Amuse-bouche:

“I’ll just tie this string on my finger so I don’t forget!”

*two hours later*

“What is this pesky string doing on my finger?”

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Today’s Wonderful Words: “lazy” and “lackadaisical.”

Synonyms that start with the same letter. 

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Remember, remember the 5^th of November. 

November 5^th is known in the UK as Guy Fawkes Night. It’s to be remembered as the day an assassination attempt – known as the Gunpowder Plot – on the king was prevented.

I’m not here to talk about Guy Fawkes Night.

If you want to know more about the Gunpowder Plot and the 5^th of November, read the poem below.

I’m here to talk about V for Vendetta.

I’ve read one graphic novel in my lifetime, and it’s this one.

While I’ve not read any other comics from start to finish, I must say it’s hard to imagine that any top this one. Alan Moore’s storytelling is absurdly good. David Lloyd was the perfect artist for the dystopian, post-apocalyptic setting. 

There’s action and corruption, love and hate, and brilliant dialogue in V for Vendetta. How Moore and Lloyd came up with the story of V for Vendetta is one thing. But how they mastered the execution of the story is another thing in and of itself.

The main character, V, is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve encountered in fiction. V is equal parts cunning, mysterious, and brilliant. Eloquent and speechless. Powerful and powerless. V wears a Guy Fawkes mask, hence my introduction mentioning Guy Fawkes Night and hence the timing of this post.

The reader of this dark yet stunning graphic novel, completed in 1989, is thrown into the depths of the near-future, fascist UK. By the end of the story, the curious reader is left with questions and is invited to formulate theories.

I saw the movie adaptation before I read the graphic novel. While the movie is incredible, it doesn’t reach the novel’s level (as is most often the case). Brace yourself if you decide to tackle the novel – it gets pretty intense. 

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The Poem

Remember, remember!

The fifth of November,

The Gunpowder treason and plot;

I know of no reason

Why the Gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot!

Guy Fawkes and his companions

Did the scheme contrive,

To blow the King and Parliament

All up alive.

Threescore barrels, laid below,

To prove old England’s overthrow.

But, by God’s providence, him they catch,

With a dark lantern, lighting a match!

A stick and a stake

For King James’s sake!

If you won’t give me one,

I’ll take two,

The better for me,

And the worse for you.

A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,

A penn’orth of cheese to choke him,

A pint of beer to wash it down,

And a jolly good fire to burn him.

Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!

Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!

Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

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Answer to Saturday’s riddle:

Astronomy.

Explanation: Drop the last letter of “astronomy” to make it “astronom,” which you can rearrange into “star” and “moon.”