Hinges Book Two: Paper Tigers

Hinges #2

by Meredith McClaren

Orio and Bauble have settled nicely into the city of Cobble. But as more of Bauble's nature reveals itself they find themselves facing a much greater world outside of Cobble's walls.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Steampunk, Adventure, Young Adult, Science Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Meredith McClaren is an illustrator and cartoonist who has no business doing either.

She sometimes entertains the idea of drawing the fourth book in Jen Van Meter’s Hopeless Savages series. And her journal comic Scraps indulges her closeted narcissism.

Supposedly she has a postal code in Arizona, but really, she could be anywhere.

Oh.
And don’t touch her stuff.
Seriously.

Reviews

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is great once again, but to truly understand the happenings in this requires patience and attention to detail, something that could be considered a blessing or a curse. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt though, due to the extraordinary content.
It's unique, charming, and starting with this volume, adventurous. It's easy to feel like you don't have the full picture, but that is fine by me, I hope to discover much more in the coming volumes.

Reviewed with honesty for Netgalley(honestly).

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this graphic novel so much! It was so interesting and fun. The artwork was beautiful. I really liked Orio but Bauble was so awesome! He was so cute and funny. Hinges reminds me of Lilo and Stitch in a way. The concept is really cool and different.

[Melanie Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicht ganz so stark wie Band 1 von der erzählerischen Dichte her. Der Vorgänger lebte vor allem davon, dass so gut wie nicht gesprochen wird, hier ist der Anteil an Sprechblasen ein wenig höher. Allerdings gibt es einige spannende Ideen für die Welt außerhalb der kleinen Stadt und ich freue mich auf Band 3.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

When I read the first book, Clockwork City, some time ago I thought it was a very charming graphic novel, quite unlike anything I'd read before. That's why I was extremely curious and loaded with great expectations when I started this second book. However, it didn't live up to my expectations.

When Bauble is discovered; Orio and Bauble have to flee Cobble, the city they arrived in in the first book.

While the artwork is really special and in a way something I really liked, the story couldn't impress me. There is not a lot of text in the novel, so the story should have been very clear and good to keep one interested. I'm not sure what to think of it after finishing...

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

*holds head*

WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?!

I found this pretty confusing at times and some of the scenes are incredibly dark. I found myself straining my eyes to try and figure out what the illustrations were trying to convey :(

Hinges: Paper Tigers continues on from Clockwork City. Orio and Bauble leave the city of Cobble and end up on the outskirts, alone and vulnerable, until they meet Abernathy.

And then...I think...they encounter a paper tiger but as to what else happens is anyone's guess :/

I don't think I'll be continuing with this series. Disappointing.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid continuation of a very good comic, although I did feel this a step down from volume 1.

Review: https://derailmentsofthought.com/2017...

[Magda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd love to tell you that this book was great, that the story pulled me in, that the graphic was amazing and everything was perfect. I wanted it to be so.

Even though I haven't read volume 1, I hoped I will not miss it much. Actually, there was only few information I could use at the start, but I don't think they would help much. Well, maybe it would as I would know more about the characters and the world surrounding them. I was missing some crucial info for about half of the volume. Then again, it seems to me the events of the first part were all about the city and people living there. Now we have only Orio, her strange pet and a new character moving on with the story.

Plus the characters weren't really talkative, I admit this story could use just a bit more text in some places. It is clear the authors went all out with the graphic and decided that's the best way to tell the story.

The graphic is cute. Lovely even, but sometimes it's just a bit too flat and it makes it harder to see what's going on. Many times I had to stare at the image and wonder "what am I actually looking at?".

All in all this novel is a curious creation with some lovely graphic, but not really a story I would wish to follow and continue reading.


I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Check my reviews and other bookish talk at https://maginibooks.wordpress.com

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still as beautiful as ever – I'm completely charmed by the artwork and colours – but still confusing.
Oh, things are happening, Orio runs away, has an encounter, makes a discovery... and all of that leads us to...

Too much mystery and too many things left unsaid end up becoming tiresome. Especially since the narrative drags on interminably without justification. The first two volumes could easily have been condensed into one without losing any of the story's thread.

There is only one volume left and the hope that the plot will finally be revealed and lead to a reasonable conclusion.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Hinges Book Two: Paper Tigers' by Meredith McClaren is something I'm trying desperately to like, but I find it confusing to follow at times.

