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As the Crow Flies
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
33 posts | 35 read | 21 to read
Charlie Lamonte is thirteen years old, queer, black, and questioning what was once a firm belief in God. So, she's spending a week of her summer vacation at an all-white Christian backpacking camp. And she can't help but poke holes in the pious obliviousness of this storied sanctuary with little regard for people like herself... or her fellow camper, Sydney.
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review
LibrarianRyan
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
Panpan

2 ⭐Charlie is a girl who is not one for being out with nature. However, she is going to be spending a week in a nature hiking camp communing with God. This is a trip not just about God, but about feminism and the place of women within their spirituality and in their community. I should also mention that Charlie is the only black girl in the group. This book does have an Eisenhower Honor and a Stonewall Honor.

LibrarianRyan One of the side characters is trans and you‘re led to believe that Charlie is probably lesbian. Which is why Charlie is arguing with God. I do not know if this book has a volume two. I hope it doesn‘t. However, the story does not end, and they haven‘t even made it to the full point of the hike. Throughout Charlie is talking to God: “Why am I here? Why did you send me here? There are no conclusions, no points made. It sets off to make a point 1y
LibrarianRyan about feminism and getting away from the men and being who you are. But it‘s left completely in the air. I really wanted to like this book, I was hoping it was going someplace profound. However, the author launched a balloon in the air and left it sitting.

1y
20 likes2 comments
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Kenyazero
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

Giving this a pick because it‘s inclusive, examines LGBTQ and BIPOC fit in Jesus-following-religion life, captures the essence of backpacking, and is beautifully illustrated! Unfortunately, I thought we‘d get more resolution to the friendship development, some insight on the conclusions the characters reach on their spiritual/social journey, some confrontation of the ritual… a return to the crow or feather idea… but it just ends suddenly. #LGBTQ

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Kenyazero
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Yes, all the time! #Nature #Hiking #Comic #LGBTQ

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Kenyazero
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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I grew up hiking and backpacking with my family and this book is really making me want to hit the trail. #Hiking #Comic #LGBTQ

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Kenyazero
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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I have a few reviews to catch up on, but instead, here are some beautiful panels from the graphic novel I‘m reading right now. #Hiking #GraphicNovel #Comic #LGBTQ

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Krisjericho
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

I REALLY need there to be a sequel to this. I like Charlie, thirteen and queer and black and faith-questioning, stuck at a white, Christian, “angry white feminist” backpacking camp SO much. There are some great messages about language and intersectionality and fitting in, plus some wonderful friendships. It leaves of very abruptly, though, which is frustrating.

34 likes1 stack add
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dastevensishagain
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

Impulse pull from the library shelves was a win. Love Charlie and Sydney and their growing friendship. Love the glimpses of how harmful white feminism is. Love the beautiful penciled coloring. Oh but geez...please tell me there's a sequel coming soon. Guess I should look into the webcomic?

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BookInMyHands
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

Charlie is less than thrilled to be on a hiking trip in the wilderness for a week. She‘s a queer person of color with an all-white Christian group, what could possibly go wrong?

Charlie finds allies in her group, and hope in the strength of friendship as she questions her faith.

#crossculturalstories 71 of 100 read
#LGBTQIA

Peddler410 This one‘s on my TBR 6y
58 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookNAround
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Panpan

I don‘t love graphic novels. I don‘t love YA. I don‘t love books that end abruptly and require a sequel to finish the story. This just wasn‘t for me. Full, fleshed out review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2018/10/review-as-crow-flies-by-melanie-gillman....

LiteraryinPA I like graphic novels and YA, but I still did not like this one! 6y
BookNAround @LiteraryinLititz That makes me feel better. Pretty much everyone on Litsy loves it so I was definitely feeling like I had an#unpopularopinion 6y
50 likes2 comments
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Pogue
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

There better be more to this story.

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Mindelan
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Really glad I thought to pick up my library holds this morning when I felt a migraine coming on. I had plans for the day that I‘m frustrated I won‘t be able to accomplish, but at least I can dig into these and enjoy my “garden” for a while before I must retreat to a darker room. Starting with the tagged title and really enjoying it.

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SkeletonKey
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

Take a note, internet, lol.

I cant believe my library had this book, it feels like the fundraising to get it published was pretty recent. Lucky me!

The illustrations were great and even though I don‘t relate to the Christian aspects of the story, the outsider and questioning feelings are pretty universal.

The author is nonbinary too!

#lgbtq #queerbooks #nonbinary #transbooks

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kimberly.burke
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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On a big graphic/comics kick this week -- here are a few of the MG/YA ones I've read so far.
(If only I had taken a picture with This One Summer too, to lean even harder into the summer theme. Well, summer, and faerie realm/1910s San Fran...)

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pocketmermaid
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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It‘s a dreary, rainy day. But I‘ve got tator tots in the oven and a pile of graphic novels next to me. 👩‍🍳📚

bunny I love Goldie Vance and Moonstruck! Hope you enjoy them too 😊 6y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lindy
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

Strong characterization and beautiful artwork done entirely in coloured pencils make this a standout. Gillman also knows how to let her visuals carry the narrative. I very much look forward to the next volume.
Add this to the gorgeous stack of summer camp stories in #graphicnovel format that feature #queer girls (tagged in comments below).
#lgbtq #trans

48 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Lindy
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Cartoonist Melanie Gillman does a great job showing us the inner life of a queer Black 13-year-old at an otherwise all-white Christian summer camp. Charlie agonizes over a response to her camp counsellor who uses “whitening” in a metaphor about purity of soul.

