Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Ok, putting aside the horror of seeing the early 2000's as a 'historical' setting for a coming-of-age graphic novel (I shudder at the thought of contemporary teens trying to figure out what's going on with the Liv's flowery screennames), this is a wonderful read! I went into the story knowing very little and expecting a fun Daria-esque nostalgic romp and was instead struck by a complex and tender account of one girl's first attempts at navigating predatory men. Obviously, books that tackle rape and sexual abuse head-on are important, but I so appreciate Leth's decision to tackle some greyer areas. None of the men in this novel are unimpeachable, yet they're all careful (consciously or not) to never cross any 'big' lines. IM-ing your student at night is inappropriate, absolutely, but it's not the sort of clear-cut abuse that we're taught to look out for. The real world for most teen girls isn't full of black-and-white capital-T Trauma as much as it is confusion and blurred lines and icky feelings and lots of doubt, and I love how Leth approaches that mess through Liv's story. I also LOVED that Liv has multiple adults she can trust and confide in when things don't feel right. Ugh, I want to give this book to every tween in my life!