Ghost World

Ghost World



Clowes, Daniel. Ghost World. Seatle: Fantagraphics Books, 1993.





Annotation:Two sarcastic teenage hipsters try to find their identity and future amongst a surrounding of people that are strange and stranger. This coming of age story shows two post-high school graduates slowly drifting apart and growing up at the same time.

Justification for nomination: This book reminds me of being 16-19 years old, the approximate age of the characters. The main character Enid feels like a well developed character that you can have empathy for. She is going through such issues as awkward teen love, a need to find herself fully, friend issues, college bound decisions, a want to grow up and a need to hold on to the best parts of her youth. The two main characters also spend way too much time at diners(any one remember Perkins?). The graphic novel is very character driven overall. Most of the supporting cast are strange, interesting people that you would probably not want to meet in real life. But, every character feels like they have there own unique personality. Some literary tools are not used here because of the graphic novel format such as imagery and other descriptive tools. But, the attractive and effective visuals help drive a good part of the story and make up for these imagery tools that aren't used in words. It is in a point of view that is third person that is typical of the format with the occasional first person thinking inside of the head. I found the symbolic uses enjoyable, such as her always changing outfits that represent different sub-cultures that in turn represent a form of herself that she could try to be. Many things in her life disappear through out the book which I believe represents growing up and leaving certain things behind (which she does). I believe these are characters that feel real and engaging and the format will particularly attract reluctant readers (which gives the book definite bonus points.

Genre: Graphic Novel(originally a serial but compiled into a graphic novel), coming of age, realistic/edgy/problem novel and non-fiction.

Hole in my Life

Hole in my Life

Gantos, Jack. Hole in my Life. New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2002.

Annotation: The promise of adventure and escape and the opportunity for quick cash was too much to resist for Jack. Follow him as he struggles to find himself as a person and as a writer and tries his best to make the best choices.

Justification for rejection:

This book failed to engage me as a reader. He starts himself out in jail the first chapter so there is a large lack of surprise in what is going to happen to him on his journey. Jack getting caught is only a matter of how and when. Throughout the book there is a constant predictability factor that makes the book less enjoyable. Young readers who are well read might enjoy the constant name dropping of literary heavy weights. But, I found it obnoxious and I believe that this book is written at a lower reading level than the reading level of any student that would catch these references. When borrowing ideas such as the use of the color yellow as a mental condition (which I believe is a reference to "The Yellow Wallpaper") he generally fails to live up to the other writers he is trying to pay homage to. The main thing he wins on is fulfilling the basic laundry list of adolescent literature such as "who am I?", a search for self, a need to break free from adult control and bad decision making. In one of his chapters he makes reference to the cheesy scared straight convict story tellers that visited his high school. That chapter made me think that he was aware of how cheesy he was being, but decided to tell his story in the manner in which he did. Even though this was a memoir/autobiography his voice seemed inauthentic and forced. I personally enjoy Law and Crime novels, but this one fails to live up to the classics he is constantally trying to reference (such as Crime and Punishment).

Genre: Autobiography, Memoir