I will be doing lots of much needed self care.
I will be doing lots of much needed self care.
Recent Reads January 7: queer lit; graphic novels; translated fiction; travel memories
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I was 23 the first time I went to New York. It was 1983: I travelled with four other queers. The Tamaki cousins transported me right back to that feeling of wonder & bewilderment at being a young, non cosmopolitan Canadian in NYC—& what it‘s like to negotiate friendships & romantic feelings at that age as well. The artwork in this graphic novel is sublime, right down to the cigarette butts & pizza crusts on the ground. #LGBTQ #comics
In this Where‘s Waldo-type two-page spread, I not only enjoyed looking for the novel‘s three protagonists wandering through the Met, but I also enjoyed recognizing various artworks, especially the Neolithic-era pot… because the Mesopotamia/ Neolithic to Bronze Age pottery section is what I look for first in any art history museum. 👌
This dynamic graphic novel brought back many bittersweet memories of my own trips to NYC in high school/college with friends. The energy that the authors bring to the page with their artwork/story captures so much of what it‘s like to be in the city, the motion of the traffic and subway, the smells and lights, the unexpected connections/interactions with strangers. ⬇️
I've enjoyed other Mariko & Jillian Tamaki collaborations in the past, & Mariko Tamaki's solo works (all YA), so I was the ideal audience for this non-YA graphic novel. I loved the artwork; so many panels were kinetic & lively & and you could feel the energy behind the characters' feelings. The story is great; relatable & nostalgic, & I loved the way you can feel both their joy & trepidation about seeing NY & getting tangled up in each other.