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twingscb's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
meganknifty's review
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really don't have much to say about this read, unfortunately. I had so much higher hopes with it being a queer story for friends in their 30s and navigating the hardships of life together. In reality, they were friends for about 25% of the book before being in constant fights with each other and blowing each other off for their own messy dramas. These characters were so, so messy, and not even in an entertaining way. I really didn't care for any of them, they were all horrible in their own way. They all need therapy. The pacing was all over the place in this book, and the ending came so abruptly.
lbarsk's review
4.0
Oofa dora, Mimosa is a very realistic portrait of the way friend groups, especially queer friend groups, are bonded together so quickly by shared identities and shared traumas and outsider-kinships… and yet those friend groups do take maturity and open communication in order to stay together.
Archie Bongiovanni does a GREAT job both gently ribbing and also lovingly portraying what queer communities in 2023 are like, with their bizarre parties and their brunches and their harried coffees and their too-close dating scenes. Three of the four characters are given ample screen time to work out their issues, though it is interesting to me that the one friend who does seem to create drama isn’t given a lot of space on the page.
I do wish that a bit more time had been spent on the period of time *between* 1) the friends realizing that they aren’t really a friend group any more and 2) the ending of the book, where the friends have moved on but are still in touch with each other and there’s hope about their futures. That awkward period of growth and self understanding deserved more treatment, and I think Bongiovanni would’ve done a great job there!
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this read and it was GREAT to read about thirtysomething/40 year old queers instead of just Super Young Queers for a change. Plus, Bongiovanni’s illustrations convey so much emotion, and all of the little queer Easter eggs they’ve included on the page are clever as hell.
Archie Bongiovanni does a GREAT job both gently ribbing and also lovingly portraying what queer communities in 2023 are like, with their bizarre parties and their brunches and their harried coffees and their too-close dating scenes. Three of the four characters are given ample screen time to work out their issues, though it is interesting to me that the one friend who does seem to create drama isn’t given a lot of space on the page.
I do wish that a bit more time had been spent on the period of time *between* 1) the friends realizing that they aren’t really a friend group any more and 2) the ending of the book, where the friends have moved on but are still in touch with each other and there’s hope about their futures. That awkward period of growth and self understanding deserved more treatment, and I think Bongiovanni would’ve done a great job there!
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this read and it was GREAT to read about thirtysomething/40 year old queers instead of just Super Young Queers for a change. Plus, Bongiovanni’s illustrations convey so much emotion, and all of the little queer Easter eggs they’ve included on the page are clever as hell.
redrosesrot's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible, deeply moving
I think I’m reading this book at the exact right time in my life. It’s so impactful and inspiring to see folks like me—30 something and queer as anything—going through struggles that I and my friend group are also going through. I love this a lot and will be thinking about this for a long time to come.
I think I’m reading this book at the exact right time in my life. It’s so impactful and inspiring to see folks like me—30 something and queer as anything—going through struggles that I and my friend group are also going through. I love this a lot and will be thinking about this for a long time to come.
decameters's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-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
4.0
adillondev's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
meg_dyer's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
heelturn2's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
3.0
I thought I’d like this more! I love Grease Bats and the premise of this one is very appealing so I was surprised to find this comic felt… rushed & underdeveloped?
some things I liked:
some things I liked:
- fun background details in many scenes (ie a character’s blog “Parenting Beyond the Binary” receiving an award for Best Mommy Blog 2017, lol)
- focus on grown people who already know they’re queer with no angst about coming out or whatever. thank god!!
some things I didn’t:
- the characters didn’t feel super distinct from one another - I regularly confused 2 of them and could not retain their names! they felt very defined by their jobs, and less by their personalities.
- on the same note, I wanted each character to get more time in the spotlight! each character has a lot going on (at least work-wise) & not all the developments in their stories get time to build up and have weight when they happen. like, I really wanted to see more about queer punk rock kids camp and the difficulties of working with kids as a trans woman while trying to hide your sex work career?!? this is hinted at but never expanded on (the stress of it is enough to make the character run from a party in tears) so when the camp gets a second winter session it’s just kind of a small detail, rather than the progression of this storyline.
- the weird sudden reveal that
one character has had a trust fund this whole time & how everyone just abruptly stops being his friend after 1 fight. there’s one character thar rang true for (she’d spent a lot of the book being hurt & irritated with him) but for everyone else I was like, hm, this could happen I guess but this feels Quite Sudden. - not enough development + no real resolution = unsatisfying :-(
dangerpronedaphne's review
emotional
reflective
fast-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
3.0
jelliclejules's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Infidelity