Asterios Polyp

This read was far more interesting that I thought it would be at first. I didn't like that art style, or the colors used, or even the main character from the beginning. I found them dull and irritating. However, I am glad that I didn't give up on Asterios then. This graphic narrative is one that I believe readers have to invest in. It might take some time, but in the end it will be worth the while.

The main thing that really got my attention about Asterios Polyp were the extremely multifaceted characters. No character was straight forward, stereotypical, or plain in any way. Each character seemed to grow and change in the readers eye as the story rolled onwards. Take Ursula Major, for example. She could be many things; a loud mouth mother doing nothing at home while her husband works, an empty headed broad who is too focused on superstitions, or even a woman who is just too focussed on her own work to be concerned about her family. However, she is none of those. Despite all the stereotypes one could make of her, she thoughtfully defies them as a character, proving to be more thought provoking and loving than anyone could expect at a first glance. That to me, is how to write a character well, and Asterios Polyp does that time and time again with much of the other characters in the story.

This, and many more reasons like the metaphors in art style and the thought provoking story line is why I believe more people should read this. As far as graphic novels go, this has to be one of the best most thought provoking narratives I've read yet.