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natalieshinobu's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
carrionlibrarian's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was really well written and drawn but God Damn do I not miss being this age!
kylieve's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
jjwhite33's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
spenkevich's review against another edition
4.0
The shift from adolescence into adulthood is often a jarring, bumpy ride where old friends and former feelings of selfhood can get bounced off down the road. The awkwardness of a reunion vacation with a high school best friend after beginning to grow apart down separate paths in college is brought to life in Roaming, a gorgeous and somber YA graphic novel from cousin-duo Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki. Capturing the spirit of a vacation gone wrong as friendships erode, Roaming quietly sneaks into your heart and pulls all the heartstrings in its bittersweet slice-of-life story.
As they so brilliantly did in [b:This One Summer|18465566|This One Summer|Mariko Tamaki|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456895195l/18465566._SX50_.jpg|26123543]), Roaming handles a lot of heavy themes through quotidian and understated narratives and presents them through art that uses a limited color palette but really explores the possibilities of visual storytelling with shifts into surrealism or full page spreads that create a montage effect. We follow friends Zoe and Dani’s reunion for a trip to Manhattan, but Fiona—a “friend” of Dani’s who has tagged along—and her strong personality starts to come between the two as she sways the trip to center herself. All the uncomfortable feelings of being out of place—both in physical space such as lost amidst the big city but also in time feeling the close friendship of the past slipping away—are captured so well.
What works best here is the subtleties of the story. While Fiona is overtly a jerk and we can all feel for Dani being left out and distanced from her own best friend by Fiona and Zoe’s budding romance, its the small quips themselves that seem to speak the loudest. Fiona making Dani ashamed for what she enjoys, for instance, such as undercutting her enjoyment of the museum for being privileged Western propaganda, starts to reveal not only her narcissism but also the lengths she’ll go to appear cool, confident with unblemished tastes because inside she is just as lost and directionless as everyone else (her insistance on not looking at maps to not “look like tourists” is, in a way, a metaphor of how she lives her life). But I also enjoyed the slowburn arc of Zoe, who is also clearly sifting through a sense of self to understand her own queer identity and direction, being drawn to Fiona (and casting aside Dani in the process who now seems a bit embarrassing) but then realizing that sort of “cool” is not as desirable when she sees the consequences.
Ultimately, this story just felt real. It feels awkward, it feels embarrassing, it feels like trying to grow up and make mistakes and trying to connect your past to your present in hopes it will be an arrow to a future. Its a story that makes you feel the growing pains. The ending, or rather the abrupt finish to the story, is really impressively orchestrated. There is no resolution because, especially during the early college years, we have no resolution of self and only a continuous, amorphous process. Nothing here really comes to a quotable resolve, but we can feel the shift in each character. And that’s life. And I love that the Tamaki cousins can capture it so beautifully.
The art is gorgeous here too. I particularly like the experimentation it uses, capturing montage moments that reflect a slow and ponderous passage of time, or city views that really emphasize how small they feel in their own lives. But most impressive was a late scene where a conversation between Dani and Zoe over a shared joint transports the imagery back a few years to their high school selves during a house party while the dialogue remains in the present. We really get a better insight into who they were not so long ago and the sudden return to the present really puts in sharp contrast the selves they were with the selves they are trying to be.It’s a really moving moment and shows they can take visual media to exciting places that show more than they tell.
Roaming was a bit hit for me. I love how quiet and understated it was yet still able to really move me to the core. I think a lot of this one really hit home though, and while I felt a strong empathetic familiarity with Zoe there have been moments in life where I was the Dani in a situation. I’ve never been cool enough to be the Fiona but I’ve definitely been an asshole so maybe? Either way, this is a great slice-of-life that tackles a lot of themes around growing pains and I’ll probably be thinking about this one for awhile.
