19 Dec.

Favourite Books of 2011

from the top: Too Much Coffee Man Omnibus by Shannon Wheeler; the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa; I Kill Giants by oe Kelly & JM Ken Nimura; Habibi by Craig Thompson

i've never made a list of favourite books i've read because i consider myself a slow reader - taking months to complete certain books at a time. but when it comes to really engrossing reads, they take no time at all and i find that i've read some really great books this year.

the Too Much Coffee Man Omnibus was clearly one of the most entertaining reads ever. Shannon Wheeler's observation of popular culture and and transforming it into satire is more than just satire, it is a smart and sharp commentary of herd mentality. TMCM's nihilistic point of view on basically everything  (popular culture, social norms, religion, politics, etc.) certainly made me pause for a moment to reflect on things in life, and how worthless they actually are when viewed in a different perspective.

having watched the Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi movie, i was certainly looking forward to reading the source material, and the novel doesn't disappoint. Disappearance, ironically, is more of a character study of Yuki Nagato. giving Yuki human characteristics in this novel bore such a deep impression within me that i can't help but sympathize with her after reading about everything she has gone through in the series. i'm very impressed by the author's approach to humanize Yuki, and ultimately i'm left understanding her so much better than i already have.

I Kill Giants was a real surprise read and it touched me how well the story was written about a girl escaping the harsh truth of reality by delving deep into her fantasies. the plot is very well crafted, leaving the reader clueless as to what actually is transpiring in reality for a great deal of the book. but as the story unfolds, you start understanding the reasons for the girl's actions and thoughts. this was no doubt, a heart-strings tugger, but a very well executed one.

finally, the epic i have been waiting since i finished Craig Thompson's Blankets, Habibi is, for a lack of better words, an epic read. so much work has been put into crafting this book that it is simply impossible to ignore the effort it took to intertwine story telling, arts and culture, parallel parables, and a tragicomedy all in one book. every page in this book left be breathless with its intricate artwork. it definitely baffles and impresses me how a person could actually make a book like this. for the craftsmanship alone, this book is worth the read.