Ghost World & Monica

Ghost World by Daniel Clowes (1998) 80 pages

A slim story in eight chapters. Friends Enid and Becky have finished high school and spend their time making snide, sarcastic observations about the people in their town and programs on TV. It was adapted into a 2001 movie, which I watched after reading this. The movie changes a lot, and I only gave it 3 out of 5 stars. Minimizing the character John Ellis was good. Minimizing their friend Josh from school was not a good decision. There is a lonely character, who places a wanted ad in the paper to meet a woman, and the girls play a prank on him. This character is played by Steve Buscemi in the movie. Buscemi, or his agent, or a close producer friend must have been the one to make the deal to turn this into a movie because this character is hugely expanded. He almost has as much screen time as Enid's character. It becomes less about Enid and Becky as their friendship grows apart, but that is one of the strongest parts of the graphic novel.

Monica by Daniel Clowes (2023) 106 pages

A portion of the Goodreads synopsis says, "Monica is a multilayered masterpiece in comics form that alludes to many of the genres that have defined the medium — war, romance, horror, crime, the supernatural, etc. — but in a mysterious, uncategorizable, and quintessentially Clowesian way." I see the influence of the different genres, but I would not call this a masterpiece. I found it weird and disturbing.

Devolution

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks, 286 pages

An insular yet technologically connected eco-community in the wilds of Washington seems like an idyllic place to live...until Mount Rainier erupts, cutting Greenloop off from the rest of the world. The handful of residents are prepping for a survivalist winter when an additional complication arises in the form of mysterious, smelly, and potentially violent unidentified creatures that have been flushed out of their Rainier habitat by the eruption. Will the techno-hippies of Greenloop make it out alive?

One of the big problems I generally have with horror (particularly monster horror) is when the big bad is fully revealed, it deflates the tension and horror that’s been building up to that time. This book managed to show the monster(s) and keep that tension ratcheting up. The pacing was excellent, the oral history format worked well for the story (especially the zoological tidbits interspersed with the journal entries), and the character growth was a pleasant surprise. My one regret is trying to read this before bed when there are animals (well, pets and kids) roaming the house.

Arcadia

Arcadia by Lauren Groff 291 pgs.

This novel has four main parts corresponding to various life stages of Bit, the son of Abe and Hannah.  Bit is raised in a classic 60's commune for his first 14 years or so until the whole community collapses and his family relocates to the "outside".  Later, he has only fond memories of his childhood even though many of his contemporaries have a slightly more jaded view and remember the hunger and the somewhat inappropriate behavior of many of the adults.  Like many groups who form around a charismatic leader and eschew "normal" society, things are great until they are not.  We see Bit again as an adult with his own child.  Still struggling to fit in.  Then onto later in life when his parents die, then late in life.  I started out not liking the book very much but in the end I'm glad I read it.  

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