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karen's Reviews > Mother, Come Home
Mother, Come Home
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karen's review
bookshelves: books-that-made-me-cry, youre-a-graphic-novel, favorites, bossy-book-titles
Nov 16, 2009
bookshelves: books-that-made-me-cry, youre-a-graphic-novel, favorites, bossy-book-titles
i can't even get close to reviewing this book. ("well, who asked you to?," they sneer) i can't but i feel like i have to. i have been putting it off for a really long time now but i think i have to get it over with once and for all. this review done, i am going to wash my hands of all complicated human emotions because this week has been far too full of mourning and apprehension and second-guessing and worry. after this, i am pure cylon and you can all go to hell with your feelings.
after this review, of course...
this book will probably make you cry. i don't know you, and i don't care how emotionally hardened you think you are, because i'm pretty sure it will make you cry. i don't know what it is in particular about it that makes it more shattering than other books that deal with death - i remained dry-eyed throughout "don't go where i cant follow", i never get emotionally invested enough in movies to be a movie-crier (although, like jen, i totally leaked at 'up') but there's something extra in this - some sort of drug blended in with the ink which causes heightened emotions upon contact. even reading other people's reviews of it had me a little emotional (especially the ones i was directly or indirectly responsible for, reading-wise). it is a powerful little piece of work.
don't read this book if you have ever lost anyone. don't read this book if you have ever felt culpable in anyone's death. don't read this book if you know anyone who has ever lost someone or had an emotion or a family or ever been confused or frustrated or was unsure where the "you" was in relation to someone else. don't read this book when you are already sad. don't read this book when you are happy. i mean, read this book - please read this book. but be aware.
and that is my final feeling.
after this review, of course...
this book will probably make you cry. i don't know you, and i don't care how emotionally hardened you think you are, because i'm pretty sure it will make you cry. i don't know what it is in particular about it that makes it more shattering than other books that deal with death - i remained dry-eyed throughout "don't go where i cant follow", i never get emotionally invested enough in movies to be a movie-crier (although, like jen, i totally leaked at 'up') but there's something extra in this - some sort of drug blended in with the ink which causes heightened emotions upon contact. even reading other people's reviews of it had me a little emotional (especially the ones i was directly or indirectly responsible for, reading-wise). it is a powerful little piece of work.
don't read this book if you have ever lost anyone. don't read this book if you have ever felt culpable in anyone's death. don't read this book if you know anyone who has ever lost someone or had an emotion or a family or ever been confused or frustrated or was unsure where the "you" was in relation to someone else. don't read this book when you are already sad. don't read this book when you are happy. i mean, read this book - please read this book. but be aware.
and that is my final feeling.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
November 16, 2009
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 54 (54 new)
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The Crimson Fucker
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rated it 4 stars
Nov 16, 2009 01:06PM
I second that review! I was on a great mood when I started reading it� and damn! I mean DAMN! Not even an emotional damaged sociopath like me could resist it’s as you said “drug blended ink�!
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i know! i remember that i was surprised it got to you. but so so pleased. i found your damn heart.
I’m glad to see that it makes you happy the fact that� actually never mind�
Everybody needs a good cry. Even you, Tin Man.
i was at mocca this year and i waited in a line to buy a copy of the hardcover reissue that i couldnt really afford after blazing a trail through the rest of mocca, even though i had the old paperback already, just to have him sign it because i like to look into the eyes of men who make me cry. .. he seemed used to my reaction. nothing like a jaded man who has made many people cry.
I keep avoiding this book because of your reaction to it. It's sitting there on my table, and if I'm in an ok mood I think this will depress me, and if I'm already down I just think this might be too much for me now.
karen wrote: "i was at mocca this year and i waited in a line to buy a copy of the hardcover reissue that i couldnt really afford after blazing a trail through the rest of mocca, even though i had the old paperback already, just to have him sign it because i like to look into the eyes of men who make me cry. .. he seemed used to my reaction. nothing like a jaded man who has made many people cry."This makes me feel, uh, these, um, emotions. You're quotable, karen. That last sentence may go up on my favorite quotes thing, next to the pig's penis Bartletts-worthy one. Bartlett's should have a section for pig's penis quotes. You'd have the whole section to yourself.
Is this more emotionally devastating than Don't Go Where I Can't Follow?
