Asterios Polyp ***

By David Mazzuchelli.
Published by Pantheon Books, New York.
Copyright 2009.

Seeing as I had read this just after reading another graphic novel, it will be difficult to avoid comparisons, so I won't try to avoid them and state those comparisons right out.  Like that last book, Curses, it does some philosophising and can get heady at times.  The one big difference is that's much more fun to read.  It's a little sexy and it has a sense of humor,  The drawings are also more stylish (or stylistic if you like).

So the book starts out in our hero's (Asterios Polyp) apartment.  It is destroyed and set on fire by a bolt of lightening.  This bolt of lightening is a motif that occurs though out the book.  At times it symbolizes the differences or dichotomies of life ( A bolt will come through the frame separating it in two parts) and of course it also symbolizes destruction.

So Asterios , a famous architect, is seemingly off on a journey of self discovery and gets hired as a mechanic in a small town.  During this journey we learn of his past life in which he was divorced from his wife.  We learn that he is a conceited man and snobbish.  He doesn't treat his wife very good and he thinks he's smarter than everyone.  During his journey though, his persona is much more humble and ready to listen to what people say.  So there is a transformation.

All in all, an enjoyable read.

here's a review. Just listen to the first half since there are two reviews here.



A little hype for the book...