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A review by pantsyreads
Heart in a Box by Kelly Thompson
4.0
It's been over a month since I read this, so my thoughts might be a little muddled, but here we go.
When Emma's boyfriend (The Name With No Name) breaks Emma's heart, she wishes she could be rid of it so she can stop hurting. Her wish is granted, but after experiencing the listlessness of feeling nothing, she finds herself wanting it back. However, it's been broken into 7 pieces and dispersed. To get them back, Emma must embark on a roadtrip across the country and track them all down.
As you can gather from the summary, this book has a pretty unique premise. Does Thompson pull it off? Mostly, I'd argue. This comic is very short, so it felt rushed in some aspects (the mechanisms of the heart stuff was a bit confusing at times), but it was also a very poignant read that benefited from its economic page count.
Emma is a full-realized character and Thompson's writing of her was really spot-on, but where she really shone was in her body language and facial expressions. Meredith McClaren's art is what really breathed life into this book. It has a weird, almost manga-like, style to it that initially caught me off guard, but I acclimatized, I couldn't imagine it any other way. The exaggerated style really highlights the emotions and a lot is conveyed to the reader using very little - a feat that looks easy, but is most definitely not.
With Thompson's astute writing and McClaren's evocative art, they bring the very real pain and heartache that comes with heartbreaks to life. The first several pages of this were relatable in a very real and uncomfortable way. There were a few other touching moments too, such as whenthe cat gives his piece of Emma's heart back to her, but then doesn't recognize her anymore and runs away. ;__; That scene could've been so corny and contrived, but Thompson and McClaren make it work.
This wasn't what I was initially expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same. It certainly has its flaws, but it's emotional core really holds it together and kept me along for the ride.
When Emma's boyfriend (The Name With No Name) breaks Emma's heart, she wishes she could be rid of it so she can stop hurting. Her wish is granted, but after experiencing the listlessness of feeling nothing, she finds herself wanting it back. However, it's been broken into 7 pieces and dispersed. To get them back, Emma must embark on a roadtrip across the country and track them all down.
As you can gather from the summary, this book has a pretty unique premise. Does Thompson pull it off? Mostly, I'd argue. This comic is very short, so it felt rushed in some aspects (the mechanisms of the heart stuff was a bit confusing at times), but it was also a very poignant read that benefited from its economic page count.
Emma is a full-realized character and Thompson's writing of her was really spot-on, but where she really shone was in her body language and facial expressions. Meredith McClaren's art is what really breathed life into this book. It has a weird, almost manga-like, style to it that initially caught me off guard, but I acclimatized, I couldn't imagine it any other way. The exaggerated style really highlights the emotions and a lot is conveyed to the reader using very little - a feat that looks easy, but is most definitely not.
With Thompson's astute writing and McClaren's evocative art, they bring the very real pain and heartache that comes with heartbreaks to life. The first several pages of this were relatable in a very real and uncomfortable way. There were a few other touching moments too, such as when
This wasn't what I was initially expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same. It certainly has its flaws, but it's emotional core really holds it together and kept me along for the ride.