The Library

by Chihoi, Christian Gasser (Introduction)

To debut our new Conundrum International Imprint we have chosen the stories of Chihoi, a young Hong Kong artist, who has had books published in Chinese, Italian and French. The Library is the first English edition of his work. Reading the short stories included in this volume is like reading someone else’s dreams. “The Library” or “Father” reminds one of Kafka; “I’m with my Saint” feels Gauginesque. All the stories feel like smudged emotions, they speak to regular hurt and deprivation, strength in silence and loneliness in numbers. Questions are asked without question marks and are left unanswered even as the stories end. The Library is book of beautiful pencil lines, written to illustrate the tales we know in our heart but have never witnessed. Chihoi is a poet of the quotidian, of life’s minutia, of little gestures, of silences. He is also the poet of the invisible, invoking the spirit of a dead person or a lost love, and rendering him/her real. He offers us his stories with a little melancholy at the corner of his smile and he illuminates them with a warm spark. He imbues them with a rhythm, like a conversation, by the pauses. His stories are more complicated than they appear, they are open and complex and full of little contradictions and they resonate long after we turn the last page. They are like the calm after a storm, when the wind finally dies down and the landscape is revealed anew.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Short Stories, Asia, Fiction, Bande Dessinée

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2013

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

My fiancé appreciates the indie minimalistic black and white graphic novels way more than I do. Try as I might. This was very much along those lines. The artist is young and foreign, but the stories don’t necessarily convey this. They are more like reading someone’s dreams, complete with strange imagery and dream logic. The black and white art, almost sketch like, was much too basic for my taste. The stories didn’t especially resonate much like dreams of others don’t. Sometimes simplicity is used deliberately as a narrative trick to tell a complex story, sometimes there just isn’t much of a story. This seemed like it was going for former, but ended up the latter. At least for me. Might work for some readers, there’s certainly much left to interpretation. The saving grace and the stars of this show were the last two tales, the eponymous Library and another related one, where the author actually got to showcase his talents as both an artist and a storyteller. Those were dark, dramatic, original interesting, book related tragedies and it would have been nice to have more of those in the collection. Quick as it was of a read, only those two were worth the time. I suppose this counts as international reading, though.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the first half or so I couldn’t quite tell if this was a collection of short stories or all one thing. Either way it’s mostly a series of dreams. Overcrowded subways, secret basements of libraries, your loved ones dying and multiplying while a fucked up snake makes you bury him alive even though you just found him dead. I don’t mind reading about dreams but something about this didn’t captivate me. They were mostly very sad. The first half has the girl killing herself and then the second is the dad death dream story. I got a little sad remembering what it used to feel like to wake up back then and have the reverse feeling you get after you have one of those dreams. I don't like to remember about that! The last one where the man checks out books from the library and burns them so his dead wife can read them wherever she is… :( that alone is a sad and poignant image but then it goes farther and the dude self immolates. The drawings are very minimalist, and usually what I like about dreamlike stories is that they make up visually what they lack in plot, but the drawings are not meant to wow you. Which isn’t to say I don’t like the pencil drawings, and I thought the drawings worked especially well in the crowded subway story. It’s hard to follow what’s going on in any given story but that is less important than the emotion you get. In this collection, each story gives grief sorrow and/or loneliness. Bummer!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spare, subtle and sometimes surreal pencil drawn comic stories. A collection of Chihoi's stories. The author is a young Hong Kong artist who already has books out in Italian, French and Chinese. This is his first English translated work and it is fine stuff. Feels older than a young person's work because it has such restraint. The most recognizable influence here (to me, since I don't know his work at all, and other influences are surely evident) is Kafka. Some of the best stories here are essentially dream works. Some are sketchier than others, somewhat less developed. But the vision is strong here, and thoughtful, mood-driven.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one will stick with you whether you like it or not. The stark, black and white pencil sketches make it even more so. You see what a crowded subway feels like and you can hear the silence in a room. There are several stories here and some are weirder than others (I am with my Saint I think wins on that one). But you'll be scratching your head over many of them. My favourited are "Father" and "Borrowed Books" for what it's worth.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surreal, disturbing, dark and haunting. I picked this up on a whim from the library, of all places. What grabbed me as I was standing by the shelves perusing the book is the simplicity of the drawings and the focus on the mundane. But I wasn't prepared for the stories and their dark turns. Chihoi's drawing lulls you to some peaceful place but then rips you apart with the story he tells. Really interesting read.

