At A Crossroads: Between A Rock And My Parents' Place (2008) - Plot & Excerpts
It's a really cute book about not really knowing what to do after college. Definitely relatable as an artist or a 20-something year old. She comes home to work on her book thinking it'll only take three months. And runs into people she knew in highschool wondering what she's doing back in town. Sometimes it seems like everyone you know is zooming past you and figuring their lives out. But it's not necessarily what you want. The significant other, the 9 to 5 job, and the debt to go with that life. Pretty heartwarming and honest. A quick read. I hesitate to call this a graphic novel, because it's really more of a slice of life memoir that's illustrated. Don't get me wrong it's not a bad thing, but after reading books like Lucy Knisley's French Milk and To Timbuktu: Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story I guess I expect a bit more out of a diary comic, something with a story to it. Instead Kate takes us through her year living at home with her parents after touring Japan and it's her everyday life that she illustrates. While again it isn't a bad thing, I just don't get anything that I can connect with or learn from.I also don't really care for the script chosen for lettering. It's in cursive and at some points I have to struggle to decipher the writing or to find the writing when it's hidden in the background. The illustrations are pretty good for a self taught artist using watercolors, which is one of the most difficult mediums to master. The colors are vibrant, crisp and clear and make reading the excerpts from the diary a bit more interesting.To me...I just can't connect with the author and so the book falls flat for me. I'm sure there are some folks that will enjoy it, but its just not my cup of tea.
What do You think about At A Crossroads: Between A Rock And My Parents' Place (2008)?
