this one summer by mariko and jillian tamaki

The huge bummer of the graphic novel is that someone labors for ages over their creation and then you sit down with your pint of Chubby Hubby and make mincemeat of the both of them within the hour. (And the idea that this book in any way condones slut shaming is utterly absurd.) The way she and Windy soak up the opinions and behaviors of those around them, the way they take those messages into themselves, and their burgeoning self-consciousness as they leave childhood behind is honestly and painfully drawn, but never skews preachy. Watching Rose struggle with the idea of wanting to be a 'cool girl,' and of what it means to be seen as a 'bad girl' or 'slut' isn't comfortable, but if feels wholly real. This One Summer beautifully and poignantly captures a particular moment in girlhood when we begin to understand the way the world sees women and begin to make our own judgments about how we wish to be perceived ourselves. If you're looking for grand resolutions or 'boy did I learn my lesson' closure, you won't find it here. Much of the action is observed rather than experienced by the protagonists, but the impact it has on them is deeply felt. The girls want to grow up, but they want to do it in a hyperspecific way, one that allows for freedom and adventure without any of the trappings or burdens of maturity.I rarely write GR reviews, but I almost didn't pick this up because of some of the reviews I've seen, so I wanted to add my five stars. Instead, it holds a promise of a life of boys, sex, breasts and other signifiers of maturity. Their acne and ill-fitting crop tops aren’t associated with the cringe-laced nostalgia that comes with leaving the awkward years behind. Presenting the lives of high schoolers from the other side - that is, seeing their stories from perspective of innocent Rose rather than as jaded adults - makes the lives of teenagers seem foreign and glamorous. They are enhanced by Jillian’s illustrations, a wash of lavender-tinted greys that give the book a hazy vibe. It forces a pacing that encapsulates the lazy anxiousness of growing up. Brief conversations can be spread out over pages whereas major plot points can land in a matter of a few panels.

Deciding to present the story in a graphic novel format allows us to inhabit the worlds of the characters outside of their minds. The story is slow burning, matching the tempo of long, lethargic summer days in which the promise of dramatic change is always impending, always ambiguous. Mariko’s strengths as a writer lie in her subtlety and her ability to convey whole worlds of feeling within a few lines of dialogue. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.

This one summer by mariko and jillian tamaki