Des illustrations magnifiques, sombres et lumineuses à la fois. La solitude dans tous ses états. Taïwan, que je connais si peu. Et des chats, plein de chats.
Le dessin est intéressant mais je préfère les aventures aux histoires quotidiennes, et ici, on a un recueil de tranches de vie calmes ce qui n'est pas donc pas forcément ma lecture favorite. Cependant, j'ai beaucoup aimé les critiques sociales qui transparaissaient de ces scènes du quotidien (et puis un peu de représentation saphique et polyA, ça fait toujours plaisir !)
Infuriated that I have to come back here to log this because Storygraph is not designed for different languages.
Felt like 高木直子 in a more melancholic and drifting sense, a beautifully rendered series of short vignettes of small struggles set against hazy, foggy, but glowing city and countryscapes.
Đọc cuốn này thấy nhớ 1 taiwan gần gũi, bình dị. Tác giả kể những câu chuyện chậm rãi, nhẹ nhàng, với gam màu chủ đạo trầm lắng. Duy có câu chuyện về chuyến du lịch Thanh Đảo là được thêm màu sắc xanh tươi. Nói chung dễ thương ;)
“For the Time Being” (2024 new edition) consists of ten short comic chapters. Though the characters are not directly connected, their shared discontent and uncertainty resonate deeply, creating a collective image that feels both familiar and ambiguous.
This chaotic state is reflected in the book’s title, “For the Time Being”. Initially a temporary name by the author, it serendipitously captures the intangible emotions throughout the book. The uncertainty experienced by both the author in creation and the characters in their lives mirrors the Taiwanese urban experience: unsure of the direction and purpose of life. Readers find solace and reflections of themselves in the low-saturated, misty visuals, which aptly depict Taipei's foggy atmosphere.
Unlike typical books, readers will find it challenging to pinpoint a single sentence that encapsulates the entire narrative. The dialogues are often fragmented and ambiguous, mirroring real-life conversations. Readers can only infer the characters' struggles through blank spaces and expansive cityscapes. For example, in the final chapter, “The Distance,” the author uses numerous back views to intentionally obscure the protagonist’s emotions, resonating with her desire to hide them.
These unresolved emotions and states, which people can only ignore or accept, are central to the daily life depicted by the author. Life is filled with unsolvable, troubling issues: menstrual pain, unpleasant cooking smells from neighbors, forgotten keys, the hollow feeling after helping others, and a sense of alienation from family or environment. These seemingly insignificant concerns accumulate to form the bulk of our real-life discontent, which we can only accept. By acknowledging reality and bravely telling ourselves “for the time being,” we make choices that allow life to continue.