Orio and her strange familiar Bauble now live in the city of Cobble, but when Bauble is discovered and someone else wants to own Bauble, Orio and Bauble flee the city. They meet up with a man named Abernathy and discover a ruined city that seems to be inhabited by paper tigers that roam and stalk. What is this strange place they've found and who is Abernathy?

Questions that were raised in the first volume are not really answered here. Instead, we get a whole new fresh set of questions. I can hang on with that kind of story for a while as long as the payoff is good. That remains to be seen.

The art and world is why I keep coming back. A world where people are hinged and sometimes have strings like marionettes is unlike any other I've run across. The art is likewise fresh and interesting, and why I came back for the second volume. There is something unique and interesting happening here, but I can't seem to place what it is, and that is leading me to be a little frustrated. Hopefully the next volume will yield at least a few answers to the many questions.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Ambs ❤❤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Artwork was still amazing!


Just look at this shadow from stained glass!

However, the rest of the story did not live up to my expectations. I was hoping for more depth, more details, more answers. Instead, we were introduced to a new character and a completely new scenario. Bauble, who was mischievous and more than a hand full in the first Volume, was tame by comparison. Orio, came out of her shell a little bit, but we still don't know who she is. I'm not quite sure that even Meredith McClaren knows who she is supposed to be.

I thought the first Volume was written as a taster to get the reader interested, but I was so confused most of the time, and felt like I was missing something.


Is it just me, or does it seem like I'm missing out on some dialog here?

Sadly, I probably won't continue on in this series. I've lost my interest. Especially with the time between publishing, I cannot remember the the vague storyline from before in detail.

[Akylina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compared to the first volume, this second one seems to be much more plot-driven. However, instead of some of the questions that were raised in the previous volume being answered here, I felt like even more questions were raised. A new character, Abernathy, is introduced and he seems a very interesting one. I am still rather confused as to what exactly is happening in this graphic novel, but the wonderful atmosphere that surrounds it keeps me glued to it for now.

The art is mostly beautiful, with a great use of colours and shades where appropriate, but it also feels somehow awkward in certain parts. As I also mentioned before, the atmosphere this graphic novel has created is really interesting and mysterious, but I would have liked some aspects of the plot to have been rather clearer. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the next volume, since this one left us with a cliffhanger!

A copy of this book was very kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Svenja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leider nur 2 bis 2.5 Sterne. Der Zeichenstil sagt mir zwar sehr zu, aber es ist unglaublich schwierig der Handlung zu folgen. Vieles bleibt vage, wird nur angedeutet und so habe ich am Ende das Gefühl, dass eigentlich nichts passiert. Nicht einfacher wurde das Lesen für mich dadurch, dass ich Band eins nicht kannte - bzw. mir beim Lesen nicht bewusst war, dass ich den zweiten Band in den Händen hielt.

Was in Erinnerung bleibt: Das Herannahen von Personen (auf dem Flur, vor der Tür) wird an ein, zwei Stellen durch leere Sprechblasen anzudeuten. Hatte ich so zuvor noch nicht gesehen.

[Loz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, minimal dialogue, expressive, limited color palette story leaving much to ponder over and a lot to love. Interpretive and compelling.

[Aurora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it’s just been too long since I read the first volume, but I found this really hard to follow and disjointed.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how the pictures tell a story even if it’s not any text, and how you don’t need much color to make it beautiful.

[Shaira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wciąż niezwykle confusing
Ale dzięki temu nie śpię na wykładzie więc i guess że worth it

[R. Archer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bauble is SO Stitch coded

[Kimber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.

I received a copy of this book from Diamond Book Distributors on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this continuation of the series Hinges some major developments occur. Bauble and Orio must flee the city when Bauble is discovered and the authorities realize he is not an Odd. Outside of the city they meet Abernathy and discover a group of paper tigers like those that attacked Orio and Bauble in the city.

I feel like I really enjoyed the first trade of this series a lot more than I enjoyed this trade. I must have been a lot more forgiving of the major storytelling issues in this series with the first trade, and this time I could not overlook them, no matter how beautiful the art is.

