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A review by carleesi
Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir by Maggie Thrash
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
I feel uncomfortable writing this review because it is the author’s memoir of her youth and it’s her story to tell. She doesn’t seem to see the relationship she depicts as problematic - in fact, the only character who calls the adult who flirts with a 15 year old a predator is horrifically homophobic so her assessment is clearly undermined by that.
As an adolescent coming of age/discovering of sexuality this was a powerful story. For me it falls into the same category as Call Me By Your Name. As a queer woman I know it’s harder to find yourself as an adolescent, but that makes queer adolescents far more vulnerable and this story seemed to be an example of that.
The author’s insecurities and anxieties about the predatory relationship highlight the age and maturity difference. The need to be seen as older and mature, the constant feeling that the child didn’t do “enough”, the self-doubt about when to make a move.
Even the conversation at the end when they are 17 and 21 was just so uncomfortable. One is talking about teaching high level mathematics at college while the other is talking about failing her SATs.
I would absolutely read more by this author. I loved her illustrations and my heart ached for the young Maggie she depicted in this book, the bullying, the homophobia, the confusion, the fear, the joy. I wish it had been an entirely unrequited crush and not… whatever it was
As an adolescent coming of age/discovering of sexuality this was a powerful story. For me it falls into the same category as Call Me By Your Name. As a queer woman I know it’s harder to find yourself as an adolescent, but that makes queer adolescents far more vulnerable and this story seemed to be an example of that.
The author’s insecurities and anxieties about the predatory relationship highlight the age and maturity difference. The need to be seen as older and mature, the constant feeling that the child didn’t do “enough”, the self-doubt about when to make a move.
Even the conversation at the end when they are 17 and 21 was just so uncomfortable. One is talking about teaching high level mathematics at college while the other is talking about failing her SATs.
I would absolutely read more by this author. I loved her illustrations and my heart ached for the young Maggie she depicted in this book, the bullying, the homophobia, the confusion, the fear, the joy. I wish it had been an entirely unrequited crush and not… whatever it was
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Lesbophobia