March 24, 2009 Literary Arts

Quick Reads

by Sebastien CadieuxElisabeth De Grandpre

27lit.cool(colour).jpg
Too Cool to Be Forgotten
Alex Robinson
Top Shelf
Productions
July 2008
128 pp
$14.95
27lit.deaduntildark(colour).jpg
Dead Until Dark
Charlaine Harris
Ace Books
May 2001
320 pp
$7.99

Too good to put down

Having visited a hypnotist to help quit smoking, middle-aged Andy Wicks finds himself transported back to high school. While reliving high school to correct one’s past mistakes is an idea that runs through most people’s minds every now and again, the concept proves to be quite complex when executed.

Andy figures that if he refuses his first cigarette, that he will be returned to his adult life, but when that doesn’t happen he begins to break down. The experience he does need to go through, however, is acutely painful and personal.

Robinson’s art has a cartoony quality to it, but remains emotional and evocative.
With some successful experimentation in page design and narrative devices, this story doesn’t take long to turn from a fanciful trip down memory lane's “would have, could have, should have” section to a haunting examination of the repercussions of decisions we make in our day-to-day lives.
4/5
—Sebastien Cadieux

Move over Twilight

Vampires are back in a big way. Not since Buffy, Angel, and Blade has bloodsucker-mania been so big. Much of the thanks-or blame-must go to Twilight. Twilight is the hit book-to-movie explosion that has the tween-to-teen set buying everything related.

But credit is long due to Dead Until Dark, the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, which has spawned the hit HBO series True Blood. Small town. Girl meets boy. Boy is a vampire. Love ensues. Some people don't approve. Love conquers all?

Luckily this series isn't that simple. The series is set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. It's erotic, and violent. If you thought Twilight was too tame, this might be for you.
In this world vampires are out of the coffin, so to speak, drinking synthetic blood made in Japan, and living among ... the living. Sookie is a sassy waitress who is also a mind reader. Bill is the new vampire in town. They court in old fashion Southern style—and local murders are the only complication.

Just be warned: the first book is the entire plot for the first season of True Blood.

3.5/5
—Elisabeth de Grandpré