Reviews

Flung Out of Space: The Indecent Adventures of Patricia Highsmith, by Grace Ellis

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readinglist's review

4.0

I really enjoyed this and appreciated the foreword that did some contextualizing of Highsmith’s life. I think, after reading, that I felt more sympathetic to Highsmith than I should (knowing what I know outside of this book). Maybe future editions can include an afterword with more detail of her vile beliefs. Wonderfully written and illustrated, and handled with a lot of care.

kelleycailin's review

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challenging emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review

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challenging hopeful informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Flung Out of Space is a comic book about novelist and comic book writer, Patricia Highsmith. Highsmith was famous for writing Strangers on a Train, the psychological thriller that got turned into a fan loved movie of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock. After writing Strangers on a Train, Highsmith wrote The Price of Salt, which is a book about lesbians that has a happy ending. This was very uncharacteristic for books around the time (1950s).

Highsmith was a not a good person and the author and illustrator let us know in a forward at the beginning of the comic. Highsmith often hit on and cheated with her co-workers female partners, was an out a proud racist, and she was just down right rude to people she interacted with.

I love period pieces and that includes the comic medium. It was interesting to see Highsmith navigate life as a lesbian in 1950's America. Some parts made me feel bad for her, like the parts where

Spoiler

she has psychiatrists telling her that they can "cure" her lesbianism.

Then I remembered that she wasn't really a good person and I had to decide if I still felt bad for her (I did, somewhat).

I really loved the art, it was nice to look at. I enjoyed the information value and the nice aesthetics that this comic has.

I give this comic a 5 out of 5.

Content Warnings

magneto's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

tcgarback's review

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informative inspiring sad medium-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

4.0

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: B+
Personal Score: A-
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)

A little slow, but otherwise fascinating. I love morally shitty characters with complicated struggles, and I love literary history, and I love queer history.

The artwork is terrific, but I’m not much of a critic in that department.

It’s a character study, so I can see some folks thinking it’s a bit dry, especially for a graphic novel. Plus, it’s a touch obvious and simplified at points, but maybe that’s just places where it leans into its medium.

Regardless, I liked this one a lot!

alexao's review

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

elksy's review

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4.5

I loved this snapshot of a pivotal time in Patricia Highsmith's life and career. (Don't read this expecting a full biography!) She has long fascinated me as a compelling though self-loathing, flawed and cranky person, and this fictionalized glimpse captures a lot of what made her interesting, while hinting at parts of her life that didn't fit into this narrative (such as her relationship to her mother, whew).

The art is gorgeously muted and evocative, and the story is a brisk read but satisfying. Now I really have to finish her tome of a biography, The Talented Miss Highsmith...