I think this series is something unique and exceptional. The concept is intriguing, and I really wish that I could actually follow the story enough to really grow to appreciate that in the way I think it ought to be. The problem is that the storytelling is just not there. I don’t think the art does enough to convey what is happening. I think more could really be conveyed with the addition of some dialogue though. I also liked the introduction of Abernathy, who I’d love to learn a little more about.

The art is stylized and really incredible, I continue to think this series has beautiful art. However, the art just doesn’t convey motion as well as it should, and so quite a lot of the story just disappears because of that lack of clear movement and meaning between panels.

I hate to say it but I’m just disappointed and can’t recommend this series, no matter how much I would love to love it.

[Michael Indiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the writing was more on, this would be way better than it is. Its definitely a low 4 (and 95% of that 4 is the great art.)

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Image Comics and Diamond for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been making an effort to branch out into some more eclectic comics series, and had never heard of Hinges previous to coming across an ARC of this volume. Since I hadn't read volume one, I made an effort to seek out some information and found that this was an ongoing webcomic. After a little reading and skimming through artwork, I felt comfortable reading this volume. I would definitely recommend going into the story with at least some familiarity with the characters, but even if you don't know anything about the Hinges backstory, I think there's a lot to appreciate on a purely artistic level.

McClaren employs a really beautiful color palette for the series, as well as a bold and unique art style. The line work is strong, and her character design is incredibly strong. While some characters look similar, it's easy to see the differences between them and identify them as individuals. Going into the series with no prior knowledge of any of them, I was really intrigued by Bauble's design, and I'm glad to see his character shines through in his appearance. It was neat to see less traditional "comics" type sound effects, so the ones that were present were especially punchy.

I did struggle to follow the intention of some pages, however. The lack of dialogue was not really an issue for me, but it did become sort of unclear what was happening on some pages. The decision to end the volume on a literal cliffhanger was a little odd, as well.

I would definitely be interested in reading more from the series and will likely continue to read the webcomic.

[Siina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second part of Hinges deepens the story line, but it's still quite a mystery, which actually works. The comic is mostly fleeing as Orio and Bauble need to leave the city because of Bauble's origin. They meet this young man, who's also fled his own city and together they begin their journey - to what? They don't know yet. The beginning of the comic works really well and the pace is quite quick, which brings us to question why didn't the officials go after Orio and how come she and Bauble ran away without difficulties? The crumbling city was the best part of the comic and very haunting and the metallic hyenas were awesome. Then the rest of the comic was just a mess, sadly so. McClaren isn't at best when portraying movement and thus everything falls apart and becomes extremely hard to grasp. It doesn't help that hardly anything happens in the comic.

The art looks better than in the first comic, so McClaren obviously has got better. The color world is wonderful and the dark hues in the lost city are a good addition to the palette. The characters now have more facial expressions, which is great too. The style is quite simplistic, which actually bothers - this for the reason that McClaren's line work isn't yet steady and sometimes Orio looks plain weird. Consistency is something I hope she will practice more. Hinges is a different kind of comic and very much like manga. It's a brave decision and the plot is well constructed and interesting, so it's totally worth the try. I do need to know what happens!

[Paul Franco · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having not read the first book, I was very confused—I keep saying a one page recap of what went before is necessary if you want new people to buy this—but I’m not sure that would have been any different if I was familiar with the previous story.
Basically some very strangely drawn characters inhabit an equally strange city with even stranger small animals as companions. At one point the young woman who seems to be the crux of the story chases after her animal buddy, who leads her to a wall around the city she didn’t know was there. This female main character is not exactly the smartest around, but the two of them manage to escape the city and go “outside,” where they promptly run into someone from another city.
At this point I wondered Does the city of Cobble stand for Kabul? Luckily I didn’t bother to think about that further.
The three of them wander around; he won’t stop talking, she won’t start, so this gets boring in a hurry. Bauble the animal doesn’t do anything. At least now I know, from the artwork when they’re in another city, why this story is named Hinges.
Ends in a literal cliffhanger.
Said drawing is one of my problems with this book, being different in a way I can’t really describe, and the coloring feels off. This feels like a story where the author had it so perfectly in their head that they expected everyone else to get it too; I certainly didn’t.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel.

