3 Women Graphic Novelists You Need to Add to Your TBR

Jessica Abel’s La Perdita

Summary: Carla, a young American woman estranged from her Mexican father, travels to Mexico City seeking connection and belonging. Her idealism collides with harsh realities as her naïve romanticism puts her in danger.
Why We Love It: Spanglish dialogue, gritty storytelling, and a candid look at the ethics of “authentic” travel.

Buy the book here.

The Best We Could Do – Thi Bui

Summary: Thi Bui’s illustrated memoir traces her family’s escape from post-war Vietnam and their resettlement in the U.S. By excavating her family history, she explores intergenerational trauma and what it means to belong.

In an interview with Mother Jones, she said: “I grew up with a sense of loss of a country that should have been mine but wasn’t… I always imagine there’s a hole in my chest the shape of Vietnam. And there were times that the displacement felt like the wind blowing through.”

What We Like: Sepia tones and shadows, realistic depictions of second-gen immigrant experience.

You can find the author here.

Woman, Life, Freedom – by Marjane Satrapi

Summary: In response to the unjust death of Mahsa Jina Amini by the “morality” police in Iran, Satrapi (author of Persepolis) curates a powerful graphic collection featuring stories and art by different activists, artists, and academics demanding justice.

What We Like: A chorus of styles and perspectives, bold and creative non-fiction.