers's writing at its best.
2000 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, 2000 Michael L. Printz Award, 1999 National Book Award Finalist, 01 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit Finalist, 00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List, and 00-01 Black-Eyed Susan Award Masterlist
2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), Hornbook Fanfare 2000, Michael L. Printz Award 2000, 2000 Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor Book, 2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers), and 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
I am pleased to be returning to the classroom this spring, and spent time procrastination time polishing my old syllabus instead of writing the dissertation chapter I need to submit ASAP. In the spring I always have one "rotating" book - something I change every semester or so, because nothing has fit quite right. This term I wanted to teach a traditional novel and a graphic adaptation, to continue the multimodal analysis I teach and encourage throughout the term. And, quite frankly, I realized just how white my reading list is, and wanted to find a text by an author of color, about characters of color.
I was uncertain when I picked up this book, but it immediately drew me in. And I was heartbroken. Myers so well uses pathos that I felt an ache in my chest, and thrumming tension throughout the whole.
But aside from my affective reaction, I think it's going to be a good fit for my own intentions - it's a novel, written as a screenplay, then adapted to a graphic novel. Given its age and acclaim I have some reservations for the likelihood that my students will have read it before, but I'm going to give it a try anyway.
55.
Title: The Truth
Author: Terry Pratchett
Pages: 281
Date Finished: November 2019
Rating: *****
Amazon Synopsis: A war of words and a battle for the truth in Terry Pratchett's bestselling Discworld® series
The denizens of Ankh-Morpork fancy they've seen just about everything. But then comes the Ankh-Morpork Times, struggling scribe William de Worde's upper-crust newsletter turned Discworld's first paper of record.
An ethical journalist, de Worde has a proclivity for investigating stories—a nasty habit that soon creates powerful enemies eager to stop his presses. And what better way than to start the Inquirer, a titillating (well, what else would it be?) tabloid that conveniently interchanges what's real for what sells.
But de Worde's got an inside line on the hot story concerning Ankh-Morpork's leading patrician, Lord Vetinari. The facts say Vetinari is guilty. But as William de Worde learns, facts don't always tell the whole story. There's that pesky little thing called . . . the truth.
My favorite Discworld novel, The Truth is a constant reread - a bit of a comfort object when i'm' feeling fragile or upset or anxious or just generally don't know what else to read. The Industry novels are certainly my favorite, and this never fails to draw me in.
54.
Title: Monster
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Pages: 281
Date Finished: November 2019
Rating: ****
Amazon Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. A Harlem drugstore owner was shot and killed in his store, and the word is that Steve served as the lookout.
Guilty or innocent, Steve becomes a pawn in the hands of "the system," cluttered with cynical authority figures and unscrupulous inmates, who will turn in anyone to shorten their own sentences. For the first time, Steve is forced to think about who he is as he faces prison, where he may spend all the tomorrows of his life.
As a way of coping with the horrific events that entangle him, Steve, an amateur filmmaker, decides to transcribe his trial into a script, just like in the movies. He writes it all down, scene by scene, the story of how his whole life was turned around in an instant. But despite his efforts, reality is blurred and his vision obscured until he can no longer tell who he is or what is the truth. This compelling novel is Walter Dean Myers's writing at its best.
2000 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, 2000 Michael L. Printz Award, 1999 National Book Award Finalist, 01 Heartland Award for Excellence in YA Lit Finalist, 00-01 Tayshas High School Reading List, and 00-01 Black-Eyed Susan Award Masterlist
2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA), Hornbook Fanfare 2000, Michael L. Printz Award 2000, 2000 Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor Book, 2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers), and 2000 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
I am pleased to be returning to the classroom this spring, and spent time procrastination time polishing my old syllabus instead of writing the dissertation chapter I need to submit ASAP. In the spring I always have one "rotating" book - something I change every semester or so, because nothing has fit quite right. This term I wanted to teach a traditional novel and a graphic adaptation, to continue the multimodal analysis I teach and encourage throughout the term. And, quite frankly, I realized just how white my reading list is, and wanted to find a text by an author of color, about characters of color.
I was uncertain when I picked up this book, but it immediately drew me in. And I was heartbroken. Myers so well uses pathos that I felt an ache in my chest, and thrumming tension throughout the whole.
