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marmaladereads's review
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A raw and utterly vulnerable look at gender and addiction. Claire is a teenager growing up in a declining industrial town in the 1980s and struggles with their gender identity and rampant homophobia and transphobia of their surroundings. They turn to binge drinking and end up being sent to a rehab facility for teenagers. Most of the book takes place in rehab. There we meet some of the other teenagers struggling with addiction, and learn of the family circumstances that led them there. For some, those family circumstances land them right back into addiction as soon as they leave rehab.
This book is difficult to read because it shows the tools that are available for dealing with addiction but it doesn't shy away from the challenges, and there are honest depictions of abuse, homophobia and transphobia on page. The art style (pencil and watercolor) also lends itself to the vibe, not feeling very polished but full of emotion. Incredibly powerful and oh so heartbreaking.
The art and the feelings did feel a little incomplete sometimes. There are no answers or reflections, only thoughts and feelings, and the characters didn't all have complete story arcs. Some of the characters could also be a bit hard to distinguish from each other due to the art style. I don't think this is a book that will work for everyone. But this is a great book that would be powerful for anyone going through similar struggles.
This book is difficult to read because it shows the tools that are available for dealing with addiction but it doesn't shy away from the challenges, and there are honest depictions of abuse, homophobia and transphobia on page. The art style (pencil and watercolor) also lends itself to the vibe, not feeling very polished but full of emotion. Incredibly powerful and oh so heartbreaking.
The art and the feelings did feel a little incomplete sometimes. There are no answers or reflections, only thoughts and feelings, and the characters didn't all have complete story arcs. Some of the characters could also be a bit hard to distinguish from each other due to the art style. I don't think this is a book that will work for everyone. But this is a great book that would be powerful for anyone going through similar struggles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Physical abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Domestic abuse and Incest
sokkaspoon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Transphobia, and Alcohol
kaitlinwarwick's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual assault
livlamentloathe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Raw and honest. I struggled with the stylization of the panels and what was going on. I couldn't always tell what was happening or in what order. But I appreciate this hard story. It was a lot. And it never got easier, but it was amazing to watch Claire's growth and self realization.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death and Gaslighting
vaguely_pink's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Constellations covers a lot of important topics and is clearly a labor of love from the author. The main character Claire, a GNC teen growing up in 80s New York, turns to alcohol when their traumas catch up with them and finds themself in rehab. Filled with unique art, Glasheen crafts a semi-autobiographical narrative about found family and finding yourself.
As a fellow product of adolescent IOP programs (albeit for depression, not addiction), the found family story was familiar to me and I felt that the author did justice in their portrayal of how complicated it can feel to forge friendships at the worst time in your life. However, it was at times hard to understand due to the strange narrative flow of the book. It was also not helped by the art style. Although very cool with its watercolor palette and doodle overlays, the art didn't serve a graphic novel particularly well in my opinion. It was often visually cluttered and the facial expressions mismatched the dialogue making for a difficult reading experience. I also found the middle section to be overly preachy at times. Maybe it's because I've been through similar kinds of therapy and have heard the broken records Charlie imbues in his clients many times before, but it often times felt like the main narrative of Claire's story was being overshadowed by detailed lectures from Charlie that didn't seem to progress the narrative at all. As a reader, I'm far more interested in Claire's journey learning those lessons than actually (re)learning them myself.
Constellations' story is important, and maybe I'm not precisely the right audience for it. If you resonate at all with Claire's story, you may find some comfort and validation here. Definitely check trigger warnings beforehand!
**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review eARC**
As a fellow product of adolescent IOP programs (albeit for depression, not addiction), the found family story was familiar to me and I felt that the author did justice in their portrayal of how complicated it can feel to forge friendships at the worst time in your life. However, it was at times hard to understand due to the strange narrative flow of the book. It was also not helped by the art style. Although very cool with its watercolor palette and doodle overlays, the art didn't serve a graphic novel particularly well in my opinion. It was often visually cluttered and the facial expressions mismatched the dialogue making for a difficult reading experience. I also found the middle section to be overly preachy at times. Maybe it's because I've been through similar kinds of therapy and have heard the broken records Charlie imbues in his clients many times before, but it often times felt like the main narrative of Claire's story was being overshadowed by detailed lectures from Charlie that didn't seem to progress the narrative at all. As a reader, I'm far more interested in Claire's journey learning those lessons than actually (re)learning them myself.
Constellations' story is important, and maybe I'm not precisely the right audience for it. If you resonate at all with Claire's story, you may find some comfort and validation here. Definitely check trigger warnings beforehand!
**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review eARC**
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Transphobia, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Child death, Death, Drug use, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
kays_reading_journal's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
3.25⭐️
For starters: this book is heavy, check the content warnings below.
CW: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Transphobia, Child Abuse, Death
This is a story about addiction with a subplot about gender identity- NOT the other way around. With that out of the way, after part 1, I enjoyed this graphic novel. This novel brought up a lot of great conversations about addiction, grief, moving on, and figuring out who you are. There were a lot of great themes and lessons in this and I really enjoyed the character Charlie.
Onto the things I didn’t love: Part 1 just felt odd. I think if it was labeled as a prologue, it would make more sense. At that point, the MC is sort of treating their trauma as a joke for a coping mechanism, so the style is exaggerated. I know a lot of people don’t like dark humor as a coping mechanism, so I just wanted to point that out.
The pacing of this novel could be improved. I think if it was lengthened, the time in rehab could be expanded upon, as well as the time after. The after is just really rushed right now, it felt like the conclusion came too soon.
Overall, if you’re in the right headspace to read a heavy book about addiction and self-discovery, this book will be great. If you if you aren’t in a great headspace, you may enjoy something lighter.
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Transphobia, Outing, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
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