[Meaghan Steeves · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was referred to as being "a masterpiece" and "Kafka-esque". That may very well be, but I did not understand it, nor enjoy it, with interesting artwork.

[thebooktrain · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 or 3.5

What an introduction to Chihoi's style of drawing and writing! The crudeness of the drawings and pencil strokes is not a style I am used to, but I thought that the art style and stories complemented each other very well.
I found this collection of short stories disturbing and sad. I "enjoyed" reading them, but I did feel somewhat confused at times as the stories are often conveyed through metaphors and the message isn't entirely clear. However, I think the reader can still understand the messages through the tone and atmosphere. As the introduction states very well, I can definitely see the inspiration from Kafka's works and style in this comic.
A sad read that was still interesting despite it being puzzling at times.

[Fanja Evers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh bé, je ne saurais pas trop quoi en penser. Un 2 étoiles pour le plaisir de lecture bien moindre par rapport à ce à quoi je m'attendais au vu du titre et de la thématique "bibliothèque". Ce n'est pas une expérience de lecture inintéressante et j'aurai au moins découvert une BD hongkongaise, mais le sens de chaque nouvelle m'a vraiment échappé arrivée à leur chute, un peu abrupte, très précisément ce qui me déplaît la plupart du temps dans les nouvelles. Trop profond ou allégorique aussi peut-être.

[Elna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read many stories in translation (both graphic and prose), and I generally enjoy them, but The Library was too much for me. I know Asian stories are much different than Western ones, in feel and tone and meaning, and usually I can sink into that vibe. But Chihoi's stories were too minimalist, too sparse. I couldn't get anything from them.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I just don't think I understood everything that he was trying to convey in his stories. I was mainly just confused and didn't enjoy the read that much. The only funny thing was the phallic trees, but that was also just weird at the same time.

[Eleanor · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25*

Captivatingly beautiful but too winding and sparse for me to work out what any of it was actually about. I guess it's all dreams etc, but it was hard to follow. Also it wasn't quite ever clear if the stories were connected or not

[Chelsea Martinez · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story about the man using his wife's library card

[Oliver · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason I am giving it two stars is because it is not my thing. However, the art is beautiful and the stories are good. I just... found it slightly too disturbing for my taste.

[Blaise · Rating 5 out of 5]

wept my way through it. visceral and surreal.

[Scott Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to burn books to my loved ones.

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

uh, that was quite a trip... It was all so confusing. I'm pretty sure A LOT of the symbolism or metaphors were lost on me because the stories made no sense at all.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved some of the art here. Some of it was off the charts amazing. Other times I felt confused, like listening to another person's dream that only makes sense to them.

[Solange Guillen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read the two book-related stories, and they could not be of interest at all!

[Ian Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique, quirky, gentle, sometimes mournful graphic novel that I'm glad I stumbled on.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't get it at all. Sometimes graphic novels and I just don't mix.

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Library" and "Borrowed Books" are more favorite stories in the collection, mainly because there is an actual storyline. Most of the autobiographical vignettes seem underdeveloped both in terms of the storytelling and the theme. I am not opposed to writers slipping into a fantasy world to help elucidate a moment in their past, but the main problem is that Chihoi's fantasy world(s) do not seem to serve a purpose other than to frustrate the reader. Chihoi's artwork gets increasingly interesting as you delve further into the anthology of his work but it's the storytelling that ultimately lets down it's author and leaves the reader unsatisfied.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surreal, thus more realistic, but not melodramatic depiction of Hongkong and East Asia: the grim scenery of concrete utopia (towers of concrete apartments); the huge emphasis of Filial piety and thus the guilt, rage, hatred, love, and respect for parents; concentrated population; etc.
Culture MTL's review of the work is well written. http://cultmontreal.com/2013/05/chiho...

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

woah, this was something amazing. there is a whole world of hong kong comics i have not touched. this was some genius level art and storytelling. this is the kind of book i'd like on my bookshelf.

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

2017 : 5 stars
2021 re-read : 4 stars