CRUSHING by Sophie Burrows
Publication Date: January 11, 2022
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 160
Source: Publisher
Synopsis
She’s lonely and searching for connection. He’s lonely and afraid to reach out.
Life in the big city means being surrounded by connections—making them, missing them, and longing for them. But is finding someone else really the answer to their problems?
Crushing, the stunning debut graphic novel from Sophie Burrows, is a story told in silence; a story without words but bursting with meaning; a story about loneliness and love.
Achingly beautiful, quietly defiant, and full of subtle wit and wisdom, Crushing is a unique meditation on the human condition in the twenty-first century, and a timely examination of young adult life in an age of isolation.
Life in the big city means being surrounded by connections—making them, missing them, and longing for them. But is finding someone else really the answer to their problems?
Crushing, the stunning debut graphic novel from Sophie Burrows, is a story told in silence; a story without words but bursting with meaning; a story about loneliness and love.
Achingly beautiful, quietly defiant, and full of subtle wit and wisdom, Crushing is a unique meditation on the human condition in the twenty-first century, and a timely examination of young adult life in an age of isolation.
MY THOUGHTS
Graphic novels have become a comfort go-to for me during times that I've found it difficult to get lost in reading, but still want to experience the joy of a good story. There is something very soothing about CRUSHING and getting caught up in this story told mostly in pictures and imagining the inner thoughts of the characters as they move through their world.
The characters' stories are both sad and joyful as they relate to the people who come into their lives. Each storyline shows that we are all just complex creatures trying to find our way. I found it all so relatable - the desire for connection, seeking it out, but also shying away from it when you feel comfortable in your solitude.
I really liked the minimal use of color and the emphasis of using the color red to draw the eye, but then also discovering everything happening in the scenes that aren't highlighted with the primary color. Two images that I found the most memorable in CRUSHING are the view of the sky and nature after a long run through the park, and also the image of the man receiving care and compassion from a stranger after an accident - again the solitude and the companionship.
I'm glad to have this book in my collection and I know I'll pick it up often. I hope that other readers will find acknowledgment in CRUSHING in a way that makes them feel comfort as well as compassion.
Disclaimer: I received this promotional copy from the publisher for review consideration. Thoughts and opinions are my own.