I don’t know about that� but I personally gave this one an “as depressive as Evangelion 19�... that’s pretty damn depressive coming from me!
im sorry, do you not read my reviews when i write them? i believe i specifically mentioned "dont go" in my review. hhmph. to reiterate - "dont go" left me more or less unmoved, and i felt bad about that, because it is so deeply personal for him. but even though i prefer anders nilsen overall as an illustrator, this is the only graphic novel that has ever made me cry, although jimmy corrigan made me feel horribly empty in general.
read this one though - its a good cleansing cry. i remember that, even though i am newly-emotionless.
I just reread it over again to see if there was anything else I had forgotten.
what? no, i mean go read mother come home, not this stupid review. screw your schoolwork - im going to do more for you now before class starts, so you have leisure to read something really nice instead of that fantasy garbage youve been poisoning yourself with.
no time to read. I have to keep writing. I'm almost done, then I can turn this in tomorrow and finally be done with the internship that would not end...
It is wrong that I want to read this now just to make myself cry.
nope. its cleansing.if i hadnt already mailed you a package, i would have included one of my copies. prepare, m'jen.
Oooh, oooh, happy birthday to me! Thankyouthankyou!And....how many copies do you have?? Just curious.
Probably just the two. The one she bought to read and the one she bought to look into Paul's eyes...
hahah yeah - two. maybe you will get a second package... after i settle all my schoolwork that suddenly became burdensome.
I have to shave crayons tonight. That is my schoolwork. It is a burden when the grater slips.
what do you do with the shavings?
Make new Franken-crayons.
you can melt them and make sun-catchers like a good girl-scout.
By the time I get to comment the thread has gone wacky. My favorite time! Karen, how did you really feel about this book? hehehehehe. Good review Frenchy.
Crayon shavings! Way back in the grades that had shopping lists (crayons, glue/paste, pencils, paper, etc.), we would shave a crayon, put them in our Elmer's, shake, and have a colored glue. Do kids still do that?
i never did! but i kind of want to now!
Added to my to be read pile. I need a good cry now and then....
i love all Hornscheimer's stuff. He's great!
no kidding. i loved three paradoxes, too, but ive only read portions of the other books. the new one looks really nice, but i havent bought it yet.
Did you know that he did the color for Jonathan Lethem's comic book? Omega the Unknown http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33...It was a very odd comic...i was really digging the first 2/3 of it, and the ending was decent but there was a chunk that didn't work for me. Overall, he subverted many comic book conventions, which was nice, and did not provide neat answers.
yeah, my friend called my attention to that - a lot of good people were involved in that book, but for some reason i had no interest in it. i gave it the flip-test and ultimately decided, "eh". but maybe now i will read the first 2/3!
We sprinkled the shavings onto leaves and feathers on wax paper to make placemats. I had to bring them home to iron them all. If you decide to shave your crayons, use a grater that you don't mind getting rid of or recycling. And you might want to do some arm exercises or warm ups first.
Eh! wrote: "Crayon shavings! Way back in the grades that had shopping lists (crayons, glue/paste, pencils, paper, etc.), we would shave a crayon, put them in our Elmer's, shake, and have a colored glue. Do k..."I don't think so. Sad that we've lost that. (insert generic comment about how today's children are coddled and spoiled with pre-made colored glue here)
so folksy-crafty!i used to love making leaf-stained-glass when i was little. oh the memories...
Got this book from the library today. Didn't realize it was in a comic book form. Looks like a quick read. Will read it tomorrow to see if it affects me as deeply as it affected you. I have a feeling that it is all about personal history....
This might be a good time to share this little sketch Paul sent me when i ordered one of his graphic novels directly from him!
question - for someone that has lost both of their parents in the last 4 years (and he is 35) would this be a good read? This has been on my bf's list and I wasn't sure if it would be a good read for him.
it could be very cleansing.
haha ... "up" was quality ... the old dude looks like my father in law ..
this has made everyone i know cry, i think.
I know this is going to make me cry buckets, but this book sounds really good.
it IS! and it's good to cleanse with weeping...
Every time I recommend something sad to someone, I feel like I have to put a disclaimer on it. "Now it's really good, but it's sad. You may cry. Actually, you'll probably be completely devastated. Please do not hold me responsible for any emotions that you may have."
I'll have to find it when I need a weep-a-thon. :D