But aside from my affective reaction, I think it's going to be a good fit for my own intentions - it's a novel, written as a screenplay, then adapted to a graphic novel. Given its age and acclaim I have some reservations for the likelihood that my students will have read it before, but I'm going to give it a try anyway.
55.
Title: The Truth
Author: Terry Pratchett
Pages: 281
Date Finished: November 2019
Rating: *****
Amazon Synopsis: A war of words and a battle for the truth in Terry Pratchett's bestselling Discworld® series
The denizens of Ankh-Morpork fancy they've seen just about everything. But then comes the Ankh-Morpork Times, struggling scribe William de Worde's upper-crust newsletter turned Discworld's first paper of record.
An ethical journalist, de Worde has a proclivity for investigating stories—a nasty habit that soon creates powerful enemies eager to stop his presses. And what better way than to start the Inquirer, a titillating (well, what else would it be?) tabloid that conveniently interchanges what's real for what sells.
But de Worde's got an inside line on the hot story concerning Ankh-Morpork's leading patrician, Lord Vetinari. The facts say Vetinari is guilty. But as William de Worde learns, facts don't always tell the whole story. There's that pesky little thing called . . . the truth.
My favorite Discworld novel, The Truth is a constant reread - a bit of a comfort object when i'm' feeling fragile or upset or anxious or just generally don't know what else to read. The Industry novels are certainly my favorite, and this never fails to draw me in.
9Ape
WELCOME BACK!!
I also haven't been visiting Librarything much over the past couple years, and my reading was SEVERELY impacted. I only read 13 books last year, and only 16 this year, but I've made an effort to get caught back up with Librarything over the last couple months and my reading has totally improved!
(Okay, that's a lie, it hasn't improved at all...but it's been nice catching back up with everyone!)
I also haven't been visiting Librarything much over the past couple years, and my reading was SEVERELY impacted. I only read 13 books last year, and only 16 this year, but I've made an effort to get caught back up with Librarything over the last couple months and my reading has totally improved!
(Okay, that's a lie, it hasn't improved at all...but it's been nice catching back up with everyone!)
10London_StJ
>9 Ape: HELLO STRANGER! It's good to hear from you!
I had to come to terms with the fact that I'll *never* be able to keep up the social pace around here, but I still love the socializing I manage, and missed my personal catalog. Cheers to making it work for you!
I had to come to terms with the fact that I'll *never* be able to keep up the social pace around here, but I still love the socializing I manage, and missed my personal catalog. Cheers to making it work for you!
11Ape
The pace of the 75 group seems to have slowed quite a bit from what I remember a couple years ago. There are certain popular people whose threads are difficult to keep up with, but for the most part there seems to be a lot less activity. I'm not sure if there are any real statistics to back that up though.
12London_StJ
I may just start using the search function to find posts by the OP, the better to follow conversations rather than star-dropping.
GOOD NEWS - you'll never be swamped on this thread.
GOOD NEWS - you'll never be swamped on this thread.
13drneutron
The pace of messaging has definitely slowed down over the last couple or three years. It's still difficult at times for me to keep up, but certainly isn't what it was at the peak by a factor of 2 or 3.
However it works out, I'm glad the two of you have wandered back! 😀
However it works out, I'm glad the two of you have wandered back! 😀
14London_StJ
56. 
Title: The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale
Author: Tim Hanley
Pages: 266
Date Finished: November 2019
Rating: ***1/2
Amazon Synopsis: For more than 75 years, Catwoman has forged her own path in a clear-cut world of stalwart heroes, diabolical villains and damsels in distress. Sometimes a thief, sometimes a vigilante, sometimes neither and sometimes both, the mercurial Catwoman gleefully defies classification. Her relentless independence across comic books, television and film appearances set her apart from the rest of the superhero world. When female characters were limited to little more than romantic roles, Catwoman used her feminine wiles to manipulate Batman and escape justice at every turn. When male villains dominated Gotham on the small screen, Catwoman entered the mix and outshone them all. When female-led comics were few and far between, Catwoman headlined her own series for over 20 years. True to her nature, Catwoman stole the show everywhere she appeared, regardless of the medium. But her unique path had its downsides as well. Her existence on the periphery of the superhero world made her expendable, and she was prone to lengthy absences. Her villainous origins also made her susceptible to sexualized and degrading depictions from her primarily male creators in ways that most conventional heroines didn't face. Exploring the many incarnations of this cultural icon offers a new perspective on the superhero genre and showcases the fierce resiliency that has made Catwoman a fan favorite for decades.
