so-soI didn't realize this was the same author who did Ghost World. I wasn't a fan of that book, and this didn't really do it for me either. It follows the life of Monica and her steps to uncover the truth about her youth. The art was decent. The story was up and down for me; I didn't love the side stories between chapters. The ending was also unsatisfying; it apparently meant to tie back to the first chapter, but that definitely went over my head.
so-soBack in the book drop goes Monica. I‘ve been seeing this graphic novel mentioned in several lists naming it a “must read”. And I‘ve gotta say: I don‘t agree. It‘s too out there for me. Monica‘s search for her parents starts off interestingly enough but the jarring dreams/hallucinations/weird thoughts got to be a bit much. Of course, the illustrations are fabulous, although this isn‘t exactly my favorite style. So-so.
I‘m on a graphic novel kick.
And at baseball practice. Feels like fall here in Southern Ohio! 🍂 ⚾️
Visited a not-my-library library yesterday and checked out a couple graphic novels. I love Lucy Knisley but after getting home I realized I have already read French Milk, so Monica is the only one I‘ll be reading. I always like visiting different libraries to see what they‘ve got going on. 😊
so-soI think they call that surrealist? Experimental. Tidbits of sci-fi and horror but also much searching for family/identity. Vintage adventure story/comic art style, largely set in previous decades, starting with the '60s. Lots of rambling introspection. Not my vibe.
pickI‘m still processing this graphic novel but it is the story of an abandoned child and how she makes sense of this through the whole arc of her life. I am a gen x‘er child of a teen mother so some of this resonated with my experience of the 70s. These are some panels that grabbed me but note they are not in order
pickJunot Diaz wrote a rave review of this comic which is how I came across it. Having now read this hard to categorize book, I get it. Clowes weaves together a history of comics as a medium for storytelling in this comic of interconnected stories about a woman trying to understand & track down the mother who abandoned her. Mystery, horror, counterculture, the apocalypse, & so much more. The art style isn‘t my favorite but the story lingers.
pickStand-out graphic novel. We follow Monica from the 1960s to present day. Told through intersecting narratives/stories. Strange, emotional, otherworldly. Highly recommend!
#NCBD! Tagged book wasn‘t even on my radar until Junot Diaz gave it a rave review in the NYT yesterday. Picked it up along with some Skottie Young, lots of Star Wars and a few other random things. Good haul today.
Monica | 
