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Red Colored Elegy (2008)

by Seiichi Hayashi(Favorite Author)

3.36 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1897299400 (ISBN13: 9781897299401)

languge

English

genre

Graphic Novels & Comics

publisher

Drawn and Quarterly

review 1: I didn't get a lot out of this, unfortunately. Maybe I read it too quickly? There are some lovely drawings, but the whole thing felt slight, especially in such a substantial, nicely-designed package. But then I felt like comparing this to something like A Drifting Life or Moto Hagio's A Drunken Dream, which have so much to them that it feels criminal to pay just $35/$25. Whereas this is $25 and felt like not much. When it comes to some D&Q books sometimes I think, "Who buys these?!" because I read them in 20 minutes and don't have a real desire to go back and re-read, but the list prices are so high and the packages are so thoughtfully constructed. I don't know. Luckily I got mine from the library.
review 2: There are illustrations inside here that are stop-you... more-in-your-tracks phenomenal. You just stumble upon them the same way you observe a piece by Dali or Brancusi that's tucked in some forgettable corner of an art gallery. It's a pretty awesome moment when that happens. Then there is the rest of the story which is a struggle to get through. Anyone who has been...oh, say...15 years old, have had the angst-riddled relationship that persists throughout this book. The difference is that they typically dump each other and move onto greener pastures instead of bemoaning it for the next 220 some odd pages. This book could have ended on page 23 if the girl said, "Hey, you know, this isn't really going anywhere," and the guy would respond, "Oh, okay. Cool. I feel the same way. Want to grab a Slurpy for old times sake?" Then they could share a Slurpy at the 7-11 on page 24, and 25 would just say, "The End." Or maybe some Hari Kari on page 34! I'd have waited for that (especially if it were the pain in the ass main guy...he's a total cancer to be around, and assuming it's a true story of the author's past, wow. He's a total Debbie Downer...).As it is, it goes on...and on and on and on and on and there is no purpose for it. With the exception of those random "WOW!!!!" images, I wish I would have just had a scotch and my own thoughts on my patio rather than invest it in this. less

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