When I found this book in my local library my stomach dropped a little bit. I am currently writing a dissertation chapter on Catwoman, and I was afraid that someone had already done the work. I was also surprised, because this book had never turned up in my academic library searches, while a number of journal articles had (i.e. "Catwoman" does in fact return results).
I needn't have worried; the book is, as it says on the cover, a history of the character, with very little analysis. Much of the book seres as a kind of cliffnotes for her stories, tracing plot lines and shifts in character. Tim Hanley hates Bob Kane, and offers some fairly standard points of discourse - i.e. that Catwoman is "susceptible to sexualized and degrading depictions," and is overly cautious about other points that are widely recognized, such as the fact that Catwoman was retired from 1954-1966 as a result of the CCA.
In the end I find it useful and clearly written. Hanley has done a great deal of primary source research for this text. We just have very different projects, which is great.
Title: The Many Lives of Catwoman: The Felonious History of a Feline Fatale
Author: Tim Hanley
Pages: 266
Date Finished: November 2019
Rating: ***1/2
Amazon Synopsis: For more than 75 years, Catwoman has forged her own path in a clear-cut world of stalwart heroes, diabolical villains and damsels in distress. Sometimes a thief, sometimes a vigilante, sometimes neither and sometimes both, the mercurial Catwoman gleefully defies classification. Her relentless independence across comic books, television and film appearances set her apart from the rest of the superhero world. When female characters were limited to little more than romantic roles, Catwoman used her feminine wiles to manipulate Batman and escape justice at every turn. When male villains dominated Gotham on the small screen, Catwoman entered the mix and outshone them all. When female-led comics were few and far between, Catwoman headlined her own series for over 20 years. True to her nature, Catwoman stole the show everywhere she appeared, regardless of the medium. But her unique path had its downsides as well. Her existence on the periphery of the superhero world made her expendable, and she was prone to lengthy absences. Her villainous origins also made her susceptible to sexualized and degrading depictions from her primarily male creators in ways that most conventional heroines didn't face. Exploring the many incarnations of this cultural icon offers a new perspective on the superhero genre and showcases the fierce resiliency that has made Catwoman a fan favorite for decades.
When I found this book in my local library my stomach dropped a little bit. I am currently writing a dissertation chapter on Catwoman, and I was afraid that someone had already done the work. I was also surprised, because this book had never turned up in my academic library searches, while a number of journal articles had (i.e. "Catwoman" does in fact return results).
I needn't have worried; the book is, as it says on the cover, a history of the character, with very little analysis. Much of the book seres as a kind of cliffnotes for her stories, tracing plot lines and shifts in character. Tim Hanley hates Bob Kane, and offers some fairly standard points of discourse - i.e. that Catwoman is "susceptible to sexualized and degrading depictions," and is overly cautious about other points that are widely recognized, such as the fact that Catwoman was retired from 1954-1966 as a result of the CCA.
In the end I find it useful and clearly written. Hanley has done a great deal of primary source research for this text. We just have very different projects, which is great.
15London_StJ
57. 
Title: Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery": The Authorized Graphic Adaption
Author: Miles Hyman
Pages: 160
Date Finished: December 11, 2019
Rating: *****
Amazon Synopsis: Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” continues to thrill and unsettle readers nearly seven decades after it was first published. By turns puzzling and harrowing, “The Lottery” raises troubling questions about conformity, tradition, and the ritualized violence that may haunt even the most bucolic, peaceful village.
This graphic adaptation by Jackson’s grandson Miles Hyman allows readers to experience “The Lottery” as never before, or to discover it anew. He has crafted an eerie vision of the hamlet where the tale unfolds and the unforgettable ritual its inhabitants set into motion. Hyman’s full-color, meticulously detailed panels create a noirish atmosphere that adds a new dimension of dread to the original story.
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”: The Authorized Graphic Adaptation stands as a tribute to Jackson, and reenvisions her iconic story as a striking visual narrative.
Oh, this adaption is good. It's so good. Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is iconic for good reason, and Hyman's illustrations add yet another level of humanity to the haunting and repulsive tale. Seeing the story graphically, by all definitions of the term, is like a sucker punch; knowing what was coming, I felt tensions building and building in a real, tangible way. Highly recommended.
