What My Wife is Reading - Watchmen and Adventures

This past month my wife and I survived, I mean, enjoyed three family visits, which left little time for reading. However, my wife did finish two of the books on the previous list, Watchmen and The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I took the opportunity to ask her about them:

M: Okay, let’s talk about these books.
W: Let’s do it.
M: What did you think of Watchmen?
W: Hmm. It was quite graphic in parts, and there’s a misogynistic tone to Alan Moore’s writing that disturbs me. I liked it, just not as much as I thought I would.
M: Moore’s intent is certainly to change the way the idea of the superhero. Does he succeed?
W: Well, I hated Rorschach. He was a disgusting character, really. I was happy when he died. Dr. Manhattan was an interesting character, though; it seems that he could’ve changed things, but, in the end, chose not to as he could see the outcome and determined that it was best.
M: I suppose in that way Moore does succeed, as the image of Rorschach as superhero never seems right. Comedian, Nite Owl, Ozymandias, Silk Spectre – they succeeded in spite of themselves, but never triumphantly.
W: I don’t think I would’ve read it if the movie wasn’t out.
M: Right. We should see that soon. Okay, now to Michael Chabon.
W: I loved The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. It was epic, exhausting at times, great detail, good length.
M: Yes, you do burn through books quickly. What were the strong points?
W: It’s a great story and the characters of Kavalier and Clay are well-developed and intriguing.
M: Was it engaging?
W: I’m married.
M: [silent embarrassment]
W: There was comedy, intensity, the whole gambit – Chabon is a great storyteller. It is an awesome book.
M: So you would recommend it?
W: Easily.

Now my wife is reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Not only does this book have the distinction of being on the 1001 Books To Read Before You Die list, it is also on mental_floss’s Top 25 Most Powerful Books of the last 25 years. Written in 1984 and set in 1968 Czechoslavkia, Lightness “made life behind the Iron Curtain seem real to Westerners, even sexy.” Furthermore, it contributed to the falling of the Berlin Wall: “The bureaucratic intimidation, pervasive spying, and grim Communist kitsch are there, but so is an unwavering erotic force that proves stronger than any repressive regime.” I look forward to hearing about it.

Review: Watchmen

Apparently, a lot of people read Watchmen, especially with the movie coming out in a couple of months. I admit, that's the reason I finally read it, since the previews look quite awesome. It is an impressive novel - I've not read anything like it. It is more than a graphic novel; it is a work of literature in itself. Its storyline and character development are its strong points - first, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons have to convince you of superheroes that do not have any super powers - they're extremely capable and morally motivated individuals who use those skills to fight crime. The only character with any sort of "super" powers - Dr. Manhattan - has unlimited power and is more powerful than any other comic book superhero in history. It is turning the genre on its head with these new descriptions of heroes. The achievement of the novel is that it becomes believeable within a short period. The characters are interesting and sympathetic and we soon fall for the classic "cheering for the bad guy" ploy so often used. In the end - I won't bother giving away any story secrets - the plot and storyline come through as well. It is indeed a masterpiece.
The graphic aspect means that there are other tools employed: scenes without dialogue, mixed media, challenging images, seamlessly interwoven story arcs. It is a graphic novel not just because it uses images, but because it uses images to enhance and contribute to the reading experience.
I strongly recommend this book, and not just because the movie is coming out; you should see that, too. Five bloody smiley faces out of five.