4/5
As they so brilliantly did in [b:This One Summer|18465566|This One Summer|Mariko Tamaki|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456895195l/18465566._SX50_.jpg|26123543]), Roaming handles a lot of heavy themes through quotidian and understated narratives and presents them through art that uses a limited color palette but really explores the possibilities of visual storytelling with shifts into surrealism or full page spreads that create a montage effect. We follow friends Zoe and Dani’s reunion for a trip to Manhattan, but Fiona—a “friend” of Dani’s who has tagged along—and her strong personality starts to come between the two as she sways the trip to center herself. All the uncomfortable feelings of being out of place—both in physical space such as lost amidst the big city but also in time feeling the close friendship of the past slipping away—are captured so well.
What works best here is the subtleties of the story. While Fiona is overtly a jerk and we can all feel for Dani being left out and distanced from her own best friend by Fiona and Zoe’s budding romance, its the small quips themselves that seem to speak the loudest. Fiona making Dani ashamed for what she enjoys, for instance, such as undercutting her enjoyment of the museum for being privileged Western propaganda, starts to reveal not only her narcissism but also the lengths she’ll go to appear cool, confident with unblemished tastes because inside she is just as lost and directionless as everyone else (her insistance on not looking at maps to not “look like tourists” is, in a way, a metaphor of how she lives her life). But I also enjoyed the slowburn arc of Zoe, who is also clearly sifting through a sense of self to understand her own queer identity and direction, being drawn to Fiona (and casting aside Dani in the process who now seems a bit embarrassing) but then realizing that sort of “cool” is not as desirable when she sees the consequences.
Ultimately, this story just felt real. It feels awkward, it feels embarrassing, it feels like trying to grow up and make mistakes and trying to connect your past to your present in hopes it will be an arrow to a future. Its a story that makes you feel the growing pains. The ending, or rather the abrupt finish to the story, is really impressively orchestrated. There is no resolution because, especially during the early college years, we have no resolution of self and only a continuous, amorphous process. Nothing here really comes to a quotable resolve, but we can feel the shift in each character. And that’s life. And I love that the Tamaki cousins can capture it so beautifully.
The art is gorgeous here too. I particularly like the experimentation it uses, capturing montage moments that reflect a slow and ponderous passage of time, or city views that really emphasize how small they feel in their own lives. But most impressive was a late scene where a conversation between Dani and Zoe over a shared joint transports the imagery back a few years to their high school selves during a house party while the dialogue remains in the present. We really get a better insight into who they were not so long ago and the sudden return to the present really puts in sharp contrast the selves they were with the selves they are trying to be.It’s a really moving moment and shows they can take visual media to exciting places that show more than they tell.
Roaming was a bit hit for me. I love how quiet and understated it was yet still able to really move me to the core. I think a lot of this one really hit home though, and while I felt a strong empathetic familiarity with Zoe there have been moments in life where I was the Dani in a situation. I’ve never been cool enough to be the Fiona but I’ve definitely been an asshole so maybe? Either way, this is a great slice-of-life that tackles a lot of themes around growing pains and I’ll probably be thinking about this one for awhile.
4/5
jwinchell's review against another edition
5.0
This story takes place in 2009 NYC, but for me this type of experience was in the late 90s and on the west coast or in Iowa City. I remember so vividly making friends in early college and being ok with whoever came along. There was always the one "friend" who was pretty much a bitch but played it off like you were too sensitive, who was secretive and into substance abuse, who you admired for their free expression and also because they helped you get away with something. But then you realize they are a hot mess and full of shame and put the blame on you.. dysfunctional and all of their problems sublimated because they are insecure. Sometimes I was that person. And many other times, I was sucked into that person's vibe and always got hurt. I love the Tamaki's vibe in this beautiful book - so many scenes of movement and just being.
krhe's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hostia qué daño. No sé qué ha sido ese final pero just damn.
eli_like_a_lie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
the only thing knocking this off the 5 ★ is the fact that ending felt, unfinished. Not always a bad thing and maybe in a couple months looking back on it i'll appreciate it, but for right now it just feels like someone ripped the last chapter out of the book.