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seanathanb's Reviews (27)
Speaking as a mostly-cis person, just to be clear, this is a perfect 101 class on the intricacies of being trans. You’ll learn about the nuances of dysphoria to typical biased talking points used against trans folk. Me and my partner have gone through nearly the same story as Sara and Diana, me having thought I was straight before he transitioned, so I feel that I can confidently confirm how grounded and real these two’s relationship is. On top of that, the art is delightful, and the overall tone is welcoming and warm. While I don’t keep a list, this would probably be the first book I would recommend someone curious about the world of being trans. Just don’t expect the in-book art to be as elegant as the cover’s. lol.
I went into this book totally blind — not having read the original novel it’s based on. While I can’t say for certain that I got the full story, I still got a very clear one. It was enormous, existential, and somehow heartwarming. This book really leans into the notion of “a picture can tell a thousand words.” I would hope so, at least. I missed a few thousand words on behalf of reading this version.
In second thought, “clear” was maybe a poor choice of words. The art in this book is breathtaking, if incredibly dense to the point where I can hardly understand what I’m looking at. Some panels I would stare at because I was admiring the detail, but others were a case of trying to decipher them. This isn’t anything too deal-breaking, but it bugged me a few times. Maybe it was a stylistic choice to illustrate the cloudiness of the main characters’ circumstances? I’m not sure. Great art, but maybe it can get a little too great.
In second thought, “clear” was maybe a poor choice of words. The art in this book is breathtaking, if incredibly dense to the point where I can hardly understand what I’m looking at. Some panels I would stare at because I was admiring the detail, but others were a case of trying to decipher them. This isn’t anything too deal-breaking, but it bugged me a few times. Maybe it was a stylistic choice to illustrate the cloudiness of the main characters’ circumstances? I’m not sure. Great art, but maybe it can get a little too great.
Based on how thoroughly I had to search for this book on the web, and that it took me forever to get to it on Hoopla, I get the impression that this isn’t a very well-known book, but it was totally my cup of tea! I’ve not read any of Drooker’s other work, but he seems like an incredible artist with a unique perspective on lots of big things.
This book reminded me a lot of ‘Company,’ actually. Not so much in its theming or characters, but how it presents the story. There isn’t much of a central conflict in this story, moreso just observing the characters and how they interact with each other and the world around them, and it’s really good stuff. The broad range of lifestyles depicted in this book gave me new perspectives on art, living your truth, and vulnerability. As an artsy person, I was invested in both of the main characters’ lives, and if the book didn’t end when it did, then I would’ve happily read more!
This book reminded me a lot of ‘Company,’ actually. Not so much in its theming or characters, but how it presents the story. There isn’t much of a central conflict in this story, moreso just observing the characters and how they interact with each other and the world around them, and it’s really good stuff. The broad range of lifestyles depicted in this book gave me new perspectives on art, living your truth, and vulnerability. As an artsy person, I was invested in both of the main characters’ lives, and if the book didn’t end when it did, then I would’ve happily read more!
The title speaks for itself. Don’t like princesses? Do you like grilled cheese sandwiches? If yes to either/both, book is a match made in cheese heaven.
Muniz’s art is fantastic, a perfect blend of dynamic poses and body types while maintaining cartoon expression. The story is, above anything else, cute. Definitely more of a comfort read than a world-changing story, but still great LGBTQ rep.
Thank you for the nice Christmas book, Jack!
Muniz’s art is fantastic, a perfect blend of dynamic poses and body types while maintaining cartoon expression. The story is, above anything else, cute. Definitely more of a comfort read than a world-changing story, but still great LGBTQ rep.
Thank you for the nice Christmas book, Jack!
If you’ve read Fun Home and consider it to be a highly important entry into the modern graphic novel canon, then you’ll likely find a lot of interest in Are You My Mother, though it’s mostly supplemental material that only serves to further outline Bechdel’s life. While the book tackles her relationship with her mother a good deal, it doesn’t drive the story forward as much as that with her father in Fun Home.
Psychology nerds will certainly find a lot to chew on here, given how many times Bechdel either quotes various psychologists or recounts her own therapeutic experiences. That being said, scholarly types in general may get more out of this than a casual reader. It took me a very long time to get through this book because of how densely Bechdel writes, aided by her beefy and intricate vocabulary, and in the end, I’m not sure what I really took away from it (other than having depression sucks, which I kind of already knew). I’d say only give this a shot if you’re really interested or you like Donald Winnicott.
Psychology nerds will certainly find a lot to chew on here, given how many times Bechdel either quotes various psychologists or recounts her own therapeutic experiences. That being said, scholarly types in general may get more out of this than a casual reader. It took me a very long time to get through this book because of how densely Bechdel writes, aided by her beefy and intricate vocabulary, and in the end, I’m not sure what I really took away from it (other than having depression sucks, which I kind of already knew). I’d say only give this a shot if you’re really interested or you like Donald Winnicott.
Really more of a 2.5/5 book to be honest. There were a few parts that were cute, and I suppose anyone interested in hairstyling can find something to like about it, but I felt that it meandered too much. It starts out strong with that first page: “This year’s summer, it’s especially hot,” but it never retains that kind of grip throughout the rest of the story. I don’t feel like I knew who the characters really were (probably because they’re not really named), and I think the translation job may have been a bit awkward, in addition to a sometimes confusing speech bubble layout. Also, it’s definitely not a coming-of-age story. I’m giving it 3 out of 5 here because I don’t want to be too hard on it. It’s not outright bad, but pretty middling, all things considered.
It’s books like this that make me wish I were still in college, everyone in a circle, chatting and discussing about the assigned reading. Not that I feel that this book should be “assigned reading,” but it’s sure to leave the same kind of impact.
Some may call this an exhaustion of the “kill your gays” trope, but this is a bonafide tragedy that still has plenty of merit in reading. The book itself illustrates the nastiness that comes with labeling gay people as “sexual deviants” who commit lustful acts with no second thoughts, and the narrative actively proves that to not be the case. As per Clem and Emma’s story, gay people experience heartbreak and complicated disagreements just as much as straight people, with an added layer of anxiety due to the social attitudes around them.
This book has fantastic art, and it delivers the story and characters extremely effectively, though I would steer clear if you’re adamantly afraid of cursive.
Some may call this an exhaustion of the “kill your gays” trope, but this is a bonafide tragedy that still has plenty of merit in reading. The book itself illustrates the nastiness that comes with labeling gay people as “sexual deviants” who commit lustful acts with no second thoughts, and the narrative actively proves that to not be the case. As per Clem and Emma’s story, gay people experience heartbreak and complicated disagreements just as much as straight people, with an added layer of anxiety due to the social attitudes around them.
This book has fantastic art, and it delivers the story and characters extremely effectively, though I would steer clear if you’re adamantly afraid of cursive.