I Hate Sounding Like I’m Using Hyperbole But …

I’m currently reading through Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli and I’m just staggered by how good this is; content, design, layout, color, everything. I’m halfway through and frankly haven’t had this feeling about a book’s contribution to its genre since reading Jimmy Corrigan (sadly, I suspect this will be the go-to comparison in upcoming reviews precisely because  they feel like such strong “statements” despite being worlds apart thematically).

I realize how snobby the above thoughts sound. However, I literally put the book down every five or ten pages, reach for my computer and then decide I need to go back and make sure about what I’m reading. This being the halfway point, I feel confident in stating this book is a product of genius. A pure, precise effort that also has enough nuanced details to reward multiple readings (check the juxtaposition of assumptions of the first few pages with a major turning point later in the book, for instance).

The only other work by Mazzucchelli I’m familiar with is the superb adaptation of Auster’s City of Glass – something I almost taught as part of the Black Cloud curriculum last summer.

Leave a Reply