Beauty

This is a book I picked up on a whim at the local library. It is taller than most books I have (i'm sure it wouldn't fit on my bookshelves any way but sideways) and is hard bound.

Beauty
author: Hubert
artist: Kerascoet

This comic book was originally published in french under the title Beaute, and was translated to english by Joe Johnson.

I rather liked this tale and I will be looking into finding more works by this author and the artist team. 

When I first picked up the book I had assumed (foolishly) that it was probably going to be a retelling of "sleeping beauty", as there is a fairy in the background, possibly with the twist of "the three little men in the wood" (another lesser known fairytale.) I was wrong on both counts. BUT I am a sucker for both fairytale retellings and stories that end not so pleasantly.

Beauty spins the tale of a young peasant girl named Coddie. Coddie has basically all of the traits one would expect in a low level rags to riches transformation story. She is "ugly", she is used as forced labor for the household, she is kind despite being shown unkindness her entire life, and she encounters a magical force as she comes of age.

The story takes place in a fictional land, but does a very good job of showing how serfdom and the class system works. You can tell the station of a person by what they are wearing and how they look.

Coddie is shown very quickly at a pagan coming of age ceremony just how very unwanted she is by her community. She soon after gets sent out to the forest in the middle of the night to gather firewood to get her out of the house, this is where she comes upon the magic. She saves a fairy.

I really love what the author did here. He did not go the now traditional route of fairies granting kindnesses. Instead, he shows the true nature of wishes. The "be careful what you wish for, it may seem good at the time but you didn't think this through and now you're stuck with it."

She makes a simple yet devastating wish.

To be beautiful.

Fairies are capricious things. They have their own morals and sense of right/wrong. It does not always align with our own. 

Such is the case with the Fairy Mab. Mab gives her not only beauty, but possibly the most dangerous version imaginable. Mab gives her the power of perceived beauty. In reality she will still look like herself. (the book frequently goes back and forth between her perception of herself and how others see her) but to EVERYONE else, she takes the form of their ideal of beauty. She is the sexiest/prettiest thing they have ever seen in their life. Pure perfection of form.

The only way people are able to recognize her from who she was before is her smell. Coddie smells like fish, due to her work skinning fish in the village. It is a smell that never goes away, but it is interesting to see how it is perceived in different ways due to her outer beauty.  

She doesn't understand this at first because she cannot see this illusion form. Coddie immediately has one pitfall after another. Her vision form makes men lose all control. In turn, the women disdain her because they will never be able to measure up. In a land where women are still very much property, the only ability she has is to awkwardly social climb.

This is where human nature begins to take over. All of her negative traits become emphasized as she is showered with wealth and ability. Her peasant upbringing really shines through, but anything that could be seen as vain or stupid becomes a non issue as soon as people are put under her spell.

SHE DRIVES MEN TO MADNESS.

They all want her.

And will do anything to obtain her.

There is no consent to this story, because women did not (and in most places, continue to not) have choices over own lives in the time period it is trying to portray itself as. 

This is a tale of wishes gone wrong, betrayals, battles, rapes, poverty, angry mobs, scornful women, and human nature.

THIS IS NOT A STORY FOR CHILDREN OR THE FEINT OF HEART.

This does not end "happily". But it does end well.

And for those who do not understand the end and think it is just because she was so different visually...

Remember. The only reason that she is not perfection to their eyes is because they are looking at the drawing of someone else's perfection. Not the woman that was Coddie. 

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Hubert/dp/1561638943

ISBN: 978-1-56163-894-9  

Persepolis

Persepolis is one that I read years ago, before I began to have memory problems. At some point I also saw the film version. (Unfortunately all I remember of it is the song "Eye of the Tiger" playing during it, and its unique style that mimics the illustrative comic book style.) I may end up watching the film tomorrow and making a review of it as well.

The Complete Persepolis
Author/artist: Marjane Satrapi

This book has a very unique style to it, and to me is immediately identifiable as Ms. Satrapi's work.

It should be noted that this is the "complete" version of her tale, it has been published in a two volume set as well as a four volume set.  All parts have been translated into english by: Mattias Ripa (for the first of the 2 part set, or the first two of the 4 part set) and Blake Ferris  for the remainder.

This is not a story for those easily shocked. This is a memoir piece of a very hard (and continually hard) time in Iran. It is a wartime piece, a piece that happens during the revolution. A lot of the ideas in it will seem completely alien to those who have never experienced alienation or huge shifts to your fundamental rights.

This woman grew up during a turbulent time where things were rapidly changing and life grew increasingly dangerous. She tells her life, as one of the privileged few who was able to escape radical ideals (if even for a short while, with the ability to go abroad for schooling) and experience her own way of "finding herself" on her own terms instead of being abruptly forced into the life imposed upon other young women of her generation.

It is a good read. A tale of change, learning, and the human condition. I look forward to reading this again at some point and potentially reading other works by Ms. Satrapi if I can find translated copies.

It is especially poignant in our current time, when racism and fear have become once again unveiled and rampant throughout our communities. 

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Persepolis-Marjane-Satrapi/dp/0375714839

ISBN: 978-0-375-71483-2

First book post/review! Sharaz-De

First book post!

Yesterday I renewed my library card with Fort Vancouver Regional Library. FVRL is the biggest library system in my area and has many good aspects that have grown on its site. For example: It has sixteen locations and instead of having to go to each location personally to pick up a book I might be specifically looking for, I can have it added to my hold list and sent to my local chapter. I can also return any of the books to any FVRL chapter instead of just the one that I checked them out at.
This is completely wonderful, but the reason I would come home with 40 books a week some times.

Nowadays my memory has slightly faded and I have a harder time retaining information, but I shall try my best to talk about these books in their entirety. =)


Sharaz~De: Tales from the Arabian Nights
Written and illustrated by Sergio Toppi


The first thing that hits you with this book is the illustrations.
I've never run into Toppi's work before, but for lack of better comparison it reminds me of the imagery in the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

The artwork is simply captivating; a maze of ink lines on stark white pages. Spattered throughout with tales in dreamlike colors. 

The story is that of Shaharazad of the 1001 Arabian nights. Presented here is Sharaz~De telling her tales to save herself and those other young women of her world. Eleven tales are told, including those of the King himself, in graphic novel format. As Sharaz~De begins spinning her web of safety the nights all begin with a new tale, and end at daybreak with the order of more from the King. In thus, she passes her time through her cunning of saving not only her life but those around her. 

It is a short and easy read, and I simply adore the illustrations which depict only people of non Caucasian nature (and do so beautifully). 

I'd read it again, and possibly add it to my collection. 

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Sharaz-Arabian-Nights-Sergio-Toppi/dp/1936393484/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479536618&sr=8-1&keywords=sharaz-de

ISBN  978-1-936393-48-0