Scan barcode
meghan111's review
3.0
When you're a kid, being labeled as special is not necessarily a good thing. In Melissa's case, it means that other kids don't like her much and teachers think that she doesn't understand anything. Her outspokenness and eccentric ways are often misunderstood as she struggles to fit in. Blocky black and white illustrations give this semi-autobiographical comic a homemade feel, as it describes the author's childhood as somewhat harsh but with moments of occassional joy. Fans of Lynda Barry's cartooning as well as those who enjoy memoirs of childhood will enjoy this read: Escape from Special by Miss Lasko-Gross
saidtheraina's review
2.0
One more semi-autobiographical graphic novel telling of the author's childhood as an other. I'm still feeling a bit conflicted about this one. On the one hand, I liked the illustration style - instead of the spare drawings I usually enjoy, this is rich illustration. And I found the author's childhood fascinating - she keeps switching schools, seems to be raised by hippies, and has trouble reading. She's constantly torn between hating/disdaining the other kids at school, and wanting to be accepted by them (something I think everyone deals with).
But I wanted more analysis. More narration and exposition. Maybe I'm too much of a modernist, but I wanted to know more about her parents, why she changed schools all those times - I guess a little bit of an adult perspective on her experiences. The story is told in extremely disconnected vignettes which I suspect were released in newspapers or something similar. I think they're roughly chronological, but it was hard to tell. I wasn't even sure how old she was in many of the snatches. I'm intrigued to read the second volume of Lasko-Gross' work to see if her storytelling style changes at all.
I may have to sit on this one for a while.
But I wanted more analysis. More narration and exposition. Maybe I'm too much of a modernist, but I wanted to know more about her parents, why she changed schools all those times - I guess a little bit of an adult perspective on her experiences. The story is told in extremely disconnected vignettes which I suspect were released in newspapers or something similar. I think they're roughly chronological, but it was hard to tell. I wasn't even sure how old she was in many of the snatches. I'm intrigued to read the second volume of Lasko-Gross' work to see if her storytelling style changes at all.
I may have to sit on this one for a while.
weetziebot's review
4.0
There was little that I didn't love about this honest, thoughtful and hilarious book.
mhall's review
3.0
When you're a kid, being labeled as special is not necessarily a good thing. In Melissa's case, it means that other kids don't like her much and teachers think that she doesn't understand anything. Her outspokenness and eccentric ways are often misunderstood as she struggles to fit in. Blocky black and white illustrations give this semi-autobiographical comic a homemade feel, as it describes the author's childhood as somewhat harsh but with moments of occassional joy. Fans of Lynda Barry's cartooning as well as those who enjoy memoirs of childhood will enjoy this read: Escape from Special by Miss Lasko-Gross
jennybeastie's review
3.0
I really likes the art, and it's a wonderful depiction of the world according to a child. Cool memoir.
ktshpdvndr's review
4.0
4.25 stars - uncomfortably close to my own awkward teenage years. The last 10 pages are the best of the collection and really convey the awfulness of girls that age. I don't miss it, but it feels good to laugh at it now.
teashirts's review
4.0
A quick and easy read despite it's sometimes heavy subject manner, Escape from "Special" contains a series of semi-autobiographical vignettes. The topics are nothing new in the vast world of stories about "weird" kids: a child not fitting in, her parents trying to do what's best (but not always succeeding), and the struggle to become comfortable with oneself. There's not really an ongoing plot, either, so when I finished reading I couldn't help but wonder if there was any real point.
Still, Escape from "Special" is an enjoyable little graphic novel for the reader that's more interested in character and style than plot (as I am). The art style is not what I tend to expect from graphic novels and suits the often confusing and difficult experiences in the lead, Melissa's, life without overwhelming the reader. Melissa herself is also a lovable lead: her little quirks and unique ways of thinking make the book feel very real, not to mention more easy to relate to than your average coming-of-age story.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
Still, Escape from "Special" is an enjoyable little graphic novel for the reader that's more interested in character and style than plot (as I am). The art style is not what I tend to expect from graphic novels and suits the often confusing and difficult experiences in the lead, Melissa's, life without overwhelming the reader. Melissa herself is also a lovable lead: her little quirks and unique ways of thinking make the book feel very real, not to mention more easy to relate to than your average coming-of-age story.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
library_brandy's review
3.0
Read with a fair amount of cringing, knowing exactly where she was coming from. It's a little hard to piece together any sort of narrative--these are a bunch of tiny little snippets, rather than stories or full memories; the book is more montage than memoir. I liked it okay, but wasn't blown away.
ursulamonarch's review
3.0
I have mixed feelings. This book captures so well a specific young feminine rage, horror, and awkwardness that it was hard for me to read in parts. The artwork evolves through the book as the character grows older. I wanted to like this more than I did.