A review by leerconlayca
I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

3.0

Mandy just wants to be out of her mother's shadow and pave her own path. That's hard to do when your mother is a superhero and all around perfect. I Am Not Starfire explores what it feels like to not fit societal beauty standards and being held to an impossible standards. Tamaki does encapsulate the feeling of teenage angst and wanting separation from parents. The diversity in characters and sexuality made this comic feel more contemporary and gave it more depth. The illustrations added emotion and contrast to the emotions Mandy and her mother felt. The graphic novel is quick paced and easy to follow but did lack any real depth. Mandy purposely does not want to be like her mother and resents having to be held to the same standards. Both mother and daughter do not communicate because they have not had the same life experiences so its hard for them to relate to one another. Instead of exploring this issue more, it is only superficially addressed. This is how a lot of the themes and characters felt through out the story.