W. Doug Bolden

(0-8109-5840-6, 12.95)

Review

A short (110+ pp) graphic novel, largely black and white, that is a compilation of a online comic, details the downs and abouts of the author's dealing with his mom's cancer. It goes back and forth between realistic portrayals of scenes, and things more "comic", but always manages to stay right on focus. His mom's fight against cancer was nothing easy, and usually drug up issues that no one would think about (like his discussion on how saying "I told you so" about smoking to a mom with lung cancer isn't as satisfying as he would have hoped).

Overall, the pacing is fairly standard serious graphic novel, a series of little fast starts with a few pacer pages thrown in to help give one time to absorb and contemplate. Read the whole thing in a few minutes, there was no way I was going to stop in the middle.

The subject matter is pretty rough, but I will say that is very livable. You will not want to die afterwards. You will feel, in its short number of pages, like you know a lot more about the family than you possibly could. And that means a lot, when the little window is that wide open. You find yourself wanting to know more about him. You find yourself sort of hating his sister, but understanding that you might do exactly like her if you needed.

Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a light story. But, for the way it handled a deep, heavy story...it is doubly recommended as one of the best I have ever seen on such topics.