Stephanie Jane recenzis The Danes de Clarke
Ultimately troubling
3 steloj
I've been switching between three and four stars for my The Danes rating because, on the one hand, I did really enjoy reading this graphic novel but, on the other hand, the more I think about how it raised its issues, the more uncertain I am about whether I should have enjoyed it. So let's start with the good points! The illustrations are clear and vivid. I loved Clarke's depictions of Copenhagen and I could feel the characters' confusion and anger as the plot progressed. The story itself takes the theme of a virus running rampant across Europe, but turns the familiar idea in a new direction. The thriller side is fast paced and exciting.
On the negative side, there is so much story in this graphic novel that I think it needed to be at least twice as long to do itself justice. We seem to jump from the …
I've been switching between three and four stars for my The Danes rating because, on the one hand, I did really enjoy reading this graphic novel but, on the other hand, the more I think about how it raised its issues, the more uncertain I am about whether I should have enjoyed it. So let's start with the good points! The illustrations are clear and vivid. I loved Clarke's depictions of Copenhagen and I could feel the characters' confusion and anger as the plot progressed. The story itself takes the theme of a virus running rampant across Europe, but turns the familiar idea in a new direction. The thriller side is fast paced and exciting.
On the negative side, there is so much story in this graphic novel that I think it needed to be at least twice as long to do itself justice. We seem to jump from the first few cases of the virus to thousands of cases in just a couple of pages and I felt this took away from The Danes believability. The chaos happens too readily. It needed a longer build-up. There are concurrent storylines, neither of which felt fully realised to me so perhaps concentrating on one or the other would have made for a stronger effect?
The Danes is essentially about racial prejudice and I am sure the author imagined the story as one to promote harmony. However, aspects of it don't reinforce that message, not until the very last frames anyway. Regardless of parentage, the babies are blond and blue-eyed so the virus appears to do away with racism by making everyone white? Also, everyone saving the day is white and male. People of colour are shown rioting and women (except one) mostly hold babies. Erm, really?