Title: Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery": The Authorized Graphic Adaption
Author: Miles Hyman
Pages: 160
Date Finished: December 11, 2019
Rating: *****
Amazon Synopsis: Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” continues to thrill and unsettle readers nearly seven decades after it was first published. By turns puzzling and harrowing, “The Lottery” raises troubling questions about conformity, tradition, and the ritualized violence that may haunt even the most bucolic, peaceful village.
This graphic adaptation by Jackson’s grandson Miles Hyman allows readers to experience “The Lottery” as never before, or to discover it anew. He has crafted an eerie vision of the hamlet where the tale unfolds and the unforgettable ritual its inhabitants set into motion. Hyman’s full-color, meticulously detailed panels create a noirish atmosphere that adds a new dimension of dread to the original story.
Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”: The Authorized Graphic Adaptation stands as a tribute to Jackson, and reenvisions her iconic story as a striking visual narrative.
Oh, this adaption is good. It's so good. Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is iconic for good reason, and Hyman's illustrations add yet another level of humanity to the haunting and repulsive tale. Seeing the story graphically, by all definitions of the term, is like a sucker punch; knowing what was coming, I felt tensions building and building in a real, tangible way. Highly recommended.
16London_StJ
This message has been deleted by its author.
17London_StJ
58. 
Title: Catwoman: Copycats
Author: Joelle Jones
Pages: 160
Date Finished: December 12, 2019
Rating: *****
Amazon Synopsis: After leaving Batman at the altar, Selina Kyle leaves town to lick her breakup wounds in Villa Hermosa--a city almost as cold and corrupt as Gotham.
But soon after moving, she discovers her new neighborhood already has a Catwoman--and the impostor is wanted by the local police! Selina barely has time to settle in before she's the subject of a citywide manhunt, after eyewitnesses place Catwoman at the center of a brutal crime spree.
Still reeling from the aftermath of the wedding-that-wasn't, Catwoman will have to put off processing her feelings about her breakup while she instead figures out who's been stealing her look--and why. If she can't catch the copycat and clear her name, this former villain might end up behind bars--but for someone else's crimes!
Catwoman Vol. 1: Copycats collects the first six issues of the stunning new ongoing series, written and drawn by Eisner Award nominee Joëlle Jones (Supergirl: Being Super, Batman).
I started the Tom King Batman arc, and hated it from the get-go; I found the writing supremely lazy, and entirely derivative. While other fans got hyped up for the potential Bat-wedding, I stayed away - it just wasn't worth slogging through the whole run.
So when I found out that Joelle Jones was taking up the post-nuptial arc I was thrilled. I know Joelle Jones from Lady Killer, and I thought she'd be a great fit for a Catwoman story. And I wasn't disappointed. The styling of the comic is beautiful, and the storyline feels true to character, although it doesn't yet offer much that's new or exciting. Volume one felt like a builder, and the antagonist of the book is wonderfully gruesome. I'm looking forward to volume 2.
Title: Catwoman: Copycats
Author: Joelle Jones
Pages: 160
Date Finished: December 12, 2019
Rating: *****
Amazon Synopsis: After leaving Batman at the altar, Selina Kyle leaves town to lick her breakup wounds in Villa Hermosa--a city almost as cold and corrupt as Gotham.
But soon after moving, she discovers her new neighborhood already has a Catwoman--and the impostor is wanted by the local police! Selina barely has time to settle in before she's the subject of a citywide manhunt, after eyewitnesses place Catwoman at the center of a brutal crime spree.
Still reeling from the aftermath of the wedding-that-wasn't, Catwoman will have to put off processing her feelings about her breakup while she instead figures out who's been stealing her look--and why. If she can't catch the copycat and clear her name, this former villain might end up behind bars--but for someone else's crimes!
Catwoman Vol. 1: Copycats collects the first six issues of the stunning new ongoing series, written and drawn by Eisner Award nominee Joëlle Jones (Supergirl: Being Super, Batman).
I started the Tom King Batman arc, and hated it from the get-go; I found the writing supremely lazy, and entirely derivative. While other fans got hyped up for the potential Bat-wedding, I stayed away - it just wasn't worth slogging through the whole run.
So when I found out that Joelle Jones was taking up the post-nuptial arc I was thrilled. I know Joelle Jones from Lady Killer, and I thought she'd be a great fit for a Catwoman story. And I wasn't disappointed. The styling of the comic is beautiful, and the storyline feels true to character, although it doesn't yet offer much that's new or exciting. Volume one felt like a builder, and the antagonist of the book is wonderfully gruesome. I'm looking forward to volume 2.
