The Mysteries by Bill Watterson and John Kascht

The good news is it's a quick read, so my time wasn't wasted. I don't mind disliking an entire book I read in under ten minutes.

And maybe that was my problem. I suspect people were more suppose to stare and be amazed at the illustrations, and have this be a huge immersive experience to pour over, and not simply be a page turner. I understand this in my head and heart, and still quickly turned page after page. Why?

Because the art is freaking UGLY. It's unappealing. I have spent hours marveling over some of Watterson's more intricate Calvin & Hobbes splash panels because they are colorful and beautiful. The monochrome grotesqueries here have me flipping the pages FAST in revulsion instead of savoring the art. I have NO clue what this book's reception was. As far as I know, I could be the only person who does not "get" and love this book, and that fact could make me look foolish. But I'm not gonna look up reviews for it online beforehand and twist my opinions to more closely match them. I'm gonna be honest about what I thought, whether it makes me look uncultured and foolish or not. And it actually might. I didn't dig it. 2 stars.