Bone: The One Volume Edition
Bone: The One Volume Edition
by Jeff Smith
Cartoon Books
ISBN: 188896314X
I've fallen behind on my reviews and my blogging in general. I've been busy, ok?!
Anyway, I've always heard good things about the Bone series by Jeff Smith but I never really got into them. No, it's not that I didn't get into them. I don't think I really even tried. I'm pretty sure I picked up the books and thought they looked too childish and left it at that. I know...this from someone that still watches cartoons. Recently, though, I thought I'd give them a real try. Fortunately, the library has copies and I was able to pick up a few of the books published by Scholastic. I was impressed and, with the help or Christmas gift cards, I scored a copy of Bone: The One Volume Edition.
Well, I'm still impressed. First off, the edition is something like 1300 pages. I own some pretty big books but I think this is definitely the biggest. But, yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The artwork is a terrific mix of realism and stylization. The fact that three of the main characters are, for lack of a better description, blobby people only adds to the fantastical nature of the story. And it really is fantastic. There are twists and turns. Humor and horror. Action and drama. It's pretty intense. No wonder it's 1300 pages.
I think part of why I liked the book was that is offered something for both adults and children. It is childish, as I initially thought. But, unlike my first feelings, there's a lot for grown ups too. It's something I can enjoy without worrying about my kids also reading it. That scored big in my book.
It should be noted that Bone: The One Volume Edition is in black and white. I believe that's how the books were originally published. I know you can get them in color as the Scholastic copies at the library are printed in color. Really, I could go either way on it. I like the black and white for it's originality and simplicity. On the other hand, the color looks really good, isn't distracting, and might draw in those that are turned off by lack of color. Either way, it's worth checking out.
1 comment:
I'm also reading Bone, at Brett's recommendation. My kids (5 and 3) find it amusing enough to hold their attention, but the story still has enough weight to it that I've been reading it when they're in bed.
I'd say if you enjoy Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, you would enjoy Bone. I'm not much of a reader of comics (oh wait, graphic novels) but I really like the color artwork. We'll probably pick up one of the smaller volumes every month or so. That adds up to $90, but at $10 a month it's a reasonable way to add it to our library.
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