From the Bookshelf of Mineola Library's 2012 FALL Reading Challenge…

Greendale

Joshua Dysart,

Cliff Chiang (Illustrator)

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Aug 29, 2010 Suzanne Moore rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult-graphic-novels, ecofiction

I think I'm partial to Neil Young, because something about his voice reminds me of my dad. He does have some classics that I love too ... "Heart of Gold” and "Cinnamon Girl." Prior to reading this graphic novel, I watched the rock movie "Greendale." I feel in love with the 'rebel' main character Sun Green. She was strong-minded and an activist. She loved her family, and she was very beautiful. Throughout the movie a chorus reoccurred "Be the Rain." The movie flashed between story scenes and live I think I'm partial to Neil Young, because something about his voice reminds me of my dad. He does have some classics that I love too ... "Heart of Gold” and "Cinnamon Girl." Prior to reading this graphic novel, I watched the rock movie "Greendale." I feel in love with the 'rebel' main character Sun Green. She was strong-minded and an activist. She loved her family, and she was very beautiful. Throughout the movie a chorus reoccurred "Be the Rain." The movie flashed between story scenes and live band performances. Sun Green was seen walking the stage in front of the band wearing combat boots, and camo; shouting the phrase “Be the Rain” into a megaphone, all in sync with the music. It was awesome! I really enjoyed the music although had some trouble following the storyline in the musical. I couldn’t really explain what the phrase had to do with the story, until after I read the graphic novel version.
I have to say this is the first graphic novel I’ve ever read completely through. I might skim through one from time to time, but this one I actually read and really enjoyed. Maybe having seen the movie helped. Nevertheless, the novel cleared things up for me. The novel is set in the fictional town of Greendale, California and takes place in 2003 at the start of the Iraq War. There are environmental concerns over a local power plant that may have been the cause of mysterious deaths over the past years. And Sun Green is bothered by these things as she wonders about the infant death of her twin sister Luna, and the disappearance of her aunt Sea. Her father is hallucinating and painting pictures of an evil character that she is also dreaming about. Her cousin has been arrested after fatally shooting a police officer during an arrest for drug possession. Her grandfather who is affected with Alzheimer’s dies of a heart attack when the media storms the property after her cousin’s arrest. All this pressure mixed with the news of war, that seems to be playing in the background on the TV in every scene, inspires Sun to do something radical. Her great-grandma Mahalia tells her to “Be the rain.” Following this reference she mumbles something about how the rain is the only thing that can wash the sh*t away. Maybe she was speaking figuratively, but the phrase becomes Sun’s mantra and seemed to say: be the rain and start over fresh… stop the war, stop the pollution, stop the hate … be like the rain (my interpretation) Sun chains herself to a huge eagle statue in front of the power plant and shouts through a megaphone to spread her message. She makes national news raising awareness of environmental issues and demonstrating her protest of the war.
Great story! I enjoyed the comic illustrations, and thought that several of the male characters had a touch of Neal Young in the facial expressions. But the Devilish character ... he sort of reminded me of Jack Nicholson.
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