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Berlin, Vol. 2: City Of Smoke (2002)

by Jason Lutes(Favorite Author)

4.07 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1897299532 (ISBN13: 9781897299531)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Drawn and Quarterly

series

Berlin

review 1: Now this is more like it. I get the feeling that people can't stop talking about Jason Lutes' Berlin, but honestly, the book wasn't really worth talking about until this volume. While the previous book City of Stones was concerned with introducing us to a plethora of characters (who unfortunately all look alike and don't stand out enough for us to really distinguish them), it luckily enough ended with a "what the fuck" moment. One that that hopefully raised enough eyebrows to motivate curious readers into checking out this second book City of Smoke. And yes, here is where it all starts cooking.With the rise of fascism being inevitable, and with a bit more of a handle on these characters' backgrounds, we see the political climate come to a head from different folks' perspec... moretive. Yes, the depression is all too real for the poorer class, and making them more helpless and desperate than ever, while the richer class is focusing more on escapism and doing drugs, having sex parties, and "discovering" jazz. Who will run the country? The communists stand for distribution of wealth, but there is so little to go around, it seems. And, trouble definitely seems to find them wherever they go. The fascists on the other hand, although extreme, are certainly promising order. Which way will the worm turn?So, there's quite a lot more to hang onto in City of Smoke and, although Lutes' dialogue is as detailed and extensive and wordy as ever, this time it seems that it's actually moving the story along. What's not up for argument is Jason Lutes' art which is as clean and cinematic as ever, and a beautiful compliment to the story. Here, Lutes is finally gaining momentum, and I for one can't wait to see what volume 3 has in store.
review 2: I really enjoyed the first volume of Berlin and had high hopes going into the second volume. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the first book was how Lutes would go off on tangents and explore the lives of random Berliners, providing glimpses into their daily lives and their thoughts. Lutes plays to that here, introducing characters who witnessed or were otherwise impacted by the May Day massacre that served as the conclusion to the last volume. They re-appear throughout the book and it's easy to miss them if you aren't looking. As for the plots involving Kurt, Marthe, David and the rest, almost all of the attention goes to Kurt and Marthe and their focus (even obsession) on Berlin's volatile politics and out-of-control hedonism, respectively. These stories remain interesting, but lack forward progression. It feels like they are merely helpless observers watching the wheels of history turn as the Weimar Republic slowly crumbles. There is a neat sideplot involving an American jazz band that starts and ends within the confines of this volume, but personally I didn't find it all that page-turning. I would have preferred more ink devoted to Kurt and Marthe if not David and Silvia, who seem stuck in the rut of "young troubled people on the verge of transformation," and hopefully the third volume will see more time for them. My biggest criticism is reserved for how Lutes treats Anna, Marthe's cross-dressing friend, who had a big supporting role in the first volume but whose presence is barely felt in this one. Overall, "City of Smoke" is a good follow-up to "City of Stone," although not quite the flawless work as the first. less

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