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Set in the 1950s California, this graphic novel touches on the main themes of homophobia, violent bullying, bigotry, abandonment, & isolation. The story is very bleak.The protagonist is going through adolescence phase, & trying to make sense of the world around him, but there‘re times I was frustrated with him for being a coward. The simple black & white artwork is effective in conveying the story..disturbing. TW: animal cruelty, nudity, suicide.

This book was so dark. It was painful to read at times- in a good way. The illustrations and text really brought the story to life and provided the emotions of the book.

Deeply human, Home After Dark is a depressing but moving exploration of boyhood moving into manhood, and the crushing need to find one‘s place.

Russell reading during meals. #charactersreading

Always ALWAYS check under the dust jacket for what treasures may lie on the naked cover. I didn‘t love this as much as I wanted to. Slightly strange, mostly sad, a glimmer of hope doing its best to shine through.

Cartoonist David Small uses spare scenes loosely sketched in pen and grey ink wash to tell a quiet, devastating coming-of-age set in 1950s California. 13-year-old Russell deals with abandonment, isolation and cruelty. At one point, I mistakenly thought this was called Home Before Dark; that‘s when I realized the significance of the title for this powerful story about a boy who is looking for safety and meaningful connections.

“Goddamnit, Russell, I can warm up my own supper. The last thing I need is my son becoming a hausfrau.”

(One of many examples of toxic masculinity and the dysfunctional father-son relationship in this novel.)

It doesn‘t bode well when a father doesn‘t know how old his son is.

This is probably a case of it‘s-not-you-book,-it‘s-me. I read this #graphicnovel right after Hey Kiddo (in the background) and the two follow similar storylines of teen boys coming-of-age in difficult family situations. Small‘s story has a lot of violence and darkness on the page and that never really lets up. Spoiler in the comments.

Small does an excellent job weaving the text and the images together in this coming of age graphic novel.

The emotions in these illustrations are so powerful. Russell deals with loss, loneliness, and the difficulties of self-discovery in this coming-of-age graphic novel.

Today‘s #libraryhaul! Special thanks to @jillrhudy for saving Home After Dark for me! It was nice chatting with you today! #litsyloveslibraries

Woooow. I‘m speechless. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️
#graphicnovel

Nine years is WAY too long to wait for another graphic novel from David Small. Also another Mary Russell/Sherlock novel by Laurie R. King and a flu pandemic novel. I‘m a sucker for a good plague. Being a librarian is like having a 10000 TBR within 500 feet. #librariansoflitsy #graphicnovel

🗽📚✒🖌📚🤓 #BEA18 #LibrarianLife #WorkPerks #LitsyLovesLibrarians #ForTheLoveOfBooks #GraphicNovels

Currently awaiting for this panel to start. 🙄
Tagged 📖: 'a literary tour-de-force that renders the brutality of adolescence in the 1950s..13 yr old Russell, abandoned by mom..is forced to fend for himself & survive in a dilapidated town haunted by a sadistic animal killer & a ring of malicious boys who bully Russell for being “queer.”