Scan barcode
laleha's review against another edition
5.0
"If you are older and read this book, I hope that when you see children acting out in ways that I acted out, this will help you understand that they might be in situations similar--or even worse--than what I experienced. This insight, I hope, will encourage you to try and learn their story."
2000s's review against another edition
4.25
Great graphic memoir - very heavy in many parts but hilarious in others. Joel really did the work of showing how different life events and relationships and feelings are all connected. As always I wish there was more but there was still amazing detail and depth to this one.
briface's review against another edition
5.0
This should be required reading for adults that work with kids. Remember if there's kid that's always angry and fighting there's probably a reason (or 10) behind that that you know nothing about.
agentshellfish's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
brizreading's review against another edition
5.0
As I have often said, the graphic novel memoir is a super duper saturated genre. So it takes a lot for it to be good. This one is good. VERY good. It mostly follows the author growing up in a traumatic, abusive system and family - he really doesn't get a break for the first X years of his life. As the reader, you have an enormous amount of sympathy for him, even as he projects "tough kid" attitude. This was sad, touching, but ultimately inspiring as well. Really glad I picked it up.
beththebookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
(note: I'm a middle-class white woman so much of this content is not part of my personal experience)
A powerful and intimate look at the author's life seen through the lens of the battles, physical and otherwise, he faced as a child and teen. Gill's portrayals pull no punches (unless you count the Black-stereotype face he uses in place of a white character using the N word, which happens frequently. He learned to fight, hide, and do his best to avoid fights with both neighborhood kids and with some family members. Gill's learning and maturing process is messy but progressive, bookended with a conversation with his teen son about fights.
Gill's use of color to show emotion and to differentiate characters is excellent. Occasionally I couldn't track which character was which but mostly that was easy. Art is honest about elements such as injured and dead people without being sensationalized.
This book is up for an Eisner in 2021 and justifiably so. For teens and adults.
Content warnings: Frequent violence and profanity, child abuse and neglect including a brief mention of sexual abuse.
A powerful and intimate look at the author's life seen through the lens of the battles, physical and otherwise, he faced as a child and teen. Gill's portrayals pull no punches (unless you count the Black-stereotype face he uses in place of a white character using the N word, which happens frequently. He learned to fight, hide, and do his best to avoid fights with both neighborhood kids and with some family members. Gill's learning and maturing process is messy but progressive, bookended with a conversation with his teen son about fights.
Gill's use of color to show emotion and to differentiate characters is excellent. Occasionally I couldn't track which character was which but mostly that was easy. Art is honest about elements such as injured and dead people without being sensationalized.
This book is up for an Eisner in 2021 and justifiably so. For teens and adults.
Content warnings: Frequent violence and profanity, child abuse and neglect including a brief mention of sexual abuse.
sunflowerjess's review against another edition
5.0
"Understand someone's story. It will make things better." - Joel Christian Gill
This book was searing and heartwrenching and hopeful and incredible.
This book was searing and heartwrenching and hopeful and incredible.
whatsallireading's review against another edition
4.0
heartbreaking... but in a life lesson sort of way.