Skim | 
pickDevoured this this morning! I loved the story and the art. I also felt like I wanted to be friends with Skim (I'd be a better friend than Lisa for sure 🙄). Coming of age, sexual awakening, dealing with heartbreak and being an outcast in a world that pushes you to the side for being fat and Asian. Intense but also laugh-out-loud funny. The Tamaki duo make magic 😍
(TW for teenage suicide)
so-soHere is the last book I read in 2019.
I absolutely loved the illustrations, they are really excellent; however, the story by itself didn't do much for me... I didn't connect at all with the story, I found some characters to be very annoying/superficial. Just not a story for me.
Sunday is brought to you by the letter C - Comics (Skim and The Adventures of Superhero Girl), Coffee, and Chocolate from Singapore - Nanyang Kaya “traditional Singaporean breakfast in a bar” and one of things I love most is Kaya toast, Kaya being a delightfully delicious coconut jam and it‘s traditionally served between two crispy thin slices of toast and a slab of butter. Best with soft boiled eggs and dark soy sauce, and a milky sweet tea
so-so🚬About HS girl during aftermath of her classmate‘s suicide, as she struggles w/her depression & complicated 1st love.
🚬Monochromatic art consists of a blending of expressionism & contemporary realism, utilising black chalk style.
🚬Art contributes to Goth persona of MC & dark subject matter of depression.
🚬Duality between what‘s happening in school w/suicide & Skim‘s inner strife & personal relationships; heavy motifs.
🚬Taboo romance.
🚬3.5/5.
so-soEh it was ok. I relate to the main character, but the illustration style and weird almost-relationship with the drama teacher made me uncomfortable.
Looking forward to this, the story sounds really good. Today is the first I've picked up a graphic novel is almost a decade 😯
pickMonday is Canada Day! Celebrate by reading an outstanding graphic novel by the Tamaki cousins. It tackles depression, suicide, and matters regarding sexual orientation for teenagers. Beautifully drawn and written. https://cannonballread.com/2018/06/skillfully-tackling-serious-issues-in-a-ya-gr...
pickI can't find fault with a single element of SKIM. The writing's excellent. So's the art. The story's packed with authentic moments that feel beyond familiar, even though Kim's teenage life is mostly pretty different from my own.
But I don't know if I LIKED it, and I'm struggling to explain why given its uniform excellence. I suspect my final answer is way too long for Litsy's character limit and weirdly personal besides.
I planned to leave the library empty-handed this morning, but I couldn't resist a couple more possibilities for #AsianLitBingo.
pickThis was fantastic; great writing and artwork. It brought back so many memories from high school, of being a weekend goth, wannabe pagan, semi-depressive oddball. Of fights with friends over miscommunications and growing apart from some of my closest friends. Definitely recommend. 5/5 #graphicnovel #marchreads
pickIt took me about a third of the book to get into it, and I‘m glad it did. This black and white GN is a fairly accurate look into a teenage girls internal life. If she‘s depressed, that is. Her friendships and interest in Wicca and sort-of, mostly one-sided love affair with her art teacher, and how her internal monologues are so much different than what she says. I don‘t know if I‘m describing this correctly, but I do know that I enjoyed this.
Because I‘m nothing if not an overpreparer, here‘s my first round of GN‘s from the library for the #LetsGetGraphicWeeklongMarathon! It‘s all I could carry in my library tote, and honestly I was afraid it would burst at the seams!
@Clwojick @TricksyTails
Dear Diary,
I had a dream
I put my hands
inside my chest
and held my heart
to try to keep it still.
❤️
I just wrote a blog post on my 8 favourite Asian Canadian queer books and thought y'all might be interested! Maybe they will become your favourites too! The list includes these three pictured, the book tagged, and more. Https://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.com/2017/08/21/8-awesome-asian-canadian-queer-books/
pickThe Tamaki's expertly craft a story of teenage angst that is both relateable and engaging. Kim is a character struggling to figure herself out. As she builds her identity she desperately tries to process falling in love for her english teacher and growing apart from her best friend. The story touches on LGBT+ issues, racism, and suicide but its main focus is on self-discovery and finding your place. A phenomenal book that is easy to recommend.
The Tamaki's are doing a really phenomenal job of capturing teen angst and the experience of the first time falling in love. Very moving comic.
I was working on a presentation about LGBTQ2IA+ YA books today for a library conference and my dad's cat Trixie was helping me. Look at that face! #CatsofLitsy
pickAn interesting coming of age story. Skim isn't sure who she is or who she wants to be. The story has very little dialogue, but the thoughts of the narrator kept the story flowing smoothly. Had some deep moments. 3.75/5
pickThis was both beautifully drawn and beautifully written. I look forward to reading more by them.
I like to read graphic novels in between my other books and I'm trying to read Tamaki's and Gene Luen Yang's works before going to a graphic novel panel featuring them on Monday. I'm really loving this so far
pickSkim's an October-ready read set in autumn, with a Wicca-practicing heroine. 🍂 Its evasive dialogue and half-complete diary entries ring wonderfully true to teenage-girl secrecy and uncertainty, and its growing-pains subject matter makes for a perfect hit of nostalgia paired with this change of seasons! 🍁
pickI want to read graphic novels by the Tamakis all day every day. Their ability to capture the ethereal spirit of growing up makes me feel inadequate and I can't even hate them.
#tbrTuesday for this week
Reading: Almost done with I, Robot, and just started Moby Dick on the Kindle.
Starting this week: Skim - a graphic novel with beautiful Japanese art for my "recommended by Goodreads" category (Goodreads generally sucks at recommending for me so I went for a graphic novel); The Notorious RBG - can't wait!; Papergirls.
The Penelopiad after I finish a few, probably next week.
pickThe Tamakis really know how to write teens. Loved this sensitive look at a teen dealing with first infatuation, difficult friendships, with elements of teen suicide, sexual preference, and shoddy adults. Gorgeous art and storytelling.
pickI finally finished Skim even with the distractions. I really enjoyed this book. A lot going on despite it being a slim graphic novel. This is an interesting snippet of a teen's life over a few weeks. Worth taking the time to read this slowly and pay attention to what's going on in the panels.
