Meanwhile, I've started doing a bit of editing on my first-draft for WALLS. Some awesome friends offered to workshop the first chapter for me and I've gotten some good feedback and helpful criticism. I might get chapter 2 edits underway later today.
And now for a review. My awesome boyfriend gifted me a copy of Watchmen: The Deluxe Edition by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbson for my birthday last year and I've finally read it. I'm going to cheat and give you the Goodreads summary, because I want to keep this blog pot relatively short:
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| Who watches the Watchmen? |
Reference here.
And once again using the post from Lynda R. Young's blog as a reference...
Characters: My favourite was Rorschach, because I always love the really messed up guys, especially when they're still the good guys despite all of that. While he presents the darkest point of view throughout the comic, the way he talks is sometimes also funny. I really enjoy the way he recounts things. My least favourite character would have to be Laurie Juspeczyk, the second-generation Silk Spectre, mostly because I found her to be an over-emotional strumpet. She just bugged me.
Plot: It's a close one, but although Rorschach is my favourite character, Dr Manhattan's point of view is also amazing and I loved the part where he *SPOILER ALERT* went to Mars and was reflecting on his past, but how it wasn't his past because there is no such thing as past, present, and future, and everything is happening all at once. It's a confusing concept and I canNOT explain is sufficiently, but it was pretty cool. There were a few points during the story where I felt things moved a little too quickly and didn't delves into the details and reactions of characters enough after certain things happened, but aside from that it was pretty great storytelling.
Setting: Alternate U.S as per the description in the summary. Considering how different they made it to what it really is, I think they did a brilliant job with world-building.
Style: Being a comic, the majority of the writing was dialogue and it really helped me to get to know the characters. Each had a distinct way of talking, whether it be the words they used or didn't use or the sophistication of how they phrased things or the particular things they talked about.
Originality: While I thought a couple of the ideas in the comic were a little bit far fetched, I cannot fault this comic on originality. This was a really different take on the world and good vs evil. An excellent read.
Well, I think I managed to keep that relatively short considering it was meant to be a review, so now I'm going to write and continue to stay cool indoors.
Have you read the Watchmen graphic novel? How is the weather where you are?
- Bonnee.
P.S - due to some social pressures and a need to keep in contact with some otherwise uncontactable friends, I have created a Twitter and Tumblr account. Twitter is going to be mostly writing related micro-blogging and Tumblr is just whatever. Please see the Find Me page if you would like to follow me on either.
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It's been so long since I've read Watchmen that I barely remember anything that happened, but I do remember liking it very much, nice review.
ReplyDeleteWeather-wise, we're currently in the 20s (F, not C) with a bit of snow this morning, but it's been pretty mild for the last 4-5 days, which is great because we had a few days where the temperature never got above 0. Stay cool, and good luck with WALLS.
Sounds very cold over there. I haven't seen snow in my town for a few years and even so I've only seen it in my town itself once that I can remember, back in 2005. Keep warm and toasty up there!
DeleteIt has not been an especially snowy winter here thus far. Seems like the last two or three years, we've had most of our snow in February and March. Hope you don't get any big fires this year.
DeleteCan you magically transport your heatwave over here instead?! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou can have it! Keep it, please! (But by the same token, keep the snow and icky cold weather too. I like to be somewhere in the 20s).
DeleteGood luck improving the first chapter of WALLS. You might also wish to start making a query for this novel. Unlike North America and Britain, you can submit directly to big book publishers in Australia, without an agent. Random House Australia Children asks for a query and the first page (250 words) to consider your work. I didn't read the book but watched last year parts of the movie WATCHMAN on TV (it was based on the comic book) but it was too complex to understand what was going on. Hopefully the heat wave in Australia will be over soon. There is now the Australia Open in Tennis and some players left unable to play in the heat. I also know that Melbourne is prone for fires during the summer. From cold Canada (we are still below zero celsius) , Giora
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise you couldn't submit directly to publishers in the US and UK, but I think there is a little more luck with an agent even with the option of direct submission. Nonetheless, at some point I will have to think about writing a query letter, but I don't think I will need to for a while, there is a lot of work yet to do on the manuscript itself before agents, editors or publishers see it.
DeleteI don't follow the tennis, but I heard that the drink bottles were melting on the court from the heat. It doesn't surprise me at all. Thankfully, there haven't been any big fires in my particular area or close to Melbourne, but I think there is something burning at the top end of our state and I know there was some serious fire in the Perth Hills in Western Australia while my dad and step-mum were holidaying over there. At any rate, the heat wave has broken now and the weekend has been nice and mild. Stay warm over there in Canada :)