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A review by christinemomo
Forest Hills Bootleg Society by Nicole Goux, Dave Baker
2.0
August 2023. Disappointing.
A YA graphic novel with queer girl leads who start an illicit business of selling smutty anime to fellow students at their private Christian boarding school, after they discovered they accidentally got a bootleg of that instead of the classic anime they had tried to buy from some guy.
This had a fun premise that ended up being a real downer of a story and felt like it lacked a central point or through line. Everyone’s lives are shitty and get shittier.
Every character has emotionally distant unsupportive parents, struggles with a desire to be popular that is out of reach, little access to money, insecurities about their bodies, seem to be depressed and finding no emotional support or solace from friends or family and are emotionally isolated, etc.
Which yes some of those are regular teen issues but 100% of characters having all of that and seemingly incredibly unsatisfying and unfulfilling friendships too and zero supportive or safe people in their lives?
No “I discovered this friendship is toxic but at least I have my mom” or “My family is dysfunctional but I can rely on my friends.”
There are even side characters going through suicides, revealed to be pedophiles, engaging in homophobic hate crimes, abusing alcohol, and having affairs.
What is the point of all this? Everyone in the world is cruel and selfish and so give up? I’m not clear at all on it.
“The Forest Hills Bootleg Society” by Dave Baker and Nicole Goux.
A YA graphic novel with queer girl leads who start an illicit business of selling smutty anime to fellow students at their private Christian boarding school, after they discovered they accidentally got a bootleg of that instead of the classic anime they had tried to buy from some guy.
This had a fun premise that ended up being a real downer of a story and felt like it lacked a central point or through line. Everyone’s lives are shitty and get shittier.
Every character has emotionally distant unsupportive parents, struggles with a desire to be popular that is out of reach, little access to money, insecurities about their bodies, seem to be depressed and finding no emotional support or solace from friends or family and are emotionally isolated, etc.
Which yes some of those are regular teen issues but 100% of characters having all of that and seemingly incredibly unsatisfying and unfulfilling friendships too and zero supportive or safe people in their lives?
No “I discovered this friendship is toxic but at least I have my mom” or “My family is dysfunctional but I can rely on my friends.”
There are even side characters going through suicides, revealed to be pedophiles, engaging in homophobic hate crimes, abusing alcohol, and having affairs.
What is the point of all this? Everyone in the world is cruel and selfish and so give up? I’m not clear at all on it.
“The Forest Hills Bootleg Society” by Dave Baker and Nicole Goux.