A review by fareehareads
Roaming by Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki

  • 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

4.5

This comic takes place during summer break in New York City in 2009. We meet Dani and Zoe who have been friends for years and Dani's classmate Fiona. The 3 spend their break in New York, wandering around the city, being tourists but trying not to look like tourists, and just having a good time. Among their days together, a crush forms between Zoe and Fiona that really sets the tone for the rest of the comic. 
While this story is partially about these friends having a textbook summer experience of NYC, it's also just a wonderfully atmospheric comic. I just really loved all the details throughout from the long two page spreads (the gorgeous ones in the museum) to the tiny text on their flip phones, to the all black pages as Zoe and Fiona's relationship is explored. It's definitely a mature comic, and I really want it to be made into a coming of age movie. It's just SO pretty. I brought the physical copy because, while I've never been to NYC, I loved how nostalgic this was. It felt like it was trapped in space and time.

Definitely give it a read!

PS the content warnings are really just to express that this is a mature comic, not for young readers.
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