Saturday, July 29, 2023

Every Day: The Graphic Novel

Every Day: The Graphic Novel
By David Levithan, Illustrated by Dion MBD
Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 198 pages. Young Adult Graphic Novel

A graphic novel adaptation of the groundbreaking, beloved New York Times' bestselling novel about a teen who wakes up in a different body each day and the love that eludes them. Every morning A wakes in a different person's body, in a different person's life, learning over the years to never get too attached, until he wakes up in the body of Justin and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone they want to be with--day in, day out, day after day. But can Rhiannon love someone who is destined to change every day?

The premise of this story intrigued me the first time I heard about the movie adaptation of the original.  And finally getting time to read it, and in graphic novel form, no less, was a real treat!  I've not read the book or watched the movie and I understood what was going on in the story perfectly, though I'm not sure how closely it follows the plot of the original book.  The art style is appealing and matches the story well, the panels are well-spaced and the progression through the story seemed natural.  I really appreciated the representation of the depression one girl feels as a dark haze or smoke-like animal hanging around her; it seemed a very poetic way of depicting it, and did a good job of showing her emotions rather than telling.  The author's exploration of what it means to be human and what it means to be in a relationship is a timeless message, and one I would recommend to anyone feeling detached from the world or looking for deeper meaning in their life.

If you like Every Day: The Graphic Novel, you might also like:

By Rainbow Rowell
St. Martin's Griffin, 2014. 328 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits--smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

By Joe Kelly
Image Comics, 2014. 184 pages. Graphic Novel

Barbara Thorson, a girl battling monsters both real and imagined, kicks butt, takes names, and faces her greatest fear.



ERB

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