What can I say? this work of art was beautiful in many ways. It was beautifully drawn, “written” (if you can even say that), and thought out. In my eyes, there was even more beauty in the interpretation. The book can be interpreted so many different ways that even plot points are left up to the reader. The Story is so ‘open” that one must search for explanations themselves.
Tan, who has history writing children’s books, was able to create something much more powerful than words. But i was left with one major question: is this a children’s book? I asked one of my music professors that question and he had to think for a second… but then i realized that it could be. Imagine the level of imagination that a 5 or 10 year old would put into the graphic novel. Their innocence and general inability to synthesis what is being given to them in the form of pictures will make for a completely alien interpretation to us.
I read this book as soon as i got it (about 3 weeks ago) and the first thing that popped into my head was a melody. Now, i plan to compose a Cello duet based on this book for my end of the semester composition project. The piece will consist of 6 movements, for each chapter, and the texture and style of the playing will emulate the tones and events in the work. I am very excited to begin to work on the piece and, with Professor Rutkoski’s permission, would love to have it performed for the class.
-John W. Cleary
I hope you play it with the cello! Just out of curiosity, for you, personally, do each of these six partitions have some sort different meaning/flow as it transitions from one stage to the next. I know that the story progresses, but does anything else change for you?