I really wanted to like this book but it was so fragmented and hard to follow that I just wasn't quite sure what was going on. I did get the sense of the mental illness taking over, and I loved Powell's drawings. However, sometimes I couldn't tell what was happening in a drawing. Until I read other reviews, I didn't realize that it takes place over several years. I was confused about the characters. Basically, I just felt disoriented the whole time I was reading. And maybe that's what Powell was going for since he was writing about characters with several types of mental illness. For me, it just didn't click because I spent the whole time trying to figure out what was going on. I really liked this. It's basically the story about two siblings dealing with school, friendships, family, significant others, mental disabilities, sanity, love, and finding your place in the world.The art is beautiful and creative and just fun.I read this all in one go, and it was a very enjoyable read. I loved all the characters - with all of their many, many flaws - and the story was brilliantly written, scripted, and worked, from beginning to end.One thing that really stuck out to me was the relationship at the heart of this story: the two siblings, Ruth and Perry. In a world where fictional sibling relationships are constantly wrought with conflict, anger, jealousy, and avoidance, it is completely refreshing to see a close-knit, loving relationship between two kids. And not just two kids: two step-siblings of different genders and pursuits. The way they relate to each other and spend time together and stick out for each other and relate to their blood-related and step-parent(s) is beautiful and truly engaging. As the child of two re-married divorcees, the family chemistry in this story really reached out to me, and it was just remarkably written.If you have the time, pick this up and take a look.
Do You like book Trágame Entera (2009)?
Take Shelter meets Black Hole. Interesting take on budding schizophrenia.
—Beottide
weird, but lovely interpretation on shcitzophrenis.
—margreata
