Tag: pos

Heads up, two graphic novel reviews are coming our way.

 

Anne of Green Gables, written by L.M. Montgomery, adapted by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler and edited by  Erika Kuster.

I think I read Anne of Green Gables for the first time in fifth grade. It wasn’t a book I particularly loved, but since the new remake came out in 2016 and the graphic novel popped up on NetGalley I snagged a copy.

 

My first impression of this version of was that the art is beautiful. It’s detailed yet not overly so, and it suits the material at hand. Anne’s whimsical nature comes across in the bright colors and patterned surroundings.

 

Overall, the novel is short and sweet. It begins around the time the Cuthberts adopt Anne and ends after she graduates from college. This adaptation trims the fat of the novel and sticks to the most important scenes. I’d have appreciated just a little more story, but Anne is fine as it is.

 

Because it’s been so long since I read the novel version of Anne of Green Gables, I’d forgotten the majority of the plot. This made reading the graphic novel a pleasing experience. I’d forgotten how cute Anne and Gilbert are together; I started shipping them almost as soon as Gilbert entered the narrative. Whenever the elders punished Anne for a mistake, I too felt the harshness and unfairness of it all. I’d also forgotten Anne has such a lovely vocabulary. Her ability to tell tales, is pretty much unrivaled. Huck Finn comes close, but Anne’s language is much prettier. I bet she’d make a great author or blogger.

 

The Anne of Green Gables graphic novel is short; I read the entire thing in the span of an hour or so. It’s great for people who want to re-read the story without sinking a huge time commitment into it. It’s also a great way to introduce a graphic novel reader into classics. I know there are kids and adults alike who are adamant in their belief that the classics are no good, perhaps this version of Anne of Green Gables will change their minds. This version may also help those who find the novel version too difficult. The visual aspect can help people follow along. There’s no need for people of differing abilities to miss out on a great story.

 

I really couldn’t find fault with this graphic novel, so I’m giving it five glowing stars.

 

POS: Piece of Sh*t, written by Pierre Pacquet and illustrated by Jesus Alonso Iglesias

Oh boy, what do I even say about this one? Take pretty much all of the positive energy from the Anne section and drop it in the trash. POS‘s art was nice, but that’s about where my praise ends. I understand that dog is important to the story but the plot has no real cohesion. The graphic novel jumps from scene to scene in a rambling flashback that ends in anticlimax. There are too many scenes that have nothing to do with the dog, if the dog is indeed the focus.

 

I guess it was kind of cool to see the struggles of someone trying to get into the publishing business. POS is  a french novel that’s been translated and released for English speaking readers. I honestly wouldn’t recommend simply because there’s no story. If i had time to get to know Pierre and get invested in his life, maybe it would be a better story. As it stand, the reader is immediately thrown into Pierre’s life, with no real reason to care about anything he does. Skip this one, pick up a second copy of Anne instead, lol.

 

Since zero stars isn’t an option I’m giving POS once rousing star for the POS that it is.

 

Anne of Green Gables on Goodreads | POS on Goodreads (apparently there were people who found POS riveting)

 

I received both of these graphic novels from NetGalley.