Blankets by Craig Thompson is a graphic novel of great beauty with sadness in it too.
I am not averse to graphic novels, but have to say that they haven’t been high on my list of priorities when choosing a book to read but that has now changed. I discovered a review of this book near the beginning of the year and it apart from the striking cover, the review had only good things to say.
While at the library last week, I had a look in the graphic novel section on the off chance it would be there, and what luck! There it was. It wasn’t what I was expecting, in the first case, it was a thick book! I had envisioned it being thin and large, yet, it was a tome of a book. Great!
I started reading it as soon as I could, and it was another one of those,that I could not put down. I took me a day to read, in amidst looking after a busy toddler- that is one thing that graphic novels have in their favour, they have pictures and few words, perfect for when you don’t have time to concentrate.
The story line is simple and is a coming-of-age autobiography, the book tells the story of Thompson’s childhood in an Evangelical Christian family, his first love, and his early adulthood. Thompson has said that the novel grew out of a simple idea: to describe what it feels like to sleep next to someone for the first time.
The graphics are beautiful and striking, simple and effective. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend you to read it. It brings back nostalgia for reading picture books, and, that first love.