I love graphic novels in general but it can often be hit or miss because you're trying to condense a fictional novel into short form while trying to eI love graphic novels in general but it can often be hit or miss because you're trying to condense a fictional novel into short form while trying to elicit the same emotional response. The writing and illustrations have to be phenomenal because you’re trying to capture the essence of a story in what is essentially an adult comic. I feel like this author (and illustrator!) nailed it given how heavy the content was. (In addition to the BEAUTIFUL graphics)
What I expected going into this graphic novel: your standard South Asian trope of fitting into the Western high school experience. What actually transpired: Fitting into the high school experience while diving deep into the mental health of the South Asian community.
This novel felt less like a stereotype of multiple tropes and more like the author’s semi-autobiographical experience. Was there a strict immigrant Indian mom? Yes. Was there a closed off emotionally stunted Indian dad? Yes. Was there some very Bollywood filmy slapping? Of course! These presented alone can unfortunately be true but can also easily become a cliche in many books - South Asians are more than these overdone conventions. However�
There was also underage drinking to the point of excess (something that is never mentioned in your usual South Asian literature and also a major issue that is probably happening in our culture and not often discussed at home and in the online South Asian space). There were multiple scenes of personal emotional trauma (TW: self-harm) leading to a pivotal, tough scene (major TW), eliciting discussions of toxic HS experiences (i.e., the negative effects of social media) but also how our culture can affect the psychology of our mind and the harmful ways which we deal with it. Indians born here trying to go through this experience often don’t have the support system to discuss these crucial milestones (whether it’s our parents or counselors/psychiatrists who can't relate to our shared, nuanced experiences) and this graphic novel highlights the importance of not letting our children reach that breaking point. I loved how the strict Indian mother who is embarrassed of her non-conformist daughter grows, even at her age when you think they will not be able to expand their mind or allow for a different mindset. I hope we can show a book like this to our parents and make them feel not ashamed, but valued so we can normalize discussions around these hard topics and use it as a learning opportunity. I know from my experience alone, my parents while they meant well and wanted to see us succeed did not understand the Western school mindset and often they dismissed our feelings when we tell them otherwise. Hopefully, this will lead to more fruitful conversations within our families.
I think some might find the material to be “trauma porn� but to me, it felt very authentic, especially since I have followed this author on social media. Her own personal journey of sobriety has been refreshing to watch and to see how it plays out in the novel is also very genuine. There was so much she could have tackled within our space - colorism, the pressure to get good grades all the time, navigating mixed identities, etc) but she focuses on the matter that felt true to her story. Also, without having to discuss colorism, the illustrations highlighted all the different skin tones of South Asians from dark to light and I definitely appreciated these little subtleties.
I haven’t read a lot of graphic novels in South Asian drama because there really isn't any, but I am so glad we can now add this beauty to the list of graphic novels for adults. This is a must read for all and not just for South Asians and alike. This is not just a good story but a cautionary tale.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review....more
I am a dedicated Finlay fan and I never miss a release. I have always (eyeball) read the books but this is the first time I have listened to the narraI am a dedicated Finlay fan and I never miss a release. I have always (eyeball) read the books but this is the first time I have listened to the narration. I am not sure if the narrators have stayed consistent throughout the series but the voices threw me off because it was not how I pictured Vero sounding or to some extent, Finlay too. The accent was so hard to place. So as I write this review, please take what I say under this lens.
I actually was getting a bit apathetic to the series towards the last book. I was over the Felix storyline and more curious about Vero’s incident that transpired in Maryland (I even read her previously released short story to get some context). I was happy that there were no mob-related storylines in this but disappointed that we were not getting into Vero’s back story�(yet)…it feels like we're dragging out the intrigue until we get to it.
That being said, I actually really enjoyed this novel. Yes, it’s completely outrageous and such a predictable caper but getting to know the nosy neighbor more in the context at which it was presented was a delight. Thank goodness the characters are so lovable because sometimes you cannot believe what is even happening from Cam’s car to Nick’s involvement and everything in between. It’s just a feel good book that keeps you entertained and makes you feel like you could be like Finlay, solving crime in the most ridiculous, but relatable way. I do wish there was more clever dialogue (much like the ones in the first two books) but I do like how the author has moved on from messy, anxiety prone Finlay to one that is actually quite put together and dare I say, bad ass! (She was honestly always a bad-ass mom but seeing her come into her own more here was awesome!).
Moving forward, I will continue to do audio. While the voices weren’t what I was expecting, I found myself laughing out loud at the ridiculousness (but the very best kind of ridiculousness).
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Loading...
