howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)

 I've really enjoyed all of Debbie Tung's other comic books, so when I realized there was a new one out I hadn't read yet, I immediately picked it up. I didn't realize going into it that this book would hold a much more serious and heavy tone than her other collections, but wow, it was so good.

Everything Is OK delves into the author's experiences with being diagnosed with depression and anxiety, all the way from hitting rock bottom to where she is now, which is thankfully in a stable, healthier place. As someone who has dealt with my own mental illnesses (including depression and anxiety) since childhood, and is now in a pretty stable and healthy place as well, I felt like I was looking in a mirror and it was kind of the bookish equivalent of being wrapped in a warm, solid hug by someone who fully understood where I've been and how far I've come, and I loved that.

I think it's incredibly brave and beautiful of Tung to open up to her readers like this, and I'm grateful that she did. I love that she even included segments of her therapy appointments, including specific advice that she was given that could help anyone reading this book, too. I'd recommend this for anyone who struggles with mental illness, regardless of where you're at in your journey, and I'm so happy I read it! ♥ 

 This started off strong, but by the 30% mark, it began to feel so repetitive that I wasn't getting enough out of it to justify continuing. I did really enjoy the sentiment on how many people have been conditioned to view all hardships as personal attacks these days, buuuut I definitely rolled my eyes at some of the outdated comments thrown in like "Halloween costumes can't be that offensive", etc.
 

 This was okay, just not particularly funny or memorable. There were definitely some very relatable moments, but most of the jokes had been done so many times before that they weren't amusing anymore. I don't not recommend this book, I just probably will completely forget I ever read it after I finish typing this review. 🤷‍♀️
 

 I think the problem with my experience reading this book is that I went into it expecting more humor and less over-the-top sweetness, which is totally fine — it just wasn't what I was looking for, necessarily! It definitely reminds me of a handful of other very cutesy slice-of-life positivity comics featuring animals, though I can think of a lot of other comic strips that, in my opinion, just... do it better, unfortunately. There wasn't anything particularly special about When Sharks Attack With Kindness, but it was cute enough that I'd still recommend checking out a copy if you're into this sort of thing.
 

 

This was sad, and lovely, and filled with breathtaking layers of grief: for those we've lost, for the losses we've yet to face, for the pain we've inflicted upon the only Earth we have, and for the pain assuredly yet to come to this brilliant planet. I adored this tiny little seedling of a story, even if it hurt. 

 

What a challenging read, but I'm glad that I read it. I knew a little bit about the history of lobotomies in North American psychiatric hospitals, but I had no idea that so much of the horror of the procedure as we frequently think of it was attributed to one man's desperate need for power and fame.

I thought at first that Freeman's actions could partially be blamed on very misplaced intentions and a desire to help, but reading this take on his life and career makes it evident that the majority of the damage he caused was simply due to his own greedy, over-inflated ego.

On a happier note, Prentice's writing is engaging and quick to read through, and I appreciate the emphasis placed not only on how tragic it is that these people's lives were forever changed or cut short, but also the attention to how misogynistic and racist Freeman's preferences for women and/or Black patients were. The end of the book wonders aloud if we could ever see such grand-scale medical malpractice as the likes of widespread lobotomies, and I'm genuinely chilled to imagine it. 

 

If you've ever wished someone would capture the gorgeous, haunting vibes of an Edgar Allan Poe story and merge it with splatterpunk levels of violence and intensity, you've gotta pick this beauty up.

If you've ever read anything by Jonathan Janz, you're already familiar with his general MO: a lot of violence, a lot of tension, and a lot of heart. The Dismembered follows that pattern in its own way, keeping you on the edge of your seat not only for how intense shit gets but also for how much you genuinely want the characters to make it out unscathed.

Jonathan also excels at throwing a nice little romantic subplot into his horror tales and he always manages to suck me into those, so I was fully invested in the gothic romance playing out in The Dismembered. My heart was in my throat from start to finish worrying over how things would turn out, but I won't spoil the ending for you!

I've loved everything I've read from this author, but this is one of my favorite works of his yet. If you're new to Jonathan Janz's backlog and are wondering where to start, this is an excellent option: it's quick and engaging, beautifully written, and displays exactly what Janz's fanbase loves so much about his writing. 5 stars! 

 This was just okay. I more or less liked the idea of this elderly woman telling a tale from her childhood in this mythical sort of vibe and I enjoyed the clear adoration she held for her brother in their youth, but aside from the commentary on growing up during wartimes, the story as a whole felt entirely unmemorable—one of those tales I probably won't think about again after I finish typing this review.
 

 I have a history of sometimes going "easy" on authors I previously enjoyed, especially indie authors, but I've decided 2023 is the year that ends. I've liked a few of Judith's previous works and had high hopes for this collection, but this book features some of the worst fat-shaming I have ever read. I appreciate the energy that this author puts into fighting other forms of bigotry (namely, anti-queerness and anti-trans rhetoric), but yet again, I have been reminded that even most "progressive" individuals see nothing wrong with vilifying bodies different from their own for no good reason.