Asterios Polyp

Asterios Polyp

By David Mazzucchelli

Ladies and gentlemen, I have now entered a new realm of literary appreciation/ love/ obsession/ awesomeness….. THE GRAPHIC NOVEL!!!

Believe me, I never in a billion years thought that I would ever read a graphic novel and even less likely that I would ever enjoy it. But then I decided to take a comics and graphic novel seminar in my PhD program and the unexpected happened.

Asterios Polyp is a graphic novel about an academically and professionally successful architect who basically sucks at personal life and tries to escape his troubles. That is the worst description ever if you have actually read it, but can you think of any other simple way of laying it out there?? I thought not.

The story is heartbreaking, honest, simple yet so complex in the way that only real human lives can be. The art is phenomenal and contributes to the overall story and the characters’ complexities in a way that words never could. Yes, that’s right, words can’t do everything.

It felt like watching a movie--- though that might just have to do with it being a graphic novel in general—but the story is genuinely good. Every page turn is a new experience to be appreciated, savored, and enjoyed.

If you are into graphic novels, awesome, here is another one to try. If you are a graphic novel novice, awesome, as long as you have a brain and eyes, you will love this.