Ghost World is a lovely, quirky, completely authentic graphic novel. It tells the tale of two teenage misfit girls as they wander aimlessly through the suburban dystopia of 1990s America. They are too smart for their own good and their friendship is complex - needy, supportive, and questioning all at the same time. These are the teens that sit at a separate lunch table in high school, mocking the system, unable to find relationships with boys because no one measures up to their expectations, while they are not accepted by the mainstream themselves.
It's been said that the more specific, the more personal the story, the more universal appeal it has. This is certainly true of Ghost World. The characters of Ghost World are so finely drawn, so specific that they are like none you've ever met before. Yet you know exactly who they are. You've seen kids like them. Maybe you were like them.
I have read no other graphic novel that so perfectly illustrates the teen angst of feeling of not fitting in, the aimlessness of adolescence, the pressure-filled senior year of high school. Although these are girls, they could have just have easily been boys - the burden of decision is universal.
This novel touched a nerve and brought me back to the awkward discussions with my friends in high school in which no girl could ever measure up - although none of them were interested in us anyway.
The drawings matched the story perfectly. They were drawn with such care - I particularly enjoyed the detailed drawings of buildings. The lettering and titles are impeccable. There is not a single wasted pen stroke here. Even the blue colors match the mood of the story.
This novel tricks you into thinking it is just some banal teenage banter- until you're drawn into it, surprised by its weight. A must-read for serious graphic novel fans.Get more detail about Ghost World.
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