If You'll Have Me by Eunnie (review)
2023; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 77; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2023.a909616
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Asian Culture and Media Studies
ResumoReviewed by: If You'll Have Me by Eunnie Meg Cornell Eunnie If You'll Have Me; written and illus. by Eunnie. Viking, 2023 [336p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593403228 $24.99 Paper ed. ISBN 9780593403235 $17.99 E-book ISBN 9780593403303 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 9-12 Momo, an introverted college student with no dating history under her belt, happens to meet barely dressed, smooth operator PG, who is on her way out from a one-night stand; when they next meet, PG is getting into an altercation at a nightclub with somebody else's girlfriend. Despite these messy warning signs, the crush on PG hits Momo adorably hard, and the two soon begin hanging out. Yet, even if PG seems to reciprocate Momo's crush, it's hard for inexperienced Momo to tune out friends asking what makes her any different from PG's previous conquests about campus. While Momo falters in her faith, PG's deep-seated insecurities rear in turn, bringing up a painful relationship from her past and complicating things with Momo, resulting in delicious, soap-opera tension for the reader. Grappling with the sometimes-uneven nature of queer intimacy and communication issues sits at the core of this refreshing graphic novel romance that centers women-loving-women of color. The art draws on timeless classic shojo and yuri manga elements, with a pastel-to-jewel tone palette of pink, purple, and orange evoking the colors of the 2018 Emily Gwen lesbian pride flag, creating a romantic luminescence in each panel that bathes every embrace in orange-pink sunsets. Not every interaction, however, ends in a swoon or sigh. PG finding Momo in the grocery store buying Lactaid for her IBS brings readers some relatable humor, banking on the often funny disconnect between dreamy romantic fantasies and uncomfortable everyday realities. Fans of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me (BCCB 5/19) and Yuri is My Job! especially will appreciate the differentiated perspectives Momo and PG each provide on dating and sex, along with the pure romance of good gay communication. [End Page 100] Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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