In my pursuit of new things, I thought I would try a whole new book genre: Graphic Novels. I've read lots of comics, as Alistair is a big fan, but these are a bit different. So far I've tried four, all very varied.
Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot. Yes, it's a book about the history of Sunderland, seen through the prism of Alice in Wonderland. It's odd, very intense but a great one if you want to see history in a whole new exciting way.
Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure by Haruki Murakami. This one's Japanese and you read it starting from the back. I'm not sure which way you read the pages though which made it rather hard to follow. Plot-wise it does what it says on the tin. I found the British characters very weird and unconvincing but that's what happens with different cultures, I'm sure British authors Japanese characters seem equally strange.I wasn't particularly excited by this though.
The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger. This is much more like a novel with pictures and I've enjoyed some of her other books too. TNB was serialised in the Guardian too, so fairly mainstream. An intriguing, touching and sad story which I enjoyed very much. Lovely illustrations.
Grandville by Bryan Talbot. Another by Bryan here as I enjoyed the first. This is a rip-roaring gorefest of a gothic steam punk adventure where the hero is a sentient badger. Disturbingly like Rupert the Bear. I liked this a lot, very gripping and atmospheric art.
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