Manchen Kleidern liegt ein Zauber inne. Sei es nur deshalb, weil sie in der aktuellen Saison als ‚das‘ Kleid gehandelt werden. Nichts ist so charmant wie das kleine Schwarze, das bei jeder Frau für alle Fälle im Kleiderschrank hängt. Wenn sie keines hat, dann findet es sich bestimmt bei Bloomingdale’s.

„Ein Kleid von Bloomingdale’s“ ist ein bezauberndes Märchen mitten aus dem New Yorker Alltag gegriffen. Dieses ganz besondere Kleid ist nicht nur das Kleid der Saison, sondern geht durch viele Hände und wird von etlichen Damen getragen.

In kurzen knackigen Kapiteln wechseln sich die Stationen des Kleides ab. Manch eine Trägerin schmachtet schon jahrzehntelang dem Chef hinterher. Die andere ist ein halbwüchsiges Model, das sich fragt, warum es nicht auf der Farm der Eltern geblieben ist. Es sind Ehefrauen, solche die es werden wollen, und manche, die diesen Zustand tunlichst vermeiden möchten. Aber eines haben sie allesamt gemeinsam: das kleine Schwarze von Bloomingdale’s sieht einfach an jeder Frau gut aus.

Dabei flattert das Kleid selbst wie ein verzauberter Schmetterling durch vieler Menschen Leben und bringt neben formvollendeten Stil viel Freude mit. 

Ich hätte mir nicht gedacht, dass mir diese kurzweilige Geschichte so gut gefällt, weil ich eher mit einer sehr oberflächlichen Lektüre gerechnet habe. Immerhin geht es um ein Kleid! Doch auf den zweiten Blick merkt man, wie viel in einem Kleid manchmal steckt und wofür es eigentlich stehen kann:

„Niemand macht sich die Mühe wochenlang den perfekten Pullover oder die perfekte Bluse zu suchen, aber die Suche nach dem perfekten Kleid kann eine Frau durch sämtliche Kaufhäuser und Boutiquen Manhattans führen“ (S. 239)

Zwar strotzt es nicht gerade vor Tiefsinn, doch bringt es schöne Lesestunden in stilvollendeter Eleganz ins Bücherregal. Es geht hier nicht einfach um ein Kleid, sondern dieses Kleid steht stellvertretend für ein Lebens- und Selbstwertgefühl, das man sich von Zeit zu Zeit schon einmal gönnen darf. 

„… nicht ihre schlecht sitzenden Schuhe haben Aschenputtel genügend Selbstbewusstsein verliehen, um zum Ball zu gehen, sondern das Kleid. Das Kleid hat sie zu einer Prinzessin gemacht!“ (S. 239)

Ich finde es wunderbar mit wie viel Charme und Esprit Jane L. Rosen ihren Figuren auf die Sprünge hilft. Dabei reicht sie dieses exklusive Kleid als Hilfestellung rum und entreisst es ihnen  genauso rasch wieder. Richtig hinreissend ist, dass man wie eine Feder vom Wind getragen von Schicksal zu Schicksal schwebt, und schaut, was sich im Leben der nächsten potentiellen Trägerin zuträgt.

Hingegen darf man sich vom federleichten Schreibstil der Autorin nicht täuschen lassen, weil sie es - wie die Verkäufer bei Bloomingdale’s - faustdick hinter den Ohren hat.

„Ein Kleid von Bloomingdale’s“ ist eine bezaubernde Zwischendurchlektüre, die mit Charme und Stil - und einem verschwörerischem Augenzwinkern - märchenhaft überzeugen kann.

Well now, this was delightful! Although I expected Fantasy, I don't think I was quite expecting what Kings and Canvas has to offer. Which, in all honesty, is because I didn't really read the synopsis. I'm glad I didn't! It made this a much more enjoyable experience, because I had no idea what was coming. Boxing with dragons? You have my attention.

First off, I have to praise the illustrations in this graphic novel. Jake Allen does an utterly brilliant job of bringing this world filled with brave knights, bad men, and evil dragons to life. His panels evoked a nostalgia in me, for the days when my imagination was still young enough to dream up fairy tale worlds. I loved the bright colors, contrasted with the thick outlines. All of it just added up to an amazing compliment to the story itself.