49 likes1 stack add
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monalyisha
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Okay! I‘ve got roughly 1 week before #freakyfriday starts & I just finished a book. Now I just have to decide what to read in the meantime...

jwashreads Eeny meeny miney mo? 7y
Clwojick I haven‘t read any of these, but my vote goes to The Immortalists. It‘s been on my TBR for a while. 7y
monalyisha @clwojick I am SO excited for that one! But I just read a book in a similar vein so I might need a palate cleanser first.😭 (edited) 7y
86 likes3 comments
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night_shift
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

Completely impressive line work (all colored pencils 😲). The scenery was beautiful and the characters felt real, but the ending felt a little up in the air for me.

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queerbookreader
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

AMAZING graphic novel. AMAZING. Queer black girl questioning God goes on an all-(white) girls Christian camping trip. Great characters, great dialogue, great development!! Amazing. So glad I discovered this at the library today.

emtobiasz Aww yay! I loved this one and I'm so glad you found a copy-- seems right up your alley! 7y
MarriedtoMrT Yup! It was great. Can‘t wait for the rest of the week to be published (I hope). 7y
queerbookreader @MarriedtoMrT omg do you think it‘ll be a series??? 7y
MarriedtoMrT I did a quick search when I finished and it looks like it‘s an incomplete web comic so I think there should be more. I need to do more research though. It did just seem to end a few days into the trip. 7y
minkyb Great premise! 7y
54 likes6 stack adds5 comments
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MarriedtoMrT
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

I sat down to read a few pages and ended up devouring it in one sitting. It tackles issues of religion, race, gender, and feminism in such a relatable way. I‘ll post a few pictures of my favorite panels tomorrow.

Quick warning to those who are unaware, as I was: it ended quite abruptly but I learned it is a webcomic put to paper and there is more to come.

This was awarded a Stonewall honor, I believe.

48 likes3 stack adds
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Broke_Girl_Reads
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Update: I am enjoying the heck out of this friendship #currentlyreading #queerbooks

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Broke_Girl_Reads
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Parents LISTENING?!?? Now there‘s something you don‘t get much in books starring teens! #currentlyreading #queerbooks

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AmandaFields
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

😍💖 I adored the artwork in this graphic novel. The story was sweet and realistic, and my only real complaint is that the story ended too soon

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Broke_Girl_Reads
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Today‘s #libraryhaul is a real beauty! Can‘t wait to dive into this one tonight. #bookdate #queerbooks

29 likes1 stack add
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helgagrace
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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“Kale chips? That‘s not a thing.”
“...yes it is!”
“No way. That‘s just something people talk about in jokes.”
“My parents make them all the time!”
“But kale‘s just a type of leaves, right? Nobody eats leaf chips.”
@surlyspice

RaimeyGallant Haha:) 7y
71 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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MisterWhitaker
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Heck of a #MountTBR but I'm super excited because these are all entrants for the Excellence In Graphic Literature Awards for the Middle Grade category. So much reading, but for a good reason! #TeachersofLitsy #EXGL2018 #PopClassroom #ComicBooks #GraphicNovels #LitsyReadingChallenge2018 #LitsyAtoZ #LRC

LiteraryinPA I‘d love to hear about your favorites once you make a dent! 7y
35 likes2 comments
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emtobiasz
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

This stunning graphic novel follows 13-year-old Charlie to an all-white Christian girls' hiking retreat. She's black, queer, and questioning her beliefs, though, and the whole thing feels like a mistake. This story does such a good job poking holes in traditional feminism and its well-meaning but exclusionary rhetoric. The art, all in colored pencils, is beautiful as well. So, so good.

Lindy Stacked! 7y
54 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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RowReads1
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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RowReads1
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Happy #HumpDayPost #MinDea
1. It‘s a gn about a black queer teen at an all girl white Christian camp. 2. quality chocolate 🍫 3. Apparently Xennial. I was good being the butt of X. 4. Essie nail polish 💅🏻 in a rose 🌹 color. 5. Run errands. Film hopefully.

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brownekr
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

I read the first 2/3 of this as a web comic but finally bought the book today! I have really loved the recent wave of church camp books, and I'm dazzled by what Mel Gillman does with coloured pencils.

BookInMyHands This is on my list! 7y
9 likes1 comment
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jamie_in_the_library
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Brought this home for my partner, but ended up stealing it before she got to it 😜. Charlie, a queer person of color, attends a female-only Christian (and mostly-white) camp right when she is questioning her own beliefs. So far it‘s beautifully written and drawn and the expansive landscapes make me wish for warmer days.
#queerbooks #yagraphicnovels

TricksyTails 😻♥️ 7y
10 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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ShansMousey
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Pickpick

A wonderful teen graphic novel. I love the use of colored pencils in the artwork. The story is about a queer Black teen who winds up at a Christian camp of all white girls. This GN does a great job of critiquing mainstream white feminism and how it so often excludes women of color and queer people. I recommend giving it a read!

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kmbezner
As the Crow Flies | Melanie Gillman
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Yep, sounds about right.

4 likes1 stack add