Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli

When people ask me what my favorite book is (and they invariably do ask) I vacillate terribly. There have been too many choices and too many genres spread over my lifespan. The task spans out in front of me unwieldy and huge. I flounder.

But if someone where to ask to list my favorite graphic novels, that would be a much easier task. Sandman would be in my top choices, as would two of Alan Moore's novels--Watchmen and V for Vendetta. Fun Home, Fables, and Identity Crisis would clearly be on the list. As would Jimmy Corrigan and Mother, Come Home. What else?

As I was reading Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuccheli, I knew it was going to occupy a vaulted position within my top ten as well. The story opens with a fire pushing the eponymous character out into the world and into the main action of the story. At the beginning, AP is a stinker of a human being encompassing all the boorish qualities of a human being--self-absorbed, ego centric, trite, and full of himself--with a dichotomous, simplistic outlook on life. The narrative is told through a series of flashbacks.

There are several other main characters of note. At several points, the story is told by Asterios's dead twin brother. Asterios's mind also drifts back over to his ill father and to his strong care-taker mother. Hana, AP's wife, is an artist in her own right, but has been eclipsed throughout her life by a series of males--first her brother and later by her husband, who steals her ideas and sells them as his own.

Conflict arises when Hana finally starts receiving attention for her sculptures by a noted-choreographer, Willy Ilium . The impotent Asterios can't compete and eventually looses her. Even though the book starts of on a melancholy note, it is a pleasure to watch Asterios change and grow.

Mazzuccheli is not the first graphic novelist to employ images to graphically illustrate the differences between his characters, but he does it very well. Each of the principle characters are given their own individual color and line to dramatically demonstrate their differing points of view. Asterios Polyp was a pleasure to read.

I am looking forward to discussing this book with anyone who is interested.