Review: Minor Miracles
Minor Miracles takes place on Dropsie Avenue in the Bronx. This is his third volume to center around Dropsie Avenue, his others being 'A Contract with God' and (the aptly titled) 'Dropsie Avenue'. This volume is split into 4 stories of varying length. Each story details a local legend of sorts from Eisner's youth where something unlikely occurred that could be seen as miraculous. I enjoyed this volume but I failed to see what was really miraculous about the incidents related. I understand that this is sort of Eisner's point. You don't always see things as miracles unless you have the proper perspective. Do you understand the situation being related? Do you see how unlikely the occurrence? Do you see the improvement to the lives of those involved? And ultimately but more subtly do you believe in a high power's intervention? And maybe the real miracle shown in all 4 stories is that people still exist who are compassionate when they don't have to be. They're compassionate when there's nothing in it for them.
When I read To the Heart of the Storm and A Contract with God I remembering finding it to be quite touching. Both genuinely moved me for one reason or another. It’s not to say Minor Miracles wasn’t a fun read but it just didn’t affect me the same way. However, a bad Will Eisner book is head and shoulders above most of what is being published. Minor Miracles is certainly worth reading but it feels a bit more like anecdotes that just didn’t fit into any of Eisner’s other works.