Blankets by Craig Thompson

Craig Thompson takes on quite the feat in his book, Blankets.  He tells the story of his first love, but not just any first love . . . his first love written in graphic novel format.  He shares raw intimate details through intricate black and white sketches of a short span of his life . . . feeling different and like an outsider in his teen years, meeting someone he could relate to at a religious camp, and how it felt to fall hopelessly in love.  Throughout the novel, however, it became so much more than just a story of first loves.  It gave us a peek into families . . . the struggles, the complexities, and what helps to keep us grounded.  Relationships of a wide spectrum were incorporated, from parent/child and siblings to simple friendships and with religion.

Blankets has received a multitude of praise.  Because of this widespread love, I knew I had to read it for myself. I quickly fell into the story and closed the book with a sense of sad satisfaction.  Thompson created a beautiful piece of art with his novel . . . a piece of art that goes beyond the pulling of heartstrings with most stories of first love.  In the final pages when Thompson approaches his brother and also when he returned home for the first time in years, there was something there that I could relate to on so many levels.  It was at that time I realized that Thompson captured humanity in a way that pictures or words could not do alone ... but when combined, created a superb illustration of life.

Have you been awed by Blankets?  What impacted you the most?

WARNING:  This is a graphic novel written for an older audience!