V for Vendetta by Alan Moore, David Lloyd
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Book Reviews of V for Vendetta
Book Review: V for Vendetta Graphic Novel
Summary: 5 Stars
The V for Vendetta Graphic Novel is an astounding book. It is the depiction of the movie (if you watched it first like I did) and it is a more in-depth look at Codename V. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of: V for Vendetta the motion picture, graphic novels, or even comic books. (since it so closely relates to one)Book Review: A masterpiece, but poorly printed.
Summary: 1 Stars
An otherwise five stars rating, if not for the shameful low quality of the paper and printing.
More than a review, a warning...
...so beware, for this is artwork far from its original shine and luster.
Since this is a masterpiece no one should be without,no matter what, buy it.
Another reviewer has pointed out that there are quality editions around. So keep this one only until you get one of those.
Book Review: Wonderful Book, but
Summary: 4 Stars
The book, like the movie, is astounding. But... Perhaps, either too jaded by the movie or not enough of a fan of the graphic novel, there is something missing in the novel that makes the movie so wonderful... I believe that too much is given away in the book at the beginning that is left a mystery until the very end, if ever, of the movie, and with that knowledge the book is somewhat dampened. Still absolutely worth read. Book Review: The Texture of Vichysoisse
Summary: 4 Stars
Jazzed by the movie, I bought the book and then let it sit around for a couple of years while other matters took precedence. Maybe I should have struck while the iron was hot because when I took up V FOR VENDETTA recently it seemed listless and drawn out to an excruciating degree. That said, I must admit that if I hadn't have seen the film I might have been more taken by Alan Moore's concept and David Lloyd's execution. It's great to have a comic dealing so openly and forcefully with anarchy-related materials, but if you ask me, the movie upped the ante in every respect; the movie made the Shadow Gallery the palace of art, music and culture it was meant to be, the privations of the outside world more real, more chilling.
I know people say that the movie is inferior in that V and Evey are more heroic and lack the complex moral shadings the book gives them. But what some see as "complex moral shadings" others might view as maddeningly etiolated monologues with no visible point. The chief plot twist is kept in the movie, where it's just as unbelievable--that V would torment Evey strikes me as absurd--but luckily some of the cheaply conceived, lackluster "Advise and Consent"-style subplots of the book were dropped entirely. The inner torment of Rose Almond for example. Moore does his best to make her struggle interesting but, well, it's not. Ditto with the sexual power games of Helen Heyer. Could anything be duller than this allegedly Marat-Sade affair? Later on, Moore got good at writing about women but here he's all ideas, ideas ill-suitedly sharing a bed with a wanky titillation.
And please, like everyone else I must register a protest against the horrible printing of the book. You can barely make out what's happening in fully a quarter of the pages. They should give you at least 25 per cent off the cover price, for 25 per cent is illegible, murky, muddy. They should be ashamed to offer this as a product.
Book Review: Freedom, Self-Rule, and the Government
Summary: 5 Stars
The most interesting thing about "V for Vendetta" is that the main theme of the novel isn't actually one man standing up to Fascism, though that's an aspect of it. The more relevant political theme is Anarchism, though it's still only partly about that. The primary themes are about people; about people taking their freedom and the responsibility that goes along with it. The creeping Fascism of the book came not from the scheming of an elite, but from the failure of the countrymen to take control of their own lives, and instead taking the simple way out and following the group that promised to take away their fear.
The freedom of "The Land of Do As You Please" isn't the answer, but rather than the opposite of authoritarian ideas of responsibility they're one and the same, both accepting the easy answer rather than standing up and actively choosing. Moore and Lloyd's Anarchism is a freedom of self-rule, where you take real responsibility for governing your own actions among your peers and hold your ideals in a way that can't be threatened. On a personal level, this a case made well; even Finch, who isn't pushed through this like Evey but goes through a (potentially absurd) revelation is better than Mrs. Heyer's ultimate dependency. The authors skimp, however, on the possible rise of this unruled order - the novel takes place under the old order. It's rather clear they would pin the blame on the people, and not the system, if it didn't work.
Moore is certainly verbose; there's a lot of talking here and most of the fights are abrupt matters. Lloyd's art isn't outstanding or beautiful (though the faded color may due to the printing), but it's never a problem and the lighting, shade, and color augments the action. The minimal use of internal monologue, and complete lack of sound effects or thought bubbles means it has to pull it's own weight and it does. V for Vendetta is a great graphic novel - as much or more for it's warnings of letting us fall prey to our fears and appetites in a subtle way as for the overt threat of Fascism.