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A review by tobin_elliott
Kalevala: The Graphic Novel by Sami Makkonen
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Why did I not look at the reviews before buying this?
Good lord, this is terrible. It may have actually set a new DNF record for graphic novels for me...300+ pages in this collection, and I was done by page 15.
Why? The art, while serviceable and often lovely to look at, was more a collection of pretty pictures than an attempt at coherent storytelling. Unfortunately, I've seen this before, where the artist is talented, but has not done their homework on how to properly assemble a consecutive series of images into something that tells the story. Look at almost any Marvel or DC comic and, even ignoring the words, the reader can pretty much figure out what the story is, with little trouble. Here? No, not so much.
But hey, there's words to help smooth those visual transitions, right? Well, sort of. The problem with this collection (and it likely adds to that images-not-telling-a-story issue above) is that there is no coherent story. Stuff...happens. There's no rhyme or reason to it, there's no motivation, there's no real consequnces (except one sister being sad at being given away so her brother can live). But there's characters showing up for a couple of panels, then disappearing. There's major events happening between one panel and the next that we're not privy to. And none of it makes a lick of sense.
This, sadly is a horrifying waste of time and a senseless killing of trees. DNF, no rating.
Good lord, this is terrible. It may have actually set a new DNF record for graphic novels for me...300+ pages in this collection, and I was done by page 15.
Why? The art, while serviceable and often lovely to look at, was more a collection of pretty pictures than an attempt at coherent storytelling. Unfortunately, I've seen this before, where the artist is talented, but has not done their homework on how to properly assemble a consecutive series of images into something that tells the story. Look at almost any Marvel or DC comic and, even ignoring the words, the reader can pretty much figure out what the story is, with little trouble. Here? No, not so much.
But hey, there's words to help smooth those visual transitions, right? Well, sort of. The problem with this collection (and it likely adds to that images-not-telling-a-story issue above) is that there is no coherent story. Stuff...happens. There's no rhyme or reason to it, there's no motivation, there's no real consequnces (except one sister being sad at being given away so her brother can live). But there's characters showing up for a couple of panels, then disappearing. There's major events happening between one panel and the next that we're not privy to. And none of it makes a lick of sense.
This, sadly is a horrifying waste of time and a senseless killing of trees. DNF, no rating.