Blankets

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Graphic novels are especially impressive because they must portray characters from an endless array of angles, and in this case, we recognize a character as he grows over a period of years. Moreover, we are feeling that character struggle with the promises and constraints of his religion and the actual manifestation of those teachings that he can see. When Craig’s pastor suggests he consider a religious calling, Craig seriously contemplates the idea.

Through his teen years, he continues to find it hard to fit in with his peers, but at Bible camp one winter, he comes to associate with a group of outcast teens which includes a girl named Raina, who develops an interest in Craig. The two become inseparable, and continue their relationship through letters and phone calls. They arrange to spend two weeks together at Raina's home in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. a b Sims, Zach (October 3, 2006). "Library trustees to hold hearing on novels". Marshall Democrat-News. Archived from the original on September 13, 2016 . Retrieved October 8, 2006. Lots of little penises on display here as well, and, later, some fantastic nipples. This is a YA or an adult read and not appropriate for younger readers). Contrary jerkoff party of 1? I’m here I’m here! While a 3 Star rating is most definitely a perfectly fine rating – in this case I am one of a handful amongst my friends who dared to not give 4 or 5. Allow me a moment to ‘splain myself. If I were judging solely on the artwork I would break the GR rating system and allot Blankets 10. I mean seriously it begins right at the cover . . . Graphic novels are basically non-existent in my literary diet, so it’s difficult for me to review this one. I really have no ‘gold standard’ against which to compare. However, I can say that I found this one impressive. As Craig leads us through his path from childhood to adulthood, many themes are examined. Tough themes. The things that happen to us and make us who we are today. Nothing is brushed over lightly, including religious fundamentalism, child abuse, bullying, divorce, disabilities, faith, and first love. Thank goodness for those special people in our lives who help us to make it through the torment of childhood and the teen years. But even those relationships have their trials and mistakes, and at some point good things may come to an end. ‘First love’ has a certain connotation to it, doesn’t it? It’s not something I’d want to live through again, that’s for sure. Despite the sweetness of the term, it can be confusing and agonizing whether it ends abruptly or fades away slowly.The graphic novel drops into lower gear here and we see the quality of the intellect behind the work. Craig’s thinking and research into the Bible is Jesuitical, deep and challenging, and he is left with too many unanswered questions and lingering doubts. Different mentorship probably would have produced a different result. This portion of the book is careful, allowing Craig to slip away, leaving the door to his family open, and conflict at bay. Thompson has continued his remarkable success, and in 2011 Pantheon Books published Habibi, a book Thompson had begun working on in 2004 after traveling in Europe for a time. Influenced by Arabic calligraphy and Islamic mythology, Thompson tells us "I'm playing with Islam in the same way I was playing with Christianity in Blankets.” [ Wiki]. This graphic novel is a real beauty !! I read it together with my teenage daughter and closing the book we both had a lump in the throat..... I would have liked to enter in the book and scramble with tenderness those two children, I found myself kidnapped in following their growth, melancholy in the face for their pain and mistreatment, happy for the first positive encounters and ecstatic for the first true tenderness of love with a girl.

Laura and Ben: Raina's adopted sister and brother, both of whom are mentally disabled. Ben is a far more quiet and collected person, whereas Laura is far more energetic. It's implied that Ben has Down syndrome; Laura's disability is not specified, but she functions at the level of a very young child. This book is a masterpiece of form, symbol, and structure. Tokens bend and writhe and carry narrative significance throughout. Thompson's art here is fluid and is of that less-polished variety found also in Goodbye Chunky Rice and serves well to establish the variety of moods described in his several vignettes. Anyway this graphic novel starts off as another retelling of that first kind of story. It almost felt cliche to me. The only thing that held my interest was the artwork which is beautifully lively and yet subtle, throughout the book. Thompson's illustrated avatar acts, at all times, with striking realism and the chaos of his thoughts is entirely believable—if not exactly illustrative of the average meditative development. The Thompson that frets and plays in Blankets—we'll call him Craig— is highly introspective and acts often in the heat of his youthful emotional turmoil, rather than from a simple, sensible motivation. And though one may often wish to chastise him for such sillinesses, his youthful passion and pendular over-reactions will more than likely endear Craig to readers as they recognize more than a little of themselves in him. That night was colder than the last, and the extra layer – held close to my body – was just what I needed. Sometimes, upon waking, the residual dream can be more appealing than reality, and one is reluctant to give it up. For a while, you feel like a ghost – not fully materialized, and unable to manipulate your surroundings. Or else, it is the dream that haunts you … “

Then he meets a girl. At Christian Camp. Her name is Raina. She is beautiful and obviously really likes Craig. Wow. Every bit as earthshaking and meaningful as Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, this graphic novel by Craig Thompson published in 2003 by Top Shelf is one thoughtful Americans do not want to miss. Christian evangelical notions of life on earth and what comes after are a huge part of the narrative of our nation. Even today when our population is more diverse than ever, the history of these core beliefs within our citizenry continue to affect the direction of our politics. Oh Raina, you little dreamer. I can’t help but feel you would be best friends with all of John Green’s heroines. I feel saying whether I loved these illustrations will be redundant because it’s safe to say I love all illustrations.

I grew up in this strict religious household where media was censored, but somehow violent media was not discouraged. So I grew up with all the Arnold films— Commando, Predator, all that stuff—that was all allowed to be consumed in the house, but anything that had a hint of sexuality was immediately shut down. For instance, Tom Hanks’ Big, I never saw that as a kid, because it’s implied that he had sex.I love books, whether they’re written or graphic, that present all the pieces but leave the reader to put them together. Space Dumplins is my most overlooked book. I don’t think anyone read that book. I don’t think my existing readers really knew it existed, or they weren’t interested in a full-color, kid-friendly book from me. It wasn’t the genre they wanted to see me work in. I maybe should have made it a trilogy. But instead, I have this book that seems to be invisible. I will say immediately that Thompson does not give answers to these questions. I do not finish the novel knowing. Actually, I finish the novel not really even knowing what to think, or how to think. Rather, I am immersed in feeling. “Blankets” is one of its own titular objects – the language and art wrap around me as I read, muting the harshness of the outside. Thompson takes me in and makes me experience the memories, the cold, the internal conflict. It’s honestly hard to describe. (I’m clearly struggling here – how do I express with words what art does to the way I feel, without destroying that very feeling with particularities?) Some people think it’s a completely depressing ending, some people think it’s a beautiful, hopeful ending. I think of it as hopeful. And that’s what I sort of envy about the author who wrote that book. I think there’s a youthful, energetic enthusiasm—there’s a positivity in that book that maybe I don’t have in my more current work, which has become a little more cynical. Blankets. Pod śnieżną kołderką (Polish edition) ISBN 83-922963-7-0, Timof i Cisi Wspólnicy, December 2006