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becandbooks's reviews
1118 reviews
The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity by Grant Snider
2.0
I received this book as an Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher in return for an honest review. This has not impacted on my opinion.
This could be a nice gift for any creative types, people in need of inspiration and/or fuel to keep their creativity going.
Some concepts I personally thought he depicted brilliantly. For example nocturnal ideas and inspiration and "How to Climb a Hill". Some comics I thought were a missed opportunity, like "Message to a Graduate". And many I thought were just cute, quirky, won a giggle from me just because of their simple punnyness (see "The Art of Living"). Unfortunately, even more of the comics I felt just didn't have much point, or I just confused me.
Again, a nice gift for those in the creative field, they likely would get more from it then I did.
This could be a nice gift for any creative types, people in need of inspiration and/or fuel to keep their creativity going.
Some concepts I personally thought he depicted brilliantly. For example nocturnal ideas and inspiration and "How to Climb a Hill". Some comics I thought were a missed opportunity, like "Message to a Graduate". And many I thought were just cute, quirky, won a giggle from me just because of their simple punnyness (see "The Art of Living"). Unfortunately, even more of the comics I felt just didn't have much point, or I just confused me.
Again, a nice gift for those in the creative field, they likely would get more from it then I did.
Ballad for a Mad Girl by Vikki Wakefield
3.0
I love a YA book that doesn't obsess over teenage romance!
This was my first Wakefield book so I came in with no expectations. I love that this is a contemporary-style Oz book but it is also so much more. I love love love when I don't know what is going to happen in a mystery book. Because, I mean, isn't that the whole point? And I loved the paranormal aspect - while only moderately spooky, it fit the story and the mystery gloriously. AND I just love things creepy and dark.
This book was a great adventure and I enjoyed it a tonne. I wish, as a reader, I was moved to have an emotional attachment to the characters - particularly Grace. The fact that her entire body is falling apart and I still didn't really care...
I also just found that the ending was lacking. For a book which had such a thrill ride through many parts, the ending just didn't have a fantastic BOOM like I wanted. The ending to the actual mystery was slightly more final and satisfactory for me - but honestly not by much.
But I still thought it was a pretty great read.
Note: Thank you to Netgallery and Text Publishing for this ARC copy. This has not impacted on my honest review.
Check out my full review + others on my blog!
This was my first Wakefield book so I came in with no expectations. I love that this is a contemporary-style Oz book but it is also so much more. I love love love when I don't know what is going to happen in a mystery book. Because, I mean, isn't that the whole point? And I loved the paranormal aspect - while only moderately spooky, it fit the story and the mystery gloriously. AND I just love things creepy and dark.
This book was a great adventure and I enjoyed it a tonne. I wish, as a reader, I was moved to have an emotional attachment to the characters - particularly Grace. The fact that her entire body is falling apart and I still didn't really care...
I also just found that the ending was lacking. For a book which had such a thrill ride through many parts, the ending just didn't have a fantastic BOOM like I wanted. The ending to the actual mystery was slightly more final and satisfactory for me - but honestly not by much.
But I still thought it was a pretty great read.
Note: Thank you to Netgallery and Text Publishing for this ARC copy. This has not impacted on my honest review.
Check out my full review + others on my blog!
Manga Classics the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
2.0
I have a real appreciation for artists who make illustrated tellings of classic stories. I am a person who appreciates classics and has many of them of my TBR. But in reality I struggle to find the time, patience, and mind-space for ye old language to actually tick them off. And so I have a deep thankfulness to those which produce easy to digest editions of these classics.
I have not read the original story of The Scarlet Letter, but I do have a general understanding of what the story entails. Because of this I will not comment on the accuracy of the retelling.
Overall the book was easy to follow and understand (I did not need to interpret ye old language). I thought the illustrations and style, while quite traditionally manga-esque, did well at telling the the story. The emotions of such classic storytelling depicted in such a manga way (e.g. the shadowed expressions, Chillingworth depicted with a serpent during most morally evil moments) was interesting and unique, and honestly I thought it portrayed the story fine.
There wasn't anything standout-ish to me though. The illustration style was typical, the simplistic classic story retelling was typical, and while I quickly learnt of a classic story I didn't take away much else. But I guess this is what the artist's aimed to achieve. A classic retelling of a age-old story with little creative interpretation.
Note: I received this graphic book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgallery and the adaptive artists, Nathaniel Hawthorne, SunNeko Lee, Crystal S Chan, and Stacy King!
I have not read the original story of The Scarlet Letter, but I do have a general understanding of what the story entails. Because of this I will not comment on the accuracy of the retelling.
Overall the book was easy to follow and understand (I did not need to interpret ye old language). I thought the illustrations and style, while quite traditionally manga-esque, did well at telling the the story. The emotions of such classic storytelling depicted in such a manga way (e.g. the shadowed expressions, Chillingworth depicted with a serpent during most morally evil moments) was interesting and unique, and honestly I thought it portrayed the story fine.
There wasn't anything standout-ish to me though. The illustration style was typical, the simplistic classic story retelling was typical, and while I quickly learnt of a classic story I didn't take away much else. But I guess this is what the artist's aimed to achieve. A classic retelling of a age-old story with little creative interpretation.
Note: I received this graphic book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgallery and the adaptive artists, Nathaniel Hawthorne, SunNeko Lee, Crystal S Chan, and Stacy King!