I can understand why people find this graphic novel slow, uninteresting, and only a one or two-rating. However, I can support my five-rating thinking the above as well. Memories from Limon is not an easy read. Not that it is a difficult subject or has something “rough” to it (such as violence, sex, or such), but the personal nature of the tone, the pacing and the illustrations are meant to be taken slowly. There is mention/showing of the grandfathers drinking, and mention of his infidelity, but all is tastefully done. Edo Brenes might not be doing a memoir, but there is a piece of themselves, and their own family, included on these pages.
This is not a “Comic Graphic Novel” (Marvel/DC). This is not a Graphic Novel that will teach a deeper meaning lesson. It is not a remake of a full novel. It is a snapshot into the narrator’s life. It is one man exploring to find himself, his family, and the past. It is organized chaos. If you have spoken to the older generation, you know this is exactly how they can be: They look at photo/film and start telling the story, which reminds them of something else, that makes you ask a question that leads off to another story. And while we are getting the story told to the narrator, the parallel world of the past is unfolding with the actual truths and hidden secrets unfolding on the page. On the illustrations, the publisher description says, “While the entire color palette is muted, there are meaningful distinctions: Ramiro’s grandparents’ and uncle’s lives are told as flashbacks from their childhoods to adulthood, using mustard, sage, and slate-gray tones; Ramiro’s interactions with his relatives use a blue-gray, pink, and white palette with the photos shown in similar but more muted colors.” This is the only way to describe them. They are both beautiful and not attractive. The speech bubble typeset changes to help you tell who is speaking. It also gives a little look into the speaker’s personality. This is an artbook first, and a story second. Both complimenting the other.
As I said, this is not an easy read. It took me several tries to start the book, it took even more to work my way through. A lot is going on, while nothing is going on. We are getting a piece of one person’s life. My five is for the potential of what could be for a reader (at least ages 14 and up due to concepts and not so much content). My five is because this is both a beautifully hopeful and sad story. My five is for the experience of reading it.
