Journal Entry 1 by iiwi from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Saturday, May 16, 2009

High School, the place we've all been to, and tried to deal with coming of age. In this graphic novel Kim, aka Skim, tries to herself. She a wannabe goth, and let's face it, not skinny. She's romantic, realistic, full of hope and hopelessness, and everything else a real person is at 16. She tries to cope with her best friend, with school, where she's not realy accepted, and with love, wich she doesn't realy understand.

This is a lovely gothic coming of age graphic novel, with a twist. The drawings are founded in the best graphic novel tradition, but also in the old Japanese art of pen-drawings. That seperates this novel from traditional graphic novels, as well as from manga. They are really lovely, and fit the story well. 

Journal Entry 2 by iiwi from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Saturday, May 16, 2009

There aren't see many Graphic novel rings out there, I think, so I thought, let's start one. I bought this lovely book on a holiday in Berlin and read in in the train back to my home.

Participants:
Janna2
Plinius
Olifant
AnnevO
Suzy26
violoncellix
Okyrhoe ( will post int)
solskinn (Austria, will post int)
haugtussa (Norway, will post eur)
ecossaise (berlin, will post eur) <--Here it is!
babelfisk (Sweden, will post eur)

Back to me, iiwi. I will go to the States end of April and post the book to:

azuki (US, will post int) 

Journal Entry 3 by janna2 from Castricum, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, May 22, 2009

Het boek is binnen. Ziet er boeiend uit. Helaas, nog heel even op de stapel, zal wel snel aan de beurt zijn.

iiwi: bedankt voor het ringen! 

Journal Entry 4 by janna2 from Castricum, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Friday, June 26, 2009

By reading this book I suddenly realised why I never, never want to be sixteen again!!!!!!
I like Skim a lot, the way she tries to understand the world around her and searches to cope with it in a manner that feels good for her. And then the drawings: all the time I looked at the feet of Skim, they tell so much about her feelings.
A wonderful book! Thank you for ringing it, iiwi!

Next sunday I will hand it to Plinius. 

Journal Entry 5 by Plinius from Schiedam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, June 28, 2009

Surprise surprise! I planned to bring only a few books home from the meeting, but there was a whole stack lying in ambush! This one looks lovely! 

Journal Entry 6 by Plinius from Schiedam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, June 30, 2009

And who at the right side of fifty would be sixteen again? Not me! Skim bravely flounders in the quicksand of so-called friendships and tries to make do with the small amount of info she has accumulated. In the end of the story she grows strong enough to make her own choices.
I always hated graphic novels in which the people are too beautiful - but in these beautifully stylized drawings the balance is well kept; the people have got character but nothing is exaggerated.
Thanks for sharing, iiwi!

Did I mention the beautiful cards you sent me, Janna2? I enjoy them very much!

 

Journal Entry 7 by Plinius at Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (6/30/2009 UTC) at Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

in the post to Olifant 

Journal Entry 8 by Olifant from Porthmadog, Wales United Kingdom on Thursday, July 02, 2009

What a surprise! Looks beautiful from the outside, I'm curious what the inside brings.
Thanks for sending and ringing. 

Journal Entry 9 by Olifant from Porthmadog, Wales United Kingdom on Monday, July 06, 2009

Enjoyed graphics and story. Nice turn in the end.
Thanks for sharing. Off to AnnevO. 

Journal Entry 10 by Olifant at Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, July 06, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (7/6/2009 UTC) at Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

... en weer verder... 

Journal Entry 11 by AnnevO from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, July 07, 2009

This pretty book arrived safely today. 

Journal Entry 12 by AnnevO from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, July 16, 2009

I really liked this book. The story is gripping, dark but still sweet, and very touching. The graphics are great and do tell he story without the words as well. And, if you remove the cover, the book is also very pretty without it.

Will meet up with Suzy26 tomorrow to give this book to her. 

Journal Entry 13 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, July 19, 2009

This book was personally handed to me by AnnevO. What a beautiful book! I think I'm gonna like it. Thanks for ringing it, iiwi! 

Journal Entry 14 by Suzy26 from Delft, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, July 29, 2009

What an extremely beautiful book! The drawings are so detailed and it amazed me how much the images added to the actual story. Because I could see the expression on Skim's face, read her body language and see her loneliness etc., the message hit home all the harder and the story moved me quite a bit. I literally got a clear picture of how Skim felt.

