King of the Flies

King of the Flies by Mezzo and Pirus is an amazing European graphic novel set in the suburbs around kids and kids who have grown out of being kids. The book deals with virtually every character in an intimate way- showing a pretty accurate view of the world through the old, the young, the girls and the boys. Other than a little initial confusion about the ages of the characters and the very statuesque bodies of some of the characters this book is perfect. The illustrations are detailed and richly developed. They correspond to the story so well. It is the case in so many graphic novels that there are wasted images and wasted words. I didn't feel that way with this one at all.
I highly recommend it.

5/5

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote tells the non-fiction tale of an innocent family of four who were murdered for greed. Capote's writing almost masks the truth of the situation but the characters are too real and some scenes play out too matter-of-fact. The fact that this is a true situation, that the murderers are just young men- they could have been anybody- it's all too frightening for me. The modern sensationalism surrounding murders is strange and Capote may have started it all (?) This book highly disturbed me and for reasons maybe I can't put my finger quite on.
I don't even think I can rate it properly- for what? The story? The writing? The adaptation of the real-life situation to the book? The cutting-edge journalism? The manipulation of people to tell their stories? The exposure of a murder that people would have soon forgotten?
I'll give it a 2/5

A Death in the Family by James Agee

James Agee's A Death in the Family is a semi-autobiographical novel about a young family that must deal with the loss of the father. The language flourishes around the characters who seem to go round and round in circles without making any progress. Dream-like prose guides the reader through the entire situation- from the children's perspective to the distant aunt's. The only complaint I have is that the language could have been a lot more concise. Agee's death - before the final copy of the book was written, prevented any changes that probably should have been made by lenient editors.

4.25/5