Which, by the way, is equally as brilliant. The story here revolves around Mammoth who, despite his rugged outward appearance, is actually a rather likable fellow. He tells the story of a brave man, who bested a dragon and won his true love. Whether that person is actually Mammoth or not remains to be seen, but I loved the nostalgic, fairy tale quality in which that part of the story is told. Especially because, he didn't best the dragon just with brute strength. It's much better, and much more colorful, than that.

The ending of this particular issue had me begging for more! Luckily I have the next queued up, and I can already see myself buying all the remaining available issues. This is great! I love Fantasy, but this is even better because it's something completely different. Bravo!

And it's not that I don't like this series: I do, a lot.   Kleid has got a great main character, and some pretty phenomenal side characters.   I kinda love how boxing dominates this world, but the 'domination' is a bit of a problem.

There's so many panels and storylines that focus on boxing that I'm like, 'okay, move the plot along.'   It should be noted that I actually do care about the plot: the vague 'her', the need for Mammoth's backstory to be cleared up, what his two apprentices hope to learn from him since Nik calls him drunk and points out he loses a lot...

The point is even when I don't understand some things, I care.   I really, really do, which is why I wanted less boxing at this point and more of the story being moved forward.   Same fabulous writing, same amazing art, it just needs to move at a faster clip for me right now. 

Hopefully next issue?   These issues are only a buck a piece, and it's still a steal at that price.   I'm looking forward to the next issue, as the last panel was a bit of a shocking twist, and promises to move the plot along in issue four.  Hopefully that'll bump next issue back up to a four - or higher - rating.

I get distracted by things like massive Transformers rereads, depression, suicidal thoughts, trying to get my studio cleaned up, other books.   Lots of things.   Sometimes I think it's a miracle I finish certain books at all.   Any books.  

This was one that I loved but fell by the wayside.  I'm still loving it, despite the fact that it's got furries with no explanation - because adorable - which wouldn't be such a huge problem if the use of magic and the magical setup was explained at all.   

I'm a little frustrated with the fact that the use of magic dropped out completely, especially since I'd been hoping that the use of magic would be explained; it was one of the reasons I continued with this series.  I will continue because I like the writing, the characters, and the general plot.   I will continue with one caveat: at some point, I expect the world - the magic, even if it isn't used anymore - to be explained.   In fact, if people are not using magic anymore for reasons, I expect those reasons to be explained, and preferably explored.   (Fear of magic by rulers?   Did the magic go away, possibly with the dragons?   What happened, world?   What?)

Still, this is early in the series, and I'm not ready to give up on the series as of yet.   I am liking enough to overlook this - for now.   I am still heavy with expectations, and I'm starting to get impatient.  Every time I finish, I realize that while reading?   I didn't care.   Only when I stop to think about it do I wonder.   That's fine and well when I'm reading, but the impatience and annoyance are slowly starting to build up with each issue.  I don't see it being a major problem for a while yet, as Kleid does his fancy little magic tricks, charming and beguiling me with this world and the the artist does the same with his art.   

Bravo, gentlemen.   It's a good, temporary tactic, but makes me wonder that Kleid is putting this off as he puts the world together.   A writing teacher once told me you need to know everything about your characters and world, even if you don't use it.   I'm not sure I buy into the you need to know everything, but I do think you need to know the essentials like how magic works in a world that uses magic.   I've seen writers in college trying to cover up what they don't know with bedazzling tactics - look at the prose and characters, and I don't need to know! - but it tends to not work out well in the end, when they finally have to pull everything together, at least in my experience.   It hasn't worked when I tried that tactic early on in my writing journeys.   (Shame on you, pre-adolescent self.   Shame, shame!   And maybe once or twice overworked, over-tired college student self.)

So, yes, this worries me.   I'm still really scrabbling to hold onto the hope that this will work out well in the end, or that Kleid will surprise me by knowing and just tricking me into thinking he didn't.  Yes, please, let this be the case.