Review: Something New

Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride
By Lucy Knisley
First Second, 2016. 292 pages. Graphic Novel.

Graphic novelist Lucy Knisley opens a window to her life for us once again, this time as she navigates the minefield of planning her own wedding. A simple celebration of love with her friends and family sounds easy enough to put together in a year, right? Easier said than done, turns out. Wedding planning is fraught with of cultural, familial, and commercial expectations, and sifting through it all is a bigger job than the the author and her groom-to-be realized. Lucy shares it all, from proposal to wedding day - and all the bumps in between - with her relatable, honest humor.

 As a fan of Knisley's past work, I was pretty keen on reading this book. While I'm not married or anywhere near becoming engaged, I've been a part of several weddings so I had no trouble giggling or cringing along to these hilarious anecdotes. It's easy to relate to Knisley's tales thanks to her easy-going and accessible storytelling, and her quest to create a meaningful wedding focused on her marriage, not just the party, will resonate with brides or bridegrooms past and present. If you're new to Knisley's work, she loves food (check out her book Relish: My Life in the Kitchen) and as one of the between-chapter interludes she includes a recipe for poutine (fries with cheese and gravy). PS. It's delicious.

This review first appeared on the blog Provo City Library Staff Reviews

Review: Above the Dreamless Dead

Above the Dreamless Dead: World War I in Poetry and Comics
by Chris Duffy (Editor)
First Second, 2014. 144 pages. Graphic Novel, Poetry


Above the Dreamless Dead brings together World War I poetry and interpretive illustrations by contemporary cartoonists. Edited by New York Times-bestselling editor Chris Duffy, this collection includes twenty poems and other works by thirteen prominent Trench Poets (thus called as many were soldiers writing from the front lines), including Rudyard Kipling, Wilfred Owen, and Thomas Hardy.

Already gripping and evocative, these timeless works have been beautifully re-imagined by incredibly talented artists. Each cartoonist’s style lends itself perfectly to the work illustrated: Hunt Emerson’s caricature-like style brings out the humor of solider songs; Hannah Berry gives a face to the ploughman of Edward Thomas’ “The Private”; while George Pratt’s expressive drawings capture the drama and gravity of Wilfred Owen’s poems. As a fan of World War I poetry and illustration, this book was absolutely perfect, a must-have for my personal library. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry, graphic novels, illustration, and/or World War I history. Even if you only like one of those topics, or none of them, you should treat yourself to this work of art.




This review first appeared on the blog Provo City Library Staff Reviews