Reviews

Look Straight Ahead by Elaine M. Will

aemac27's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

evanmc's review

3.0

At first, this was a tough graphic novel for me to get into. The beginning of the story was jarring and disjointed. The worst parts about Elaine Will's art style were front and center: weak expressions on the characters, and an inability to really draw eyes. But as the story progressed, I was drawn in. The battle between real, unreal, subconscious, and mind against mind was fascinating and overall led to an enjoyable read. The ending tied things up a bit too neatly for my tastes, especially a recovery from mental illness going so smoothly. My favorite part was how well Will portrayed Jeremy's inner struggle, and how fantastic she was at illustrating mental imagery and the fantastical images that were inside Jeremy's brain. A solid debut, enough to give me hope that Elaine Will continues to create and find her voice. I look forward to more.

drdena's review

5.0

Loved it!
Fast-paced story with incredibly emotive and immersive illustrations.

caarolparker's review

3.0

I really like when graphic novels can show how mental illness is different for everyone.

usernameinvalid's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

olijba's review

5.0

Quite simply, Look Straight Ahead is essentially reading for those with mental health issues, or those who know someone who has. By telling Jeremy Knowles' story in graphic novel form, you really get an insight into the mind of someone with mental health issues, and how they struggle to deal with the bad, but also how they overcome it as well. Inspiring, beautifully drawn, and wonderfully told, this will take pride of place in my book collection, as well as helping me through a few things of my own.