I thought this was...fine. There were a lot of details where I was like "oh, that's a clever adaptation" but it didn't really like...move me the way Little Women did?

Spoiler

kinda didn't love Jo getting immediately accidentally knocked up by her boss? like was that supposed to make me like Bhaer more?? This version kinda took Laurie out of the picture, which, fine, but then could we not just have a queer Jo or what

This is a really lovely book, on a sentence-level, and I loved the range of seldom-told historical stories encompassed here. I struggled a bit to understand how all the stories come together, but I do have a known mental block for magical realism (and magical realism-adjacent stories).

(read as single issues)

I generally find big comics crossover events to be annoying, but of course Squirrel Girl's entry into the War of the Realms was delightful, even if I lacked some greater context.

(read as single issues)

HMM I understand that Nnedi left this book because of other commitments (rather than cancellation?) but it does feel like an abrupt ending. Still, loved the crossover w/Miles and Kamala and hope for more Shuri soon!

MY ONLY REGRET IS READING THIS ON A PLANE, WHERE I MESSY-CRIED INTO MY COCKTAIL NAPKIN AND ALIENATED THE PEOPLE SITTING ON EITHER SIDE OF ME

MMM like I loved all the Alaskan survivalist details, and the escalating tension with Lena's PTSD-afflicted, violent father was really well-rendered.

But around the back third it got a little like...too dramatic in a way that didn't quite match the beginning of the story?

Spoiler

like I get that she'd been telling us and telling us how dangerous Alaska is, so the fall on the rocks makes sense, but then everything with the murder and fake identities and then Lena's dumb confession and subsequent immediate freedom from consequences was like.........a little too soap operatic for the more grounded rest of the book?

And a little preachy about women's rights/domestic violence etc but like, sure, I'm in favor of that. Of women's rights I mean. Not domestic violence. You know what I mean.

But like still I couldn't put it down and cried a bunch, so.

(read as single issues)

Seems like kind of a building arc for the ongoing storyline but still, charming and I'm interested to see where it goes.

This book very much reads like a transcribed convo (monologue) with JVN, which personally I enjoyed very much but I could see it being a turnoff to some readers. a lot of the "shocking" reveals from this book have kind of already come out via interviews and shorter articles but it's still a VERY raw memoir (as mentioned in the title) about some really tough issues, yet it also has hilarious moments. Basically--if you are already a fan of JVN I think you will enjoy this book! If you're not, well, you're not.

This does a better job of capturing the nonsense that I so enjoy about Riverdale than most of the Riverdale tie-in comics have done. It's still not as good as the show but what is, tbh

This was a real page-turner! I know a lot of people read various articles about Anna Delvey (etc etc), myself included, but I felt like having more backstory made me understand better how deep it went. I felt a lot of sympathy for Rachel (who ended up with $70,000 on her credit cards) who like, yes is a relatively privileged white woman but also like...is very relatable to me, I could completely see how a certain desire to make friends and keep your head down socially would somehow lead to this, IDK??? Would recommend if you want more info about THE SCAM.