#these days I'm drawn to books based on art style first and plot second

[penofwildfire]

You used to finish multiple books a day as a kid but now you have no reading stamina n it takes months to finish 1 book

Hrghhggh not too far off, really more accurately it takes me like a few hours to finish any given book but ONLY if I have the motivation to pick it up in the first place. Which. Does not happen often.

[nickywhoisi]

And then the second I checked out was Stop, Train, Stop! Another "based on" so it may be that I will officially get to read his work once the Railway series book comes in. I have it held. I'm real tired and I dunno how this works.

Now let me tell you, Owain's art is...ehh passable to gonky, it could make for some meme material.

Really, it's not BAD, I just think they aren't so good at depicting people and they end up shaky-looking. Clearly their strength is in angular buildings and scenery, because those look quite crisp and clean.

And Thomas seems to be drawn the cleanest, being comprised of so many nonhuman, angular shapes. He looks really glossy, and I like it! All the trains should have this kind of shine to them! He got dat lip gloss today honey

And look at what I mean by meme worthy. He makes the same expression, up until THIS one. That is the face of a being of chaos  just like y'all said. His dialogue on the same page "I am tired of making stops. I am going to go from the start of the line to the end of the line without stopping." Like HE KNOWS, HE KNOWS THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AS A TRAIN, BUT HE DOES IT ANYWAY BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE FREE FROM THE CONFINES OF THE RAILWAY SERVITUDE. HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS THAT THE PASSENGERS ALL HAVE TO PAY FOR. HE IS GOING TO GET FIRED FROM HIS JOB WITH STYLE. I bet this would chronologically be his "earlier days on the job" where he is not humbled yet and likes to see how much he can get away with until getting in trouble with Hatt.

Here's another great meme image, without any context.

Yeah uh it could also be you feel sad that LITERALLY EVERYONE IS MAD AT YOU FOR SHITTING ALL OVER THE SCHEDULE even Topham is just...god...look at that smile. It either says "yeah I know he should be severely reprimanded for this, but he has main character plot armour so you're not getting to see justice fuck u" or "god almighty kill me now, I know he deserves punishment for this, but he's got main character plot armour so I can't do nothin, please help end my sufferin"

So that was a silly little story, but made better just by a bit by the art, which is unintentionally funny. And I really do like the colouring of everything, the overall "style". It's bright, yet soft, just as a kids book from the 90's should be. The screech! sound effect is depicted in the coolest way, and in a way that feels...familiar to me. Instantly recognizeable. It's so nostalgic to me, even as I saw it for the first time. It's a piece of the time I will eternally cherish.

Another thing I will eternally cherish are these quality Thom faces. :D