Keith had always been fascinated by magic. As a child, he would spend hours reading books about magicians and watching magic shows on television. He would often try to learn tricks himself and perform them for his family and friends. But one day, Keith came across something that completely blew his mind - blue magic. He stumbled upon a video of a magician performing a routine with blue objects, where he seemed to make them disappear and reappear at will. Keith had never seen anything like it before and was instantly captivated.
Reading it — or, as the writer and Amulet fan David Lipsky says, "watching" it — is to be taken in and coughed up a few hours later at the last panel.
Kibuishi, the author, is a borrower but also a genuine talent the dialogue is witty, quick and authoritative, the drawings cleanly handsome, and the action goes well over the legal speed limit. The titular amulet that Emily wears is an all-powerful but dangerous talisman that s a Lord of the Rings rip ; and Emily is thought to be The One the foretold savior whom a rebel army has been waiting for like The Matrix.
Keith had never seen anything like it before and was instantly captivated. He became obsessed with learning blue magic and spent every spare moment researching and practicing. He read books, watched tutorials, and even attended magic conventions to learn from the best in the industry.
A Novel So Graphic You Can't Look Away . For Kids
As a book snob, I've fought and lost a lot of rear-guard actions lately.
It was one thing when academics and hipsters (a horn-rimmed multitude) started wrinkling their brows over comic book artists like Daniel Clowes and Art Spiegelman. I was down with that, however reluctantly. Only a bitter-ender could deny that some comic book writers have had a big enough cultural impact — and have come up with resonant enough stuff — to merit a real scholarly look-see.
But in a tiny inner voice, I always told myself real books were not just better, but much more up my particular alley. I'd put away childish things. So how do I explain my guilty pleasure, the graphic novel series Amulet, by Kazu Kibuishi?
Amulet is a derivative schmaltz-fest: obvious, goofy, and a breath-quickening thrill read. My brain kept registering objections while some hysterical page-turning left me with a full-blown case of reader's wrist.
The books' hero is Emily, who inherits a magic amulet and is transported (with her brother, via her basement) to a world called Alledia, where an Elf King is raring to kill her. But one of the things that makes Amulet a delight — it's actually set to be a movie starring a pair of cute, young Pinkett-Smiths — is its shamelessness.
Read An Excerpt:
Excerpt: Amulet 1
It's made of fun bits from movies and books we've already enjoyed: a mash-up. The titular amulet that Emily wears is an all-powerful but dangerous talisman (that's a Lord of the Rings rip); and Emily is thought to be "The One" — the foretold savior whom a rebel army has been waiting for (like The Matrix). The amulet itself tempts Emily to disregard the "Life Force," the better to channel its own dark power (a la Star Wars), while a bounty hunter chases good guys around a city in the clouds (that's Empire Strikes Back) and a mysterious character trains Emily in venerable warrior ways .
You get the idea.
Kibuishi, the author, is a borrower but also a genuine talent — the dialogue is witty, quick and authoritative, the drawings cleanly handsome, and the action goes well over the legal speed limit. And Kibuishi has added to the mix some idiosyncratic and just plain cool story touches: One of Emily's robot companions, Morrie, shows his anxiety in senseless chatter and forehead sweat; Emily's favorite protector is pink and looks huggably like a bunny doll. My favorite: The family house doubles as a conveyance they can drive from a Captain Kirk-ish chair — making it a kind of Starship Enterprise with feet. Or is it more like a Transformer?
And such questions are the point: A shrewd writer like Kibuishi benefits from coming late to the tradition. Most everything in Amulet has in a way been fan-tested before Kibuishi began writing.
Darin Strauss is the author of The Real McCoy and Half a Life. He is a clinical associate professor of writing at New York University. Robert Birnbaum hide caption
toggle caption Robert BirnbaumReading it — or, as the writer and Amulet fan David Lipsky says, "watching" it — is to be taken in and coughed up a few hours later at the last panel.
As for the "guilt" in this guilty pleasure: It's probably just me. Judging by some informal subway observation, there's scarcely a middle-aged guy left who feels self-conscious publicly reading a comic book. Kibuishi's skill has run my literary elitism into the sand. Maybe it's time to pick up childish things.
My Guilty Pleasure is edited and produced by Ellen Silva with production assistance from Rose Friedman and Lacey Mason.
The more he learned, the more his passion for blue magic grew. Keith began performing blue magic tricks for his family and friends, and soon word spread about his unique talent. He started getting requests to perform at birthday parties, corporate events, and even weddings. It seemed like everyone wanted to experience the wonder of blue magic. But as Keith's popularity grew, so did the pressure. He started feeling overwhelmed by the expectations and the constant need to come up with new and more impressive tricks. He was constantly pushing himself to the limit, spending countless hours perfecting his routines and making sure every performance was flawless. At first, Keith thrived under the pressure. He loved the adrenaline rush of performing and seeing the amazement on people's faces. But over time, the constant demands and the never-ending quest for perfection started taking a toll on him. Keith began to question whether he was truly passionate about blue magic or if he was just trying to live up to other people's expectations. He realized that he had lost sight of what had initially drawn him to magic - the sense of wonder and the joy of creating something amazing. In that moment, Keith made a decision. He decided to step back from the world of blue magic and take some time for himself. He wanted to rediscover his love for magic on his own terms, without the pressure to perform and impress. During his time away, Keith reflected on his journey and realized that true magic comes from within. It's not about the tricks or the applause; it's about the passion and the love for what you do. Keith vowed to never let himself get overwhelmed by blue magic or any other external pressure again. When Keith eventually returned to performing, he did so with a renewed sense of purpose and authenticity. He no longer felt the need to prove himself or live up to anyone else's expectations. He simply wanted to share his love for magic with others and inspire them to find their own sense of wonder. And so, Keith continued to perform blue magic, but this time, he did it for himself. He had learned the invaluable lesson that true magic comes from the heart, and as long as he stayed true to himself, he would always find joy and fulfillment in what he did..
Reviews for "Analyzing the Hidden Elements of Keith's Overwhelming Blue Magic"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy "Keith overwhelmed blue magic" at all. The story was confusing and lacked coherence. The characters were shallow and poorly developed, making it hard to connect with any of them. The writing style was also lacking, with awkward phrasing and repetitive descriptions. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointment and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 1 star - "Keith overwhelmed blue magic" was a complete mess. The plot was all over the place, jumping from one random event to another without any logical progression. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, with characters spouting off cliched lines. The pacing was also incredibly slow, making it a struggle to get through each chapter. I'm sorry to say, but this book was a waste of time and not worth reading.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I really wanted to like "Keith overwhelmed blue magic," but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The writing seemed amateurish and filled with grammatical errors. The world-building was confusing and poorly explained, leaving me with more questions than answers. The main character lacked depth and seemed to make inconsistent decisions throughout the story. Overall, this book felt underdeveloped and left me unsatisfied as a reader.
4. Jason - 1 star - "Keith overwhelmed blue magic" was a complete letdown. The plot was predictable and filled with cliches. The author attempted to introduce complex concepts, but they were poorly executed and left me feeling confused. The dialogue was wooden and lacked any natural flow. The pacing was also incredibly slow, making it a tedious read. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating fantasy read.