Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Roaming

A realistic look at the evolution of friendships. As always the art was top tier and the storytelling was masterful. I didn't love the ending but I loved how this felt like a sequel to This One Summer.

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betweentheshelves's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love Jillian Tamaki's art, honestly. It really stands out in this book, with the color scheme and the characters and the setting. There are just some really gorgeous panels in here, drawing you into the New York scene.

But that doesn't take away from the writing! This is about how friendships might change after high school, about reconnecting and figuring out that maybe you're not sure what the future holds. The characters are all well developed, each of them growing in different ways by the end of the story. The story itself is a bit quiet, focusing more on the characters than the overall plot. But that's my favorite kind of story, honestly, and both Mariko and Jillian Tamaki excel at that.

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spark_879's review

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

i wasn't a big fan of one of the main characters (

fiona, throughout most of the book

), so i wasn't able to appreciate the story as much as i otherwise would have. that said, i think a main goal of the story was to show people having nuanced personalities and that being okay, so i understand why everyone couldn't always be my favourite character.

there were also a few times were i got a bit confused about where the characters were, mainly when they were smoking/drinking or telling stories, but again, i think that was important for the artistic representation of the story.

overall, i did appreciate reading this story, and would still recommend it to others! it just wasn't my favourite graphic novel ever but that's okay :)

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dananana's review

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emotional reflective tense

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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moondragon8's review

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emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i really liked this one!!! beautiful art, lovely story, sweet without being saccharine. i think it was the perfect time for me to read it, too, as someone in their first year of college (like the characters in the book). loved the soft pink and blue palette. felt both dreamy and very grounded.

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indeedithappens's review

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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bi_n_large's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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knkoch's review

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adventurous funny hopeful reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

I'm so happy I got to read this book this year! I saw notice of it coming out a few months ago, and had the foresight to jump in a holds queue quickly. I love the Tamakis and I'll read anything they make. They are lights that walk among us, haha.

This didn't fuck me up as much as This One Summer did emotionally, but even though it worked at a lower key, it was still deep as a slice of life piece. Both novels are written about a single vacation, and I love that they examine both the mundane and heightened qualities of trips, which take us outside our normal routine. Trips work perfectly for making a story straightforward and succinct, giving you a great starting and endpoint to compare against. Where do the characters begin at, what baggage are they bringing to the trip, and what sort of growth do they leave with? The characters in Roaming were wonderfully captured, and I loved the sense of history between two old friends contrasted with the mystery of the new girl.

I love that shared history leaves deep roots able to withstand storms, and that difficult people are always more sensitive and complex than we imagine when we're frustrated with them.

The art was lovely, as always, and the surreal elements were very well done. I know I will be tempted to own this one someday so I can look back at it again and again.

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