(no subject)
10 Nov 2010 12:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
salineaSo Monster, for rebbe. One reason I took so long to read it is because it didn't really sound like anything I'd like. I'm not very fond of magical serial killer psychopath ya know. And I dropped out of 20th Century Boy at some point out of annoyance with all the time skipping and plot teasing of adding mysteries over mysteries so there's that for the author as well. But reading it, Monster does work pretty well as a story as a story (especially read all at once in a big gulp as I more or less did - which I assume would also be the case with 20th Century Boy as well if I ever got the patience to go back at it). Main thing that makes it work is that the author is really, really, really good at that storytelling in a tense and dramatic way. Really got the best way to write a thriller that, ya know, thrill. The perfect balance of horror, fascination and action.
The other thing that makes it work is that for a work that is really about Good and Evil in terms of thematics; it really does explore that thematics right. The Good side is shown as tough and complex, something to struggle with. The characters really do earn being on the side of "good" as such. And on the evil side, our mysterious magical serial killer antagonist is perfectly contrast with all the institutional evil that gave birth to him, with some excellent use of the setting and the History of Germany and Eastern Europe, WW2, the Cold War, and modern era (well 80's and 90's) Germany in general.
There's still a little bit too much of skipping and stretching the plot in wild directions just for the sake of it; and a bit too many mysteries layered on top of other mysteries in a sometimes confusing ways; and magical serial killer being so fucking magically manipulative and baaaaaaaah - not to mention changing his mind every two or three volumes. Silly stuff :p But overall a good read.
rebbe. One reason I took so long to read it is because it didn't really sound like anything I'd like. I'm not very fond of magical serial killer psychopath ya know. And I dropped out of 20th Century Boy at some point out of annoyance with all the time skipping and plot teasing of adding mysteries over mysteries so there's that for the author as well. But reading it, Monster does work pretty well as a story as a story (especially read all at once in a big gulp as I more or less did - which I assume would also be the case with 20th Century Boy as well if I ever got the patience to go back at it). Main thing that makes it work is that the author is really, really, really good at that storytelling in a tense and dramatic way. Really got the best way to write a thriller that, ya know, thrill. The perfect balance of horror, fascination and action.The other thing that makes it work is that for a work that is really about Good and Evil in terms of thematics; it really does explore that thematics right. The Good side is shown as tough and complex, something to struggle with. The characters really do earn being on the side of "good" as such. And on the evil side, our mysterious magical serial killer antagonist is perfectly contrast with all the institutional evil that gave birth to him, with some excellent use of the setting and the History of Germany and Eastern Europe, WW2, the Cold War, and modern era (well 80's and 90's) Germany in general.
There's still a little bit too much of skipping and stretching the plot in wild directions just for the sake of it; and a bit too many mysteries layered on top of other mysteries in a sometimes confusing ways; and magical serial killer being so fucking magically manipulative and baaaaaaaah - not to mention changing his mind every two or three volumes. Silly stuff :p But overall a good read.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 10 November 2010 12:03 am (UTC)I honestly found Johan to be the least interesting character in the series. As you said, he was far too magically manipulative and well, aimless, to be a compelling or realistic character to me.
But I adored Nina's courage and determination. <33
no subject
Date: 10 November 2010 12:05 am (UTC)Johan was really more of a cypher onto which was projected things - which I guess was the point. Lack of identity and all that stuff.
no subject
Date: 10 November 2010 12:52 am (UTC)Yay Nina! Such an awesomely done character. <3
I'm glad you found it a good read overall. :)
no subject
Date: 11 November 2010 05:28 am (UTC)AND NINA IS BADASSERY PERSONIFIED, AHHH