I am not the best person to review this piece of art because
I’m not on ‘the inside’ of this book’s philosophy/spiritual beliefs. So I write
this review to other ‘outsiders,’ and hope that you insiders will forgive my
unattuned senses…
I don’t know that I’ve ever read a piece of literature that
required so much additional study in order to be able to begin comprehending it
or to feel even remotely adequate to evaluate it in an online review… let alone
a Graphic Novel which is stereotypically
focused on sensory pleasure and easy cultural receptivity. Sure, I could have
forgone all the extra reading and study through the “Book of Enoch” and
introductory Kabbalah literature and Rabbinic exegesis, but had I done so my
review would have ultimately consisted of a big “I don’t get it.” And
now, having done all the extra study, I can finally say, “Interesting.” Now, of
course, every piece of art: poetry, painting, drawing, meditative prose, etc.
deserves a certain extent of calm reflection, but I simply could not make the
leap from page to sense or influence very easily. I found myself reading
paragraphs over and over again, and looking at the art only to utter an
exasperated, “What?!” Eventually, over halfway through the book, I started to
get a sense of things that were happening and influences the pieces were making—not
to say that the piece “made sense” and indeed!: I think the artists would say “You
don’t understand “ to anyone who actually said, “I get it.” This purpose of ‘mystery’
and existentialism and insurmountability of the whole piece is at once
relieving and frustrating. You aren’t supposed to “get it.” You aren’t supposed
to be able to plumb the depths of its meaning and come up with the sunken ship;
you’re supposed to be able to dive deep and return with buried treasure over
and over again—and all the better if its treasure you throw into the sea as
well! But here’s where my outsider perspective finds flaw. My philosophy doesn’t
allow me to keep adding meaning where it isn’t there, or removing a piece from
its intended purpose and wield it as a beautiful truth. My philosophy cries “illegitimate!”
and won’t let me hold onto it because I’m deceiving myself into believing
something I know isn’t compatible with my epistemology.
However… what my epistemology does allow for is a subjective
thought weaving, so to speak. I can fully accept that seeing things and reading
things easily and constantly pushes to my mind other experiences, ideas, and
beliefs. And I can reevaluate those experiences, ideas, and beliefs based on
the current context whether the one afforded by the art itself or by the art as
a means only. In other words, Angelarium offers me the canvas with which to
place down my own thoughts regarding love, kingdom, justice, mercy, etc. and to
reposition and refine them; to burn away chaff, add dimensions, or even change.
And yet… I’m not sure I would purchase this book. Perhaps I would—I’m sure it
would offer interesting conversations for friends; and the art is certainly
enticing, but as an outsider looking in I think: “well that was interesting,
and I’m glad to have exposed myself to something so different” and now I move
on to something else. Maybe I’ll return to it down the road, maybe I won’t. And
I can’t tell you whether or not you should purchase it either; I suppose it
just depends on what you’re looking for.
*An editorial note: there are several instances throughout
with repeated words or tense disagreement in additional to a few lesser
grammatical errors. I searched for an intended purpose based on the emanation
in discussion, etc. but could find no justifiable literary reason for including
the errors. I’m willing to chalk this up to my ‘outsideness,’ but I think it
deserves investigation.
Thanks to NetGalley for a e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This review is crosslisted on Goodreads, Amazon, and NetGalley.
