Book-It 'o11! Book #30

[alivemagdolene]

The Fifty Books Challenge, year three! (Years one and two, just in case you're curious.) This was a library request.



Title: Empire State: A Love Story (or Not) by Jason Shiga

Details: Copyright 2011, Abrams ComicArts

Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover): "Jimmy is a stereotypical geek who works at the Oakland library and is trapped in his own torpidity. Sara is his best friend, but she wants to get a life (translation: an apartment in Brooklyn and a publishing internship). When Sara moves to New York City, Jimmy, after much anguishing, decides to follow her... and Sara isn't the only one in for a surprise.

Bold visual storytelling, sly pokes at popular culture, and subtle text work together seamlessly in Empire State, creating a quirky graphic novel comedy about the vagaries of love and friendship."


Why I Wanted to Read It: Another suggestion via The AV Club's Comics Panel.


How I Liked It: Generally, I separate the plot from the art when reviewing a graphic novel, even if (or maybe especially if) the author and the artist are one and the same.

However, with this book that's damn near impossible. While all artists' work should tie in so tightly with the plot (and vice versa), Shiga's is actually of the plot, particularly when it comes to his use of color (he employs monochromatic reds versus monochromatic blues with occasional poignant integration of the two).

The author's characters are cartoony in appearance, but display an admirable amount of subtlety and expression. The backgrounds, encompassing both Oakland and New York City, are exquisitely rendered in line, both at odds and at perfect harmony with the style of the characters.

As far as plot, the author's protagonist, the aforementioned "stereotypical geek" Jimmy, manages to be naive without being stupid, quixotic without being annoying, and inept without being tedious. A surprising amount of depth can be drawn from the object of his affection, Sara, particularly in her final appearance in the book.

The novel ends with an unfinished feel, not so much due to faulty plotting, but due to the fact the author has made us genuinely attached to Jimmy and his development, not only with Sara but with his entire life. In the course of the book, he slowly surrenders to adulthood both in accoutrement (he reveals he doesn't have a bank account, he keeps his money in his safe and signs his paychecks over to his mother) and in attitude (a stranger inquires about his trip and he responds with a watery-eyed "I feel very old.").

I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping this isn't the last the author will write of Jimmy Yee.


Notable: In one bit of dialog that can be seen as a subtle nod to the author's use of color, Jimmy, after announcing to his mother that he's going to New York City, is warned to be careful and "[D]on't wear red or blue. Not even a hat." (pg to which he corrects her that she's thinking of Los Angeles (one assumes the Bloods and the Crips).

Comments

[rehime.livejournal.com]

I finally got a chance to read this and I rushed over here to inflict my opinion.

I'm still very torn on this book. I can't think of anything else that represents a "slice of life" quite like this book. However, I wasn't a huge fan of ... see, I forget what it's called, I'm not brushed up on my comic jargon. The way the panels are arranged weren't distracting, but they really didn't add to the story for me. I feel like a philistine.

[alivemagdolene.livejournal.com]

This book is hard to remember, but from what I remember, this book felt a little too... I mean, obviously I was waiting for a sequel, but in retrospect, books that are too slice of life rob us of the whole pie, ne c'est pas? Or something.