This is a very quiet book. As in, it doesn't often use words to tell its story, instead relying, as it should, on the images. The main character, Orio, rarely speaks unless it is necessary, and her partner, Bauble, says nothing at all. But Bauble certainly knows how to get Orio in trouble. Such is the nature of an imp, and it is because of this that Orio is forced to leave the clockwork city she'd just settled in. Imps are considered evil and dangerous but by the end of the book, it is clear that there's something more to Bauble and that Orio's loyalty is not unfounded. Volume two also introduces a new character, Abernathy, who has left troubles in his own home to find other cities. Together, they find lots more trouble that leaves them in a literal cliffhanger situation after they discover a city filled with danger and secrets.

I love this series. The stark monochrome and the expressive panels are powerful and the quiet threat that looms within and without the city--and perhaps within Bauble as well--lends an ominous undertone, and Abernathy is a curious addition. He seems trustworthy, but looks are deceiving. McClaren always offers just enough in every aspect of this story to lure me in further and further...

www.bibliosanctum.com

[Elias Rosner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great improvement over the previous volume's issues. The mystery deepens and while there are still a million more questions than answers, there's a sense of progression and wonder that accompanies these questions as opposed to frustration. Once again, the artwork is so expressive and tells more of the story than the dialogue does (something I truly love about this story). It is a bit frustrating that there isn't much story again but the pace of the story is just a slow river as opposed to a raging torrent and I'm very glad that it takes its time to establish the emotions of the characters. There were still some issues with the balance of colors making the depth of images disappear (thereby making it difficult to tell what was going on) but other than that, a much needed improvement from the first volume and it makes me excited to see what the next chapter has in store.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this series. It's so freakin' unique and the art style is both cute and beautiful. It has this elaborate world that I think is only going to grow and I was super excited to see a new character introduced.

Bauble was as adorable as ever. *cries a lot*

The only complaint I have about this book -- and it's a pretty big one and one I see a lot of people mention -- the book can be very hard to understand because of the lack of dialogue and context. You really, really have to pay full attention and stare at everything for a long while to get a good idea. The art style, as unique as it is, can be difficult to interpret as well.

I finished this volume and despite some of the angsty parts, I'm not sure I fully grasp them. But that being said, I still love this series and will read more.

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure there's a good book bursting to come out of the shackles this has, but for the life of me I can't see it. The visual style is so goddamned contrary, and even copious silent pages can go past here without you knowing anything about what has apparently happened. The book starts most awkwardly, with such a mess I felt I'd already lost all handles I may have had on the story from book one. This succumbed to a different kind of narrative – the girl with her familiar-type creature leaving the city/world where everyone was controlled by strings from above, and finding a fellow adventurer to go exploring with. But you have to take any plot summary with more than a pinch of salt – not even the back cover provides one, meaning this is a very obtuse book indeed.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I rather enjoyed the first volume when I read it last year and immediately picked it up from Netgalley when I saw it was there! It was a quick read and picked up pretty much where volume one left off.

The art is still absolutely adorable! I love how charming and simple it is without being minimalist. The story is moving forward at a good pace now, too. Plus, a new character is introduced and I adore him!

Basically, read this series. Oh, yeah, it's got a major cliffhanger...

[AnnaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious and interesting. I haven't read book one but now I want to. I was able to figure out, I think, basically what was going on. This reminds me a little of the movie 9. It seems like a post-apocalyptic human world where the dolls, puppets, and robots are sentient and maybe the animals are mutated. The characters are interesting. I like Bauble. I liked Orio too and have to wait and see about Abernathy. He makes me a little nervous.

The worldbuilding is really good. I'm glad I read this.

***Thank you to the author and netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[Alex Sarll]

Another slightly odd one to offer as an ARC; Hinges is puzzling enough even if you start at the beginning. Still often near-silent and near-monochrome, this volume takes us beyond the city's walls into a wider world which starts to offer hints at what might be going on - but fairly subtle hints thus far. It's like a fairytale minus the narration, which can at times be frustrating but is primarily spellbinding.

[Sara Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is still a confusing beautiful story. I wish there was more development and a little bit more explanation. The art is wonderful, muted but detailed. As an illustrator, I applaud Meredith McClaren but the story needs work.
Honestly, this is a case where we need more tell and less show. I wish I understood the background and the characters.
But I will continue to pick these books because they are amazing to look at.