Update 3/8/2009: Skim is on her way to violoncellix. 

Journal Entry 15 by violoncellix from Groningen, Groningen Netherlands on Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Thank you, iiwi, for opening up this ring once more, and thank you, Suzy, for sending the book and a beautiful postcard. At first sight, the drawings look very special. 

Journal Entry 16 by violoncellix from Groningen, Groningen Netherlands on Saturday, September 05, 2009

Indeed a beautiful book about the loneliness of being a teenager. I must admit that I "got" many of the visual details mentioned by the other journal entrants (like Skim's feet) only the second time around. I could empathize very well with Skim's infatuation for her beautiful and fascinating drama teacher, but I was also wondering how I would have handled the situation differently in the teacher's position.

iiwi, thanks again for bringing this wonderful small jewel to our attention!





 

Journal Entry 17 by iiwi from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Now the book will go to Greece! 

Journal Entry 18 by okyrhoe from Athens, Attica Greece on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Arrived in Athens :-)) Thanks iiwi for including me in the ring and for posting the book to me!!
 

Journal Entry 19 by okyrhoe from Athens, Attica Greece on Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Sent this off to solskinn yesterday. Will return to this j.e. in a few days to leave my comments. Thanks again iwii for sharing this! 

Journal Entry 20 by solskinn from Wien - irgendwo / Vienna - somewhere, Wien Austria on Monday, December 07, 2009

It arrived today. Thanks for passing this on to me, okyrhoe, and thank you so much for the beautiful Christmas card!! 

Journal Entry 21 by solskinn from Wien - irgendwo / Vienna - somewhere, Wien Austria on Monday, December 21, 2009

...This space is reserved for my critique of the book... 

Journal Entry 22 by solskinn at a bookring, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, December 21, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (12/22/2009 UTC) at a bookring, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Off to Norway! 

Journal Entry 23 by Haugtussa from Stavanger, Rogaland fylke Norway on Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The book arrived in Stavanger today! I'm so happy as I was worried that the book was lost in the post.

Edited on the 28th of February.

I've just enjoyed this beautiful book. I have to admit, like most of the other readers, that I am so happy that I'm not a teenager anymore!

I loved the drawings, and could sympathies with Skim.

Thank you for sharing. 

Journal Entry 24 by ecossaise on Saturday, March 06, 2010

Thanks, the book just arrived safely in Berlin and I'm looking forward to reading it! 

Journal Entry 25 by ecossaise on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Interesting take on the complexity of teenage existence, posting it on now to babelfisk 

Journal Entry 26 by babelfisk from Jönköping, Småland Sweden on Thursday, March 18, 2010

The book arrived safely to Jönköping today. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 27 by babelfisk from Jönköping, Småland Sweden on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A very nice book with beautiful drawings. I like it a lot. And I agree with some of the previous readers, being 16 was not a pleasant experience. A quote from a Swedish author: It is nice to get old. To be young was bloody rotten. (Hjalmar Söderberg) 

Journal Entry 28 by azuki at Miami, Florida USA on Thursday, May 27, 2010

Well, I wanted to journal this yesterday but the new site was just too bug infested...

I've read a lot of mangas and this one is quite a departure from the standard Japanese shoujo manga. The characters certainly look very different from the starry big eyes, stylish ones I am used to. But the bookrings in BC have opened my eyes to different styles of graphic novels so I look forward to reading this.

BTW whom am I sending this to next? 

Journal Entry 29 by azuki at Miami, Florida USA on Friday, June 11, 2010

Being teenager is not easy, and Kim, being a minority, overweight and unpopular, seems to have an even harder time. The detailed drawing really shows the angst Kim is living through, and projects the emotion powerfully.
Waiting to hear fm iiwi who I should send this to.  

Journal Entry 30 by azuki at Manga / Graphic Novels, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (2/9/2011 UTC) at Manga / Graphic Novels, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

putting into the k00kaburra's manga bookbox. 

Journal Entry 31 by KateKintail at Burke, Virginia USA on Saturday, February 26, 2011

Taking out of K00kaburra's Manga Bookbox. It's wonderful to see such a well-traveled book. I look forward to reading it. Thanks!