For Christmas, Neil gave me Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O’Malley, of Scott Pilgrim fame. I have read none of the Scott Pilgrim books (though I did see the movie) and I find it vaguely funny that I read his two standalone works first.
Lost at Sea is O’Malley’s first graphic novel. It’s a deeply personal, stream of consciousness fever dream. It’s one of those books where you are not entirely sure what is real and what is imagined, taking place in our reality, but with an ambiguous fantastical flair. The fact we are locked in one character’s head adds to this ambiguity. The novel follows a girl named Rayleigh who is on a road trip up the United States, from California to Canada, with three classmates she barely knows. A shy, pseudo-depressed, and troubled girl, Rayleigh embodies the lost feeling we all go through when straddling that awkward gap from high school to whatever we consider “the real world.” Without giving too much away, there is insecurity in relation to first love that may or may not involve internet romance as well as an inability to see one’s self clearly. Also, there are cats. Lots of cats. And potentially pacts with the devil. It’s a short read and the art is really quite pretty. I really love the colors in the 10-year anniversary edition. It’s a book that’s young at heart and very emotionally charged. I found it very easy to relate to Rayleigh’s feelings. If you’re seeking a zany and touching romp, look no further.
In the future, I will be reviewing O’Malley’s most recent work Seconds. So stay tuned for that nugget.
Neil asked me today if we were living in Siberia. I had no good answer for him. The snow continues to terrorize Boston, a city not entirely prepared to deal with this snowpocalypse. The train keeps breaking down. Getting downtown is a disaster. I’m considering just working from home until April. That would be okay right? Maybe not.
Until next time!
xx
alittlejstillz 
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