Isobel Harrop was actually only 18 when she wrote this (which is mental) and it is a very good graphic novel, especially for a teenage girl. I mean, she's a year older than me and I couldn't make something so wonderful and she should be really proud of it.
The drawing style is very similar to Rookie magazines illustration style which is really gorgeous. I especially liked the drawings done over photographs as it gave a lot of texture to the drawings. I did find the endless drawings of faces a little repetitive and I sort of skipped over those parts which was a shame.
Some parts of this book were laugh-out-loud funny which never ever happens to me. It was wonderfully insightful about A Levels and living in the UK and being a late teenager. I don't know how great it would be if you weren't one of these people.
"It's not that I haven't done my homework. It's just playing hard to get."
"I once thought it would be cute/funny/romantic to throw stones at a boy's window but I threw them at the wrong one."
I think I would have liked more on school because I didn't find the parts on boys as relatable as I never really have been boy obsessed and I think the parts on school were more insightful in general as the parts on boys were all emotion based.
There were four chapters: me; friends, otters, college and art; boys; breaking up (I really hope I punctuated that right). The book ended on breaking up which made the ending quite negative which is a shame because it is quite an uplifting book.
I have these very set opinions on what a graphic novel should be and unfortunately, The Isobel Journal did not live up to this. Graphic novels should be something who's natural home is not the bookshelf, but the coffee table and this isn't a coffee table book.
That being said, it did just make me want to make art and art and art because I haven't done much art since GCSE which is such a shame and I hope it's just lack of time as I really hope GCSE art has not put me off art together. It's books like this that make me want to start again.
I gave this three stars. It probably deserves more, I just didn't love it.
If you would like to buy this book (please do) buy it here
The drawing style is very similar to Rookie magazines illustration style which is really gorgeous. I especially liked the drawings done over photographs as it gave a lot of texture to the drawings. I did find the endless drawings of faces a little repetitive and I sort of skipped over those parts which was a shame.
Some parts of this book were laugh-out-loud funny which never ever happens to me. It was wonderfully insightful about A Levels and living in the UK and being a late teenager. I don't know how great it would be if you weren't one of these people.
"It's not that I haven't done my homework. It's just playing hard to get."
"I once thought it would be cute/funny/romantic to throw stones at a boy's window but I threw them at the wrong one."
I think I would have liked more on school because I didn't find the parts on boys as relatable as I never really have been boy obsessed and I think the parts on school were more insightful in general as the parts on boys were all emotion based.
There were four chapters: me; friends, otters, college and art; boys; breaking up (I really hope I punctuated that right). The book ended on breaking up which made the ending quite negative which is a shame because it is quite an uplifting book.
I have these very set opinions on what a graphic novel should be and unfortunately, The Isobel Journal did not live up to this. Graphic novels should be something who's natural home is not the bookshelf, but the coffee table and this isn't a coffee table book.
That being said, it did just make me want to make art and art and art because I haven't done much art since GCSE which is such a shame and I hope it's just lack of time as I really hope GCSE art has not put me off art together. It's books like this that make me want to start again.
I gave this three stars. It probably deserves more, I just didn't love it.
If you would like to buy this book (please do) buy it here
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