Graphic Esther

[magid]

I read a new version of Megillat Esther (JT Waldman), in bilingual graphic novel format with a new translation. It's a gorgeously illustrated story, with a few interludes from other bits of Tanakh. Usually I find myself reading text in graphic novels too quickly to absorb the images, but reading Hebrew is always slower for me, and that speed made it easier to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the art, which was considerable.

The pages are thoughtfully laid out, not easy when juggling two sets of text as well as action. I like that the text moves as well, not just keeping to rectangular places on the page; this is particularly true of the Hebrew, which becomes part of the art. The trade-off, of course, is that it took more effort to read the Hebrew. Worth it, but this is not going to become my follow-along-on-Purim Esther. Interestingly, it starts as an English-language book, left to right, but partway through the story, it turns about (nehefoch hu), becoming right to left. It totally works with the story, but there were times it was hard to remember to start on the other side of the page, to follow the smaller pictures in this direction rather than in that direction, since I'd just spent half the book doing the opposite.

I appreciate the research that went into this, not only looking at the midrash (sometimes incorporated, as shown in the very useful end notes) and Tanakh, but also the history of the period in general, the style of period art, as well as good graphic design. (I bet this is the first time Scott McCloud and Yoram Hazony have met in a bibliography :-) It all paid off in the resulting book.

I have some quibbles , little ones. I don't really like the shape of the shins; something about them made me think tet, every time. I found having the ascenders and descenders interrupting the next/previous line made things more difficult for me to read (but I can understand the decision, keeping more space for the art). I still don't understand some of the interlude things, even after reading the notes at the end. And there are some pages that showed the story without the English, which I thought would be problematic for a non-Hebrew reader. I mean, the general drift of the story is there, sure, but the specifics would be more difficult to figure out (one example: when Mordechai puts on sackcloth and ashes). These are all small potatoes, however.

Definitely two thumbs up.

Note: some of the more salacious aspects of the story are (sometimes more than) hinted at; not necessarily recommended for small people.

Comments

[gothtique.livejournal.com]

Now this sounds interesting!!!!!

[magid.livejournal.com]

I met the author this summer at NHC, and he put a copy of it in their fundraiser auction. I didn't win, so I ordered one online :-)