I admit I hadn't known much about Ai Weiwei beyond a couple of his works I'd seen in museums (and as it turns out, in Beijing, if you count the Olympic stadium), so when I spotted this book, I jumped on the chance to read it. And it's an intriguing medium to learn about Ai Weiwei from: a very artfully presented story, but drawn by someone else; a true story of life, but delovered in melancholy, sonorous tones of fables and classic tales, arranged along the framing device of Chinese calendar. It lends a lot of gravity to the read: I probably liked the first few chapters, capturing conversations with his son, more than the later, more heavy ones, but they all established the atmosphere as well as facts of his life. The intrisive eye of the state, the ebb and flow of art movements, the more chamber emotions of one family - I thought they were rendered in a pretty impactful well, even if none of it was remotely linear. It was a very quick read, too -- I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of Zodiac.

5 stars

I love Ai Weiwei, and when it comes to his art, I don't think much could sway my devotion. As a result, it's not surprising that I devoured and loved this graphic novel, but I truly think I would have felt that way even if I had come into this knowing only very general, surface level info about this nearly mythical individual.

As the title suggests, the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac serve as the framing narrative for this intriguing memoir. Ai Weiwei has been very forthcoming about his opinions both in verbal and artistic representations, and all of the familiar characters pepper his memoir in the same way that they infiltrate (or infiltrated, as the case may be) his actual life. He creates a timeline of his experiences, realizations, and general life philosophy not only using the animals of the zodiac, but also incorporating heavy hitters from Chinese mythology and folk tales. Girls who turn to silkworms thanks to horses seeking fulfilled promises? Check! Sun Wukong? Check and CHECK! (Fellow monkeys will find that section as pleasing as I did; I am certain)!

A personal highlight is the description of the Alcatraz exhibit. Having gotten to see that in person a few years ago and finding it deeply affecting, I really appreciated gaining an even deeper understanding of the work and the experience.

Readers who know anything about the focal point of this work will expect outstanding art, a dash of the esoteric, a heap of ego (I'm not knocking it - it's well deserved), and an intricately and thoughtfully woven depiction of a riveting individual. Even high expectations will almost certainly be exceeded here.

The uniqueness of this final product matches what one expects for its subject.