The Chuckling Whatsit - Review

Author: Richard Sala

Genre: Graphic Novel

Format: Hardback

Pages: 199

When this came across my library dash it said it was a Noir style story with a touch of Edward Gorey, or something to that affect. Basically I saw they words: noir and Edward Gorey, and was that enough for me. Just from the title I knew this was going to be a weird one even before Gorey's name was dropped. But, I like weird little stories, so here we are. 

This was okay. It took me longer to read than most graphic novels do because I kept setting it down. Never once really connecting to any of the characters in the story. It also didn't help that the story jumps around lot with very little warning. You'll go from one small plot to another because about three different stories are happening at the same time, but you don't realize that until near the end of the book.  

So I'd get to a point where I'd be flipped around because one story would just drop off and another would be start up, and I would have no idea how I go from one to point to the next. This probably wasn't really a problem in the original format of the story when it was being read piece-by-piece. It doesn't however make it hard to read all bound together. 

I will say the base plot of this story with the dolls themselves was really cool, and my favorite part of the whole thing. It's a classic gothic tale and the reason I didn't DNF this book halfway through. Because I really wanted to know who the Ghoul was and how it all connects together. The entire side plat with G.A.S.H. was my least favorite part, and really just made the whole thing messy. I understood with the author was trying to do. I felt the Dick Tracey vibes they were going for.

However, I personally could have done without. In fact, I would have loved to have skipped over G.A.S.H. so we could have gotten more about what I assume the head the bag. Like for example, where did the living dead dude take the creepy laughing doll? How did the original Ghoul get the doll? All things I'd have rather found out the whatever happened with G.A.S.H. I honestly don't remember.

I will say I did enjoy the pencil sketch artwork. I thought it was beautiful, and worked really well with the story. The entire thing is done in black and white, which was perfect for the noir genre. And that part lived up to the Edward Gorey callout. There are tons of little details, and the details that aren't there are just as important as the ones that are.

So yeah, this was just okay. I liked a good chunk of it, glad I picked it up from the library. 

HAPPY READING!!