2003/592 pgs.About the Book: A memoir about teenage Craig, his first love, faith and art.
Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: Blankets is a book I would give someone who says that graphic novels are easy reads. At almost 600 pages, Blankets takes some time to read. Sure, it's a graphic novel, so it reads faster than a 600 page novel, but there are lots of details in the artwork that the reader wants to savor while reading.
Most of the story is about Craig's first love with a girl he meets at a winter church camp, but there are flashbacks to his childhood. Craig is struggling with his art and figuring out what to do after graduation. At camp he meets Raina and the two begin exchanging letters. Craig visits Raina and they spend two weeks together, falling in love, exploring the excitement and nervousness of first love and dealing with the impending end of childhood.
I was easily pulled into the story and read it in one sitting. Thompson's writing style is conversational and the story transports you back to when you were on the cusp of becoming an adult. I felt the ending was lacking a bit-I wanted a bit more resolution, but since this is a memoir, I'm willing to forgive that. Maybe the author hasn't come to any more resolutions or grand realizations so couldn't write about them.
A fantastic graphic novel!
I love this book! Someone brought it to NXT Chapter when we had BYOB (Bring Your Own Book). It's amazing how much can be expressed through the pictures.
ReplyDeleteI liked Blankets, but it was a little emotionally draining to read. The mind of the creative main character, in all his insecure hormonal upheaval, is not a comfy place to be for 592 pages. It's good! I was just relieved (as I'm sure he was) to have gotten through it all. :)
ReplyDeleteJenny-He does get a bit frustrating and I think that's why I wanted more resolution to the story. I wanted some big ephiphany after everything he went through!
ReplyDelete