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toebean5's review against another edition
3.0
This is a bit of a tough one to "rate" because I absolutely LOVE her drawing style, from the abstract-ish faces to the lovely watercolor usage. And while I have to remind the traditional part of me that memories and vignettes are a perfectly viable way of describing a life- that it doesn't have to be a chronological "story"- I just didn't feel like there was enough here. There were some sweet moments, and she seems like a person I would like, but I just wanted more.
mallorieedward's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
mollygoods's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting, comic style short stories. Honestly was a bit confused by the first few stories but that may be what urges me to continue reading and since they were amusing and quick, read it in one setting.
meghan111's review against another edition
3.0
I've never come across comics where people's faces are drawn in the style used here - very minimal with just eyes and mouth floating there with no outline. The panels are similarly undefined and floating, while the memoirish stories have a wandering tone, unified around New York City, walking around, restaurants. I liked this collection.
glennwe's review against another edition
5.0
Each story in Present is compellingly and thoughtfully told, and it's clear that great care went into each scene sketched or painted. No line, color, or piece of text in the book is superfluous, and Stein's creativity shines throughout the whole thing.
trekbicycles's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and minimalist, though at times hard to follow. I loved seeing Leslie navigate young adulthood without all the romanticism and heroic triumph. My favorite story was definitely about the beauty of walking to clear the mind!
saidtheraina's review against another edition
3.0
Wow, this book is ALL about the form. forget the function.
I mean, the content is accessible enough (if my "i've had this book checked out for five months because pandemic" memory of reading it is at all accurate). Daily life things (see "read with" list below).
But these illustrations are something new.
First of all, the cover has cutouts (the circles around each figure).
And throughout the book, Stein plays with lots of different ways of getting marks on a page. Mostly brightly colored.
Her palette is unusual - is it weird to say it feels... young?
Her figures are (as others have and will note) mostly noseless, and virtually always jawline-/facial outlineless.
There are no panels. Or speech bubbles.
Stein uses some manga-adjacent symbology, if I'm not mistaken.
Which all left me with the effect of the author/protagonist character floating along through life, detached from and connected (at the same time) to everything.
It's quite the mood.
read with:
[a: Julia Wertz|939900|Julia Wertz|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1456414879p2/939900.jpg]
[b: Our Cats are More Famous Than Us: A Johnny Wander Collection|32478499|Our Cats Are More Famous Than Us A Johnny Wander Collection|Ananth Hirsh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478083524l/32478499._SX50_.jpg|53069064]
[b: Dragon's Breath: And Other True Stories|20702420|Dragon's Breath and Other True Stories|Mari Naomi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398195210l/20702420._SX50_.jpg|32585755]
And a bunch of NYC-based autobiographical stuff that is slipping my mind at the moment.
Oh and, [b: Asterios Polyp|4070095|Asterios Polyp|David Mazzucchelli|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327877671l/4070095._SX50_.jpg|4117200] (which I'm extremely proud to admit that I spelled right on my first try) for some aesthetic similarity.
I mean, the content is accessible enough (if my "i've had this book checked out for five months because pandemic" memory of reading it is at all accurate). Daily life things (see "read with" list below).
But these illustrations are something new.
First of all, the cover has cutouts (the circles around each figure).
And throughout the book, Stein plays with lots of different ways of getting marks on a page. Mostly brightly colored.
Her palette is unusual - is it weird to say it feels... young?
Her figures are (as others have and will note) mostly noseless, and virtually always jawline-/facial outlineless.
There are no panels. Or speech bubbles.
Stein uses some manga-adjacent symbology, if I'm not mistaken.
Which all left me with the effect of the author/protagonist character floating along through life, detached from and connected (at the same time) to everything.
It's quite the mood.
read with:
[a: Julia Wertz|939900|Julia Wertz|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1456414879p2/939900.jpg]
[b: Our Cats are More Famous Than Us: A Johnny Wander Collection|32478499|Our Cats Are More Famous Than Us A Johnny Wander Collection|Ananth Hirsh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1478083524l/32478499._SX50_.jpg|53069064]
[b: Dragon's Breath: And Other True Stories|20702420|Dragon's Breath and Other True Stories|Mari Naomi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398195210l/20702420._SX50_.jpg|32585755]
And a bunch of NYC-based autobiographical stuff that is slipping my mind at the moment.
Oh and, [b: Asterios Polyp|4070095|Asterios Polyp|David Mazzucchelli|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327877671l/4070095._SX50_.jpg|4117200] (which I'm extremely proud to admit that I spelled right on my first try) for some aesthetic similarity.