18London_StJ
59. 
Title: Catwoman: Far From Gotham
Author: Joelle Jones
Pages: 216
Date Finished: December 2019
Rating: ***1/2
Amazon Synopsis: ENTER THE PENGUIN
She broke up with the Batman by leaving him at the altar of their would-be wedding. Now Selina Kyle has said goodbye to Gotham City and hello to her new home in Villa Hermosa. It seems like the perfect place for the villain turned vigilante known as Catwoman to start her nine lives over again.
But the past has a way of catching up with everyone. Sure enough, Catwoman's barely had a moment to lick her wounds when Oswald Cobblepot--a.k.a. the Penguin--comes calling.
The Dark Knight has driven out the avian overlord of Gotham's underworld, and he's come to Villa Hermosa to make a new nest for himself. That means taking over Selina's territory--and dredging up all the hot gossip and painful memories she's been trying to escape.
The stage is set for a long-awaited showdown: Kyle versus Cobblepot, with a city in the balance. One thing's for sure--this town ain't big enough for the both of them...
Though the art remains absolutely stunning, I did not enjoy Catwoman Vol. 2 as much as I loved the first. It lacked the strong through-narrative so well established in volume one, and so was less engaging for me. The style, though, remains one of my favorite representations.
60.
Title: These Vicious Masks
Author: Tarun Shanker
Pages: 160
Date Finished: December 28, 2019
Rating: ***
Amazon Synopsis: Jane Austen meets X-Men in this thrilling Victorian adventure full of magic and mysticism, perfect for anyone who loves a confident, rebellious heroine, snappy dialogue, and a hint of romance.
England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they're not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true―and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.
I don't remember picking up this book, nor what inspired me to do so, but I found it on my Kindle when I was at a lost for what to read next. The premise seems like something I would really enjoy - an alternate Victoriana in which young people find they're developing special powers. Overall, I found the story tiring, and as immature as the protagonist. I was bored enough to finish it, but wished I had done so by the halfway point. To its credit, I greatly appreciated the book's take on the development of powers - that not all are pleasant and can be more of a curse than a boon. Also, I did not expect the gutsy conclusion - well done there.
Title: Catwoman: Far From Gotham
Author: Joelle Jones
Pages: 216
Date Finished: December 2019
Rating: ***1/2
Amazon Synopsis: ENTER THE PENGUIN
She broke up with the Batman by leaving him at the altar of their would-be wedding. Now Selina Kyle has said goodbye to Gotham City and hello to her new home in Villa Hermosa. It seems like the perfect place for the villain turned vigilante known as Catwoman to start her nine lives over again.
But the past has a way of catching up with everyone. Sure enough, Catwoman's barely had a moment to lick her wounds when Oswald Cobblepot--a.k.a. the Penguin--comes calling.
The Dark Knight has driven out the avian overlord of Gotham's underworld, and he's come to Villa Hermosa to make a new nest for himself. That means taking over Selina's territory--and dredging up all the hot gossip and painful memories she's been trying to escape.
The stage is set for a long-awaited showdown: Kyle versus Cobblepot, with a city in the balance. One thing's for sure--this town ain't big enough for the both of them...
Though the art remains absolutely stunning, I did not enjoy Catwoman Vol. 2 as much as I loved the first. It lacked the strong through-narrative so well established in volume one, and so was less engaging for me. The style, though, remains one of my favorite representations.
60.
Title: These Vicious Masks
Author: Tarun Shanker
Pages: 160
Date Finished: December 28, 2019
Rating: ***
Amazon Synopsis: Jane Austen meets X-Men in this thrilling Victorian adventure full of magic and mysticism, perfect for anyone who loves a confident, rebellious heroine, snappy dialogue, and a hint of romance.
England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they're not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true―and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.
I don't remember picking up this book, nor what inspired me to do so, but I found it on my Kindle when I was at a lost for what to read next. The premise seems like something I would really enjoy - an alternate Victoriana in which young people find they're developing special powers. Overall, I found the story tiring, and as immature as the protagonist. I was bored enough to finish it, but wished I had done so by the halfway point. To its credit, I greatly appreciated the book's take on the development of powers - that not all are pleasant and can be more of a curse than a boon. Also, I did not expect the gutsy conclusion - well done there.
