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sarabz's review
2.0
I loved David B's epileptic so I was really looking forward to this. Definitely imaginative story and art, fun celebration of books. But I didn't love the occult, secret Paris of the story. All kinds of conspiracy theories come alive as if they were true, and there is no questioning of the stories themselves.
jennifermreads's review
Usually, a book-about-books is a sure thing for me. Not this time. The sparse artwork did not pull me in. And, because the story felt weak, disjointed, and confusing, it needed artwork that wowed me in order for me to pull-through to the end. Didn’t happen. My first DNF of 2019.
robin_dh's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
djlanatron's review
4.0
The ideas and art in this book are really cool! It is translated from the French; I have read translations before, but it is more distracting in comic book form then "regular" book form for me. I feel like I may have lost a little something. This is not a huge fault of the book, necessarily.
chelseamartinez's review
5.0
Like a creepy Reading Rainbow. Dark illustrations of an underworld filled with books following me into work this morning.
kirstiecat's review
5.0
I pretty much love all of David B's graphic novels. Both the words and the drawings are exquisite in their sense of detail and imagination. David B. is quite brilliant and I have treasured every graphic novel that has been translated that I have been able to get ahold of. My favorite part about this one is the idea of avoiding death by escaping in a novel. It's just such an interesting concept and, like so many of David B's works, I am guessing I will be returning to this again and again throughout my lifetime. A treasure!
stacialithub's review
3.0
This is a bit of a surrealist mystery with a message (to both the reader & the writer) of books being used to reach immortality. As a surreal tale, it is no surprise that it is a little strange to follow. The end gets a bit more concrete & ends on a cliffhanger. Bibliophiles will probably enjoy the artwork & the deeper message of the storyline.
A note from translator Brian Evenson at the end of the book...
A note from translator Brian Evenson at the end of the book...
"... What makes books quintessentially what they are is the promise that hides in their pages. The sense that we can metaphorically -- or even, with holy books, for "real" -- escape death through them, as authors and as readers. Even if they don't believe that books really will save them from death, writers still hold tight to the belief of living on after our deaths if their books are still read. What we want ultimately as humans is not to be forgotten. ..."
davidwright's review
4.0
I am totally smitten with this book. Years ago I used to be in the theater, and I had actor's dreams. Now I'm a librarian, and I have dreams like this. Yummy, and a bibliophile's delight.
nycterisberna's review against another edition
4.0
No puedo ser imparcial con [a:David B.|6884287|David B.|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1357676273p2/6884287.jpg]. Es uno de mis historietistas favoritos. Toca todos los temas que me interesan (el rol de la memoria, los sueños, cómo se construyen mundos imaginarios, la literatura, los libros), siempre de manera poética y tenebrosa. Esta historia es muy bella.
jeffhall's review
4.0
This is a highly intriguing new work from the amazing David B, likely the greatest comic artist currently working in the medium. This is very much an initial installment, and the complex plot line is left dangling in an indeterminate place, but the "story so far" is rich, literary, and beautifully drawn in David B's distinctive black-and-white style. There's a mystery at the heart of Incidents in the Night, and while that mystery is unresolved in volume 1, it's more than intriguing enough to bring this reader back for volume 2.