2017 Reading Challenge discussion

Before I started the reading challenge, I had never heard of graphic novels and had to Google the term. Now I've read one and am fascinated by the genre.

Immersing myself was a different experience for me; I had to read it twice before I knew what was going on. I had to get used to recognizing the characters from their hand-drawn pictures, rather than from their names, which aren't used often. Moles and other "blemishes" are more important characteristics in identifying people than they are in real life. The third time I "read" this, I only looked at the graphics, and really got into looking for details, like mended tears in the upholstery and free-floating debris at the Pit.

The novel was first published as twelve comics from 1995 to 2005, and then released as a book in 2005. I chose it because it was set near where I live (a Seattle suburb) and thought it would be fun to recognize familiar locations. Seeing Olympic Peninsula beaches, Ravenna Park and quintessentially Northwest Craftsman bungalows was just as much fun as I hoped it would be. Beyond that, I didn't know what to expect, and its resemblance to Reefer Madness made it easier for me to access. It's not derivative, though, and seems fresh and original despite the presence of loads of potential cliches.

I plan to look at what others have read for this category to know whether the stories are always somewhat campy like this one is. Studying the panels was like being able to watch a movie frame by frame at my own pace; very entertaining. The author/illustrator is a consistent award-winner, so if you're not sure where to look for this category, I think you could do much worse than to try one of his volumes.