A beautifully careful writing style that drew me in and reminded me of Andre Aciman's style in Call Me By Your Name. The story itself is a close character study of sorts, spanning over the course of years with our protagonist and love interest. A definite recommend for those looking to read historical fiction.
The style and structure of the novel, the setting, and characterization of Elio and Oliver are the novel's strengths. There weren't many dull moments that I could highlight. Armie Hammer does an exceptional job narrating the audiobook as well. I hung on his every word as he grasped the emotion that Aciman conveyed through his words. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, VOL. 1 by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS ★★★★★My first introduction to Spider-Man was Sam Raimi's 2002 film, appropriately named Spider-Man. It was as great as a superhero film could be in the early 2000s, but it hooked me into the webslinger's story and made me a fan. But even with the movies, it never occurred to me that I could be reading the comic books. So I took it as an opportunity to catch up on old times. In this first volume, Bendis takes the classic story and revitalizes it, breathing fresh life into it and presenting it to an audience of a new generation. As a kid just starting out in elementary school, this would've been perfect for me. And the story doesn't disappoint. Peter Parker is still Peter Parker–somewhat nerdy but brainy, not so smooth with the ladies, the butt of a jock's jokes–and his supporting cast is almost the same, minus the subtle differences (the book takes place in the Ultimate universe, a separate continuity for the main Marvel universe...it can get complicated, but that's the basic idea), but the story, while the same at its core, feels new. It's almost as if there's more to Peter's story that we're just now learning; or better yet, the same story with new angles and twists. It's a feel-good story that's sure to win the hearts of fans across the board. Everything you know about Peter's early days as Spider-Man, from the accident, to his relationship with his aunt and uncle, to the famous words, “With great power comes great responsibility,” Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 1 is an absolute must-read for diehard fans and newcomers alike.
I gave it three stars because it's the last book in the trilogy and it was somewhat enjoyable. But in the end, I couldn't get through the lack of actual conflict, the writing, and just the blandness of it all. I ended up reading the book's entire summary and still have no desire to finish the rest of it any time soon.
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