Reviews

When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job?: Parenting and the Creative Muse by Richy K. Chandler

geekwayne's review against another edition

4.0

'When Are You Going to Get a Proper Job?: Parenting and the Creative Muse' with words and art by Richy K. Chandler is a graphic novel about the challenges of having a creative muse and limited time to do anything with it.

Tariq is a stay at home dad. His wife holds down a good job and Tariq loves his daughter. Tariq is also trying to get his career as an artist going, but with the demands of parenting, he has little time to be creative. This book is his character working that out with other people and himself.

It's an interesting inner monologue between this character and his creative muse. At no point does he consider letting parenting take a back seat, and I applaud that. He does find some creative solutions. The art wasn't my favorite, but it worked for the story.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Singing Dragon, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

ljrinaldi's review against another edition

4.0

I almost passed this book by. The thought of another self-help book, telling how to raise your kids. Please, I am so over that, and besides, my kid is grown and out the door.

But then, I read the description, that this was a graphic novel take on it, and then I read the book itself, and fell in love with Tariq and is little fiery muse.

This story is so close to how it is for any freelancer, who wants to do some sort of art for their own pleasure. As someone who writes, it is hard to find the time to do the art form you enjoy while raising kids. The voices that discuss this, and the actions that happen to Tariq in the book, reflect all the different ways to solve this problem.

I like the solutions demonstrated, and enjoyed reading the story as well. Well done.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.