Why I chose this book? I chose this book because it sounded really interesting and weird and I am weird. My professor recommended it so I thought I would give it a try. Summary- This is a graphic novel about Jeffery Dahmer and what his life was like in high school. Review- I really enjoyed this book. I would have given it a better rating but it seemed almost creepy to give it more than 3 stars. But it was so interesting to read this take on this man before he became a killer. I couldn't believe all the signs that he showed and how he seemed to want to be good and that not one adult did anything about it. This is a very creepy weird book and it is kind of sickening but I think it is a really eye opening book that people should read. Warnings- There is violence to animals and a human at the end of this. I can't remember if there was any language but it wasn't anything too overwhelming. There are some disturbing sexual fantasies from the character. My Friend Dahmer is a chilling memoir about how society may not necessarily create serial killers, but does contribute to them thriving and starting on that path. The author was actually a high school classmate of Jeffrey Dahmer, one of the worst serial killers in the history of the USA.The account is limited to the time Backderf actually knew Dahmer, ending right after he commits his first murder. Dahmer would go on to keep killing for over a decade after that, but what we get so see is how a troubled teenager can become a monster. In the end, it's hard to tell how much of it was nature and how much was nurture, but it's clear that, if it ever came down to the latter, Dahmer never stood a chance.The main point of the book seems to be "where were all the adults?", which is something the author even says himself at one point. It is a very good question, since the negligence from everyone in a position in power seems to have been blatant. However, I think the author is a bit too easy on himself and his friends, who, he makes sure of letting us know, were friends with Dahmer only at school, and saw him more as a mascot than a real person. Backderf seems to understand how isolation and lack of friends could affect someone who's already troubled, but never tries to image what could have happened if he and his friends had reached out to Dahmer. He does write briefly about how they were teenagers and that just wasn't done in the '70s, but the book was not written by teenage Backderf in the '70s. I would have expected a bit more self-awareness in this case, as it is problematic to say "society has its share of blame in this", only to later add "you know, except for me and my friends". But then, I have never found out someone close to me to be a serial killer.Derf Backderf is an accomplished cartoonist, who developed his style doing comic strips. That said, I don't think the style he uses in My Friend Dahmer matches the story's mood very well. I would have preferred to see a more realistic or at least darkly expressionistic style. Still, he does a good job of telling the story, which has a great sense of pacing and storytelling.My Friend Dahmer may have its flaws, but it's still an incredibly rare account of a serial killer by someone who knew him as closely as possible, made even rarer by its sincerity and the fact that it is told in comic book form. The issues it raises are perhaps more relevant than ever today, so I thoroughly recommend reading it.
What do You think about Mon Ami Dahmer (2012)?
Well that was creepy, not sure I liked it but it was interesting and disturbing.
—Bednar01
Interesting side of Dahmer shown that wasn't present in the media pretty creepy
—RuthieJJ
Deep insight into the town and culture that created a serial killer.
—hhh
Terrifying, gripping and incredibly powerful.
—zamghozy
