Greetings,
I'm on a bit of a kick after having reviewed a book that was a bit unique, a little less wordy and a little more artsy, the other day. So, I thought, why not talk about another one of those? One that's much more cohesive and actually does tell a story, though it tells that story in a very interesting way. And the book is called Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral.
I had no idea that this book even existed, until I came across it whilst I was browsing in the book section of a store that also sells other things. Because I live in an awful place that has no bookstores. No, I'm not kidding. Anyway, I noticed it because it was much larger than the other books, and I could tell just by looking that this was probably not going to be a typical read. I was right, and I was glad.
Chopsticks tells the story of Glory, a young piano prodigy, who finds solace in her music when her mother dies. But it is her father who taught her to set her goals very high, as he wants her playing to huge crowds around the world. Though Glory is extraordinarily gifted, she is also very lonesome. She begins to seek solace with, Frank, the boy next door (oh, really?!) who is also artistic, but in a different way. As time goes on, it remains to be seen whether or not Glory's relationship with Frank will help her or harm her, both concerning her music and her life.
Okay, so this is obviously one of those classic "boy meets girl" stories, right? Maybe a little, but if you think you're going to open this book only to be face to face with the black and white vision of words on a page, you would be wrong. Interestingly enough, this story is told mostly in pictures, all kinds of pictures. Yes, there is some reading material in it, but it's pictures of notes and text messages and articles and all sorts of things that just give clues as to what is going on and pushing the "narrative" forward. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this method, but after I made my way through it, I realized that this was almost something of an interactive book. At least, that's how I saw it, and after reading the reviews of others, I don't think I'm exactly alone.
Turns out that different people had different interpretations of what was actually happening in the book. Was only Glory a real person and making up Frank? Was only Frank a real person and making up Glory? Was there a third party observing their lives from the outside? It could probably be any of these things, depending on how you see it. And since this is so open to interpretation, apparently, I have a suggestion for it to be even more fulfilling to those who get their hands on it. If I may be so bold as to say, this book might actually be a good tool for a writer who is experiencing the dread of being blocked but doesn't want to stop working every day. You know, if you don't use it, you lose it and whatnot. Hear me out.
Obviously, there is not traditional writing in this book, but would it be a bad idea to get your daily practice by making that up yourself? I don't think it would be any different from those books full of pictures that are specifically designed to prompt writers to write, except USE THIS FOR PRACTICE ONLY!! Don't be going and stealing other people's stories. But it's a thought. And as a writer, there are few things I enjoy more than being able to inspire other writers. Maybe these authors feel the same way. Again, though, say "NO" to plagiarism! I cannot stress this enough.
Bottom line, I found Chopsticks to be quite a unique experience, and I love when people find a way to create something special. It's overwhelming how images can evoke emotions and tell a tale just as easily and as well as words can do. Don't get me wrong, words rule and all. But if someone can combine the two to share a story, I'm all for it. So, many hats off to Anthony and Corral on a job extremely well done. I hope they have more to come.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
