Friday, July 20, 2012

Graphic Novels of YA-series

I recently read a graphic novel of Hush hush by Becca Fitzpatrick and Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. The first one I didn´t like very much. The drawings were wrong compared to the descriptions in the book (Nora is not blond and Vee does not look like that!) and the story missed out too much from the book even though it was just a small part and not the whole book. Vampire academy was a lot better in my opinion but in this case I haven´t read the book. I still think it told me a good story and I liked the drawings so I want to continue reading this. When I read the reviews on Goodreads of the first graphic novel I saw that many people felt the same way as me and also commented the necessity of making so many popular books and especially YA-series into graphic novels.

Personally I enjoy reading adapted books but of course they have to have a certain quality. It´s in the same way I´m curious about the movie-adaption of a book I read. If it's a good adaption it adds something new to the story, tells it in a different way. Do you think most of these are just another bi-product of a popular book-series to make money or are there actually some value in these graphic novels? I have to say that it seems many of these comments come from people who dont like the books or maybe not even the type of books. As a school librarian I would like some guiding to the good ones because it´s hard to know from the cover-picture you see in the online bookstore.

Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush: The Graphic Novel, #1)Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel (Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel, #1)
 (Photos from Goodreads)

I found a review Mari wrote a while back of the graphic novel made out of Twilight and she wasn't very excited.

12 comments:

  1. So far I as well have not been too impressed with the young adult versions of graphic novels. I have read a handful and did end up enjoying the PC cast House of Night book the best so far.
    I am more a fan of the Fables and Anita Blake (both adult though)

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    1. Thank you for these tips, I haven't read any of them.

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  2. I tried reading the Twilight GN and I couldn't stomach it. I was afraid to try another graphic novel again but when VA was at my local store I flipped through it and I thought the pictures were spot on to the characters and the storyline was great. I haven't tried anything else yet but the art work is key for me.
    Book Sniffers Anonymous

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    1. I agree that the art work is very important. If that's no good, what's left? Good to hear you agree with me on the VA, it seems you read the books.

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  3. The wrong haircolor? Could they not at least get that right.

    I agree with Krista, the fables ones are cool

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  4. Since I went to Comic Con this past weekend I've been getting really into Graphic Novels. The ones that are done well are fantastic. There's one for The Hobbit and Game of Thrones that are really great, but I can see why fudging things like hair color would be annoying.

    Anna @ Literary Exploration

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    1. Lucky you that went to Comic Con, it sounds fun! I have the Hobbit at the library but I have to read the book first (shame on me!). I have to check out Game of Thrones.

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  5. I like the whole idea of graphic novel of the popular books. Coz many people are not good at reading. But they can read cartoons. So I think it´s cool that they can get to read the awesome stories aswell.
    Though I think all fans of the book probably would be dissapointed of the graphic novels. Since they will be lacking a lot of info compared to a whole book.
    But the people who don´t read books wouldn´t know that, and will probably enjoy them. I guess :)

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    1. That's an important perspective that not everyone are good at reading. And then it is even more important that the graphic novel contains the most essential parts of the story and tells in it a different an obviously more graphic way. In that way I guess it is interesting to both those who have read the books and those who haven't.

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  6. I both like and dislike the idea of turning books into comic books. I sort of think it is a way for the author to make more money. The comic books often change the main charactres, or get's things wrong. I feel like it is wrong to give something the same name as the novel if the story has changed.
    But on the bright side like you said the makers has limits and often has to change the story. That might come up with new and interesting plots so those can be a good thing. The fact that they make them in other forms also opens the story to a new audience which is cool.
    But in the end I'd like them to stick to the normal version, because that is where the story lies. And in most cases (HP, VA, Hunger Games) the books is ten times better than the other products.

    take care :-)

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    1. I agree with many of the things you say here. I think the visual arts like graphic novels and movies can find elements of a story that is maybe better told visually than in writing and vice versa. I like that they use their medias strenghts to tell a story and think it's ok to change the story within certain limits. In a graphic novel the quality of the drawings of course is very important.

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts =)