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lsparrow's review
2.0
although i liked the storytelling and the many characters I just found it too hard to connect to in any real way. perhaps I wanted more details or more emotions.
meggarg's review
3.0
I got this book through the giveaways section of Goodreads. Overall, I liked the book. It was blunt, sometimes comical, and quite an interesting memoir. I liked the way she told little stories about each guy she had liked or dated or.... The illustrations were good too. However, I thought the ending was kind of anti-climatic. I expected something somewhat big to happen in the end and I never got that. I felt like it was abruptly over. It only took me a day to read too. It's an easy read. I do recommend the book because it's unusual and isn't your normal coming of age story.
saidtheraina's review
5.0
This is the standout among a weekend of eight different comic books. It kept me up till 2am and I could. not. put it down. MariNaomi chronicles every romantic encounter ages 0-22 and boy, did she have a lot more experiences than I did.
I found this particularly fascinating to read shortly after reading [b:Paying for It|10108380|Paying for It|Chester Brown|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317067463s/10108380.jpg|15005677]. Both are presented as nonfictional, exhaustive accounts of a particular period in the romantic (aka) sexual exploits of the author. Beyond that, wow, the differences. Someone should write a paper compare/contrasting these two books. The illustration styles are wildly different, the other is presented as an argument for a particular point of view, while this is more emotional and memoiric. And more and more. I did not stay up till 2am reading that other one.
MariNaomi's art looks like woodcuts, though I can't find verification that they are anywhere. Angular, black and white, usually less realistic than the illustration featured on this cover. She does a really amazing job of layering in visual metaphor, to the point where I forgot that she used it at all until I flipped through the book again preparing to write this.
This book left me wanting more. More about her childhood prior to beginning her relevant experiences. More about her familial relationships with her parents and sister (the Prologue tells a short version of how her parents met, which would be scandalous in some views). More about the role her cultural heritage played in her life. More focused information on her drug use, her runaway experiences, what happened after 22... The list goes on and on. And you know what they say about a story that makes you want more.
Kick. Ass.
I found this particularly fascinating to read shortly after reading [b:Paying for It|10108380|Paying for It|Chester Brown|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1317067463s/10108380.jpg|15005677]. Both are presented as nonfictional, exhaustive accounts of a particular period in the romantic (aka) sexual exploits of the author. Beyond that, wow, the differences. Someone should write a paper compare/contrasting these two books. The illustration styles are wildly different, the other is presented as an argument for a particular point of view, while this is more emotional and memoiric. And more and more. I did not stay up till 2am reading that other one.
MariNaomi's art looks like woodcuts, though I can't find verification that they are anywhere. Angular, black and white, usually less realistic than the illustration featured on this cover. She does a really amazing job of layering in visual metaphor, to the point where I forgot that she used it at all until I flipped through the book again preparing to write this.
This book left me wanting more. More about her childhood prior to beginning her relevant experiences. More about her familial relationships with her parents and sister (the Prologue tells a short version of how her parents met, which would be scandalous in some views). More about the role her cultural heritage played in her life. More focused information on her drug use, her runaway experiences, what happened after 22... The list goes on and on. And you know what they say about a story that makes you want more.
Kick. Ass.
mvanhoeck's review
3.0
1) a little more "tell" than I was interested in, and 2) making a mental note to keep a close eye on my kid when he becomes a teenager.
hyebitshines's review
4.0
Hee, this was just such an original concept- chronicling your love life, whoo- made even better by just how entangled and wild of a love life (or life in general) MariNaomi's led. Starting from the ambiguous kisses on cheeks and crushes of elementary school to the more awkward snarls of firsts, to first loves and the ones that got away, and to loves gone hilariously, sometimes not-so-hilariously, sour. It's an entertaining read that gently shows you that life and love is a stumbling, clumsy attempt at finding ourselves no matter how bad we might mess up (and it makes for great stories in the future OvO~)
Fin.
Fin.
kricketa's review
3.0
love, love, LOVE marinaomi's artwork.
found the story a bit heartbreaking...so many men, a lot of them assholes, so many drugs, so much confusion. just kind of sad.
found the story a bit heartbreaking...so many men, a lot of them assholes, so many drugs, so much confusion. just kind of sad.
maggietokudahall's review
5.0
I love this book. It's rare to feel such a closeness with an author, even in memoir, and MariNaomi does a gorgeous job of not only letting us in, but letting us grow with her. Reading it now was hugely cathartic, but I can't help but imagine how seen and validated and appreciated I would have felt reading this as a slutty 22 year old. More slutty memoirs please, long live sluts. We don't get enough credit.
chelseamartinez's review
4.0
Makes growing up in the Bay Area (not the 21st century one tho) seem awesome. Much more than a romantic resume. I like how the relationships are layered and overlap each other. When I realized I had only gotten to the age 17-18 chapter I was startled by how much had already happened. Would love to read more from this author about her and her sister.
silodear's review
3.0
Won this in a goodreads giveaway... It looks good!
Turned out this book was just okay. An interesting jaunt into the relationship "resume" of the author. I enjoyed the illustrations and was fairly entertained by the stories (they were gossipy and snarky and sometimes vulnerable). But I really wanted this book to be deeper and more complicated. I wanted insight and philosophy and commentary about the nature of people and the complexity of relationships.
It was a light and easy read, if not the most engaging and exciting story.
Turned out this book was just okay. An interesting jaunt into the relationship "resume" of the author. I enjoyed the illustrations and was fairly entertained by the stories (they were gossipy and snarky and sometimes vulnerable). But I really wanted this book to be deeper and more complicated. I wanted insight and philosophy and commentary about the nature of people and the complexity of relationships.
It was a light and easy read, if not the most engaging and exciting story.
cheerssteph's review
3.0
I liked this one! Super quick read for a comic-well paced and drawn. I got a little confused at times with the order of some of the relationships that overlapped; but I don't think it could have been done in a clearer way with out changing the layout. :)