Shadow (from Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley)
“ I like that about art, that what you see is sometimesmore about who you are
than what’s on the wall. I look at this painting and think about how
everyone has some secret inside, something sleeping like that yellow bird.”
What do we know about Shadow?
His real name is Ed and he is what I would call a night-artist, the one that leaves his marks on the walls and makes you wonder what’s his story.
Pros:
#1: He can see the world in a better light and he shows it to us through his paintings:
“ I was nothing inside but light and color.”#2: For him, art is a state of mind:
“I spray the sky fast. Eyes ahead and behind.
Looking for cops. Looking for anyone I don’t want to be here.
Paint sails and the things that kick in my head scream from can to brick.
See this, see this.
See me emptied onto a wall.”
“Her words are paintings, and I’m painting them on the wall in my head as she talks”#3: He has messy hair, but who doesn’t these days in YA stories?
“I liked that he had hair that was growing without a plan. A grin that came out of nowhere and left the same way.”#4: He makes girls dream about him:
- as Shadow:
“I imagine what shadow looks like: paint spattered clothes, a face that’s got a million ideas running underneath it” [about Shadow]
- as Ed:
“Every time he looked at me I felt like I’d touched my tongue to the tip of a battery.[…] I had nothing in common with a sheddy like him, but a girl doesn’t think straight when she’s that close to electrocution.”[about Ed]#5: He’s so cute when he’s in love:
“She’s still smiling like she’s thinking something you want to hear”#6: Now seriously, wouldn’t you want to see him driving a pink love van?
“Tell me this isn’t the getaway van.”
“Don’t worry. It’s better than it looks.”
“It looks like a pink van with Free Love written on the side in huge letters”
Cons:#1:He has some troubles with written words, that’s why he chooses to speak through his art.
“ Art like that doesn’t need words”#2: He is known for ruining big time the first date with the girl he loves, but we can definitely give him a second chance, right?
“You say pretty much whatever’s in your head, don’t?
It’s better than saying nothing, which is what you said on our date.”
“ You grabbed my arse. [Lucy] You broke my nose. [Ed]”
So, why Joseph Gordon-Levitt?
- I like his goofy attitude
- He has that troubled kind of look
- He reminds me of Heath Ledger who would have been my first Shadow boyfriend choice.
See all my Book Boyfriends here!
Happy midnight dreams, girls!
Oh shadow/Ed is so lovely, this is one of my favourite books mainly because of him.
Those quotes are making me remember how much i love Ed, i may need to do a re-read!
I liked him too.
These days I look with different eyes at the graffiti-walls, trying to find some hidden messages, but I usually end up by sadly realizing that they are only scribbles, and the people that did those drawings are not Shadow, LOL
I love the way you’ve listed the pros and cons. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Graffiti Moon, I can’t wait to read it. JGL seems like the perfect pick for Shadow, he’s so adorable!
Thank you, I’m glad you like the pro/cons thingy – it’s my way of bringing something new to my book boyfriends.
As for Graffiti Moon, it’s a lovely read, I’m sure you’re gonna like it as well 🙂
I am in love with Joseph! I haven’t heard of this, but I am checking it out. Like Belle, I really liked how you listed pros and cons with relevant quotes. Awesome way to do My Book Boyfriend! Check out mine: http://feministfairytalereviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-book-boyfriend-11-elder.html
I like Joseph too and I think he fits the character.
When you decide to read Graffiti Moon let me know, I am looking forward to seeing what you think of it 😉
I’m a huge fangirl of Joseph Gordon-Levitt! I just watched 50/50 and I swooned and cried the whole time. He’s a great choice for Shadow. I have this book sitting on my shelves at home, I just need to get to it.
Love the way you set up your MBB post! Thanks.
I still have to see 50/50 because I still don’t feel like wanting to cry and I’m sure it will make me, but I liked Joseph in some other movies. As for Graffiti Moon – it’s not really the story that will get to your heart (which is sweet and cute nevertheless) but the writing which I loved to pieces. I really hope that you’ll like it too 🙂
I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Always have. I have this book on my Kindle. Can’t wait to jump into it! YUM YUM!
Jen
http://intheclosetbibliophile.blogspot.com
Enjoy it! I bet you’ll love it 😉
WOW! I love JGL…he is so cute! I haven’t even heard of this book, but I’m pretty much about to go download it immediately…Thanks for the post! I love it!
The book is amazing, or so I think – I loved it a lot, it’s one of the best reads in 2011. I hope you’ll enjoy it as well.
Happy reading and let me know how you like it! 😉
This post is amazing.
And yes!
I love Shadow so much.. I love this quote:
“I liked that he had hair that was growing without a plan. A grin that came out of nowhere and left the same way.”
You’ve made me want to reread this book again and have another crazy adventure 🙂
I love the writing and I have so many favorite quotes that I can’t decide to only one.
I loved how Ed described his artwork (as well as Lucy) – they were both really passionate and talented and sometime I felt like I could really see their work.
Every time I pass a glass shop or a graffiti wall I think about them. This is the beauty of this book.. it stays with you long after you’ve finished reading it.
This post is fabulous!! I absolutely love it!! I love how you have pro’s and con’s as well 🙂 Very unique. The actor is just far too cute for words though, lol 🙂
My Book Boyfriend was a little late being posted, so if you have time check mine out 🙂
Thanks.. I love all my book boyfriends with the good AND the bad, LOL
I love it! I loved Ed too!! And I thought that guy was Heath Ledger :S haha. Is he the guy from Snowtown??
I don’t think so.. I looked on his IMDB page and nope, that movie is not there. He played with Ledger in “10 things I hate about you”, but he was such a kid back then. The last movies I’ve seen with him were “Inception” and “(500) Days of Summer”. Only in pictures he resembles Ledger though.
And BTW, I loved Ed too ;))
I gasped when I saw Shadow on your list of Book Boyfriends! I need a physical copy of this book when it comes out!
I know, I want one as well! This is one of my (very) favorite books, and Shadow/Ed was amazingly cute 😀