Stitches - David Small

This graphic novel has been around the block a time or two in the blogging world, but seemed like perhaps a good place to start in my exploration of this genre.

I feel like I need to qualify my review of this book. This is only the second graphic novel I've read in my life. Obviously, these books are very visual, and giving opinions on visual makes me feel like an imposter. As if I am trying to talk intelligently about art or something. So this will effectively be musings a layman.

Stitches is an autobiographical story about a seriously dysfunction family. One where mom is angry and doesn't talk much.




















Dad is a radiologist, who routinely x-rays David to rid him of various childhood ailments. Ultimately, it is discovered that these treatments have provided David a cancerous tumor on his neck, which in its removal, also requires the removal of his vocal chords. Of course all of these facts are hidden from David, until he stumbles upon them later. All he knows is that he wakes up without a voice.





















But this is just the tip of the iceberg. There's a homicidal grandmother, as well as other skeletons in the closet that leave their mark on David. It is a miracle the guy made it to adulthood sane and in one piece.

This is a book of few words that speaks volumes. The illustrations, drawn by David himself, are stunning. They are simple and roomy, sometimes depicting only the face of Jesus, or an eyeball. The focus almost feels like cinematography in an artistic indie film...deliberate pauses, restrained pacing, big impact. All in a book that takes about an hour to read.

I think I'm going to like this genre.

4.5 out of 5 stars