Blankets Craig Thompson Retro Friday Book Review

February 10, 2012

Retro Friday Reviews are hosted by Angieville. Basically you review an older book on Fridays.

When I began reading reviews of Blankets by Craig Thompson I assumed it was Christian fiction and religious. So, while I wanted to read Blankets, I put no priority on it and made no effort to seek the graphic novel out. After seeing a positive review of Habibi on My Books. My Life. — I had a change of heart and it was a turning point in seeking out and placing holds on Craig Thompson’s books.

Blankets, Craig Thompson, Book Cover, Blue Forest

Blankets

Blankets by Craig Thompson is an autobiographical story about Thompson’s coming of age. It opens with childhood and Craig sharing a bed with his little brother Phil where they pretend the bed is a ship on the high seas. It’s really very sweet. Portraits of bullying pepper the story and one feels for Craig who fits in nowhere. Then we shift to Christmas breaks where Craig would go to church camp for a week and eventually fall for a girl named Raina.

Oh, friends Blankets by Craig Thompson made me ache. First, for Craig being unable to protect his brother, Phil, from a bad experience. Then from the schoolyard taunts. Then love found and lost. Blankets is very moving. I guess seeing the pain visually adds to the emotional experience.

And while I thought I would be turned off by the faith thing -faith is a very large theme in Blankets– I had assumed there but be preachiness, but actually the faith in Blankets was something I could personally relate to. We get to see Craig’s perceptions and beliefs shift. Honestly, I went through something very similar as a college student as well – a shift in my belief system.

If you are looking to start reading graphic novels, don’t mind nudity and want a tender, moving read, I’m just putting this out there, but you should totally try Blankets by Craig Thompson. It is fantastic.

Disclosure: Borrowed from my local library.

Other reviews of Blankets by Craig Thompson:

Bloggers {Heart} Books
Things Mean A Lot
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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
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About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. Meghan says
    February 10, 2012 at 8:08 am

    An adult graphic novel? I didn’t realise they had those. I mean, excluding mangas which I consider to be mangas and not graphic novels…

  2. Amy @ Book Loving Mom says
    February 10, 2012 at 8:52 am

    This doesn’t sound like something I would normally read, but your review has really intrigued me. It sounds like a very moving and emotional book. It’s interesting that it’s a graphic novel too. Great review.

  3. Mary @ Book Swarm says
    February 10, 2012 at 10:21 am

    Doesn’t sound like something I’d normally pick up but it does sound really good. I might have to go check this one out….

  4. Allison (Allure of Books) says
    February 10, 2012 at 12:01 pm

    The shift in the way Craig viewed religion is one of the main things we talked about when I studied this for class – I remember the really awesome pages close(ish) to the end portraying religion. Really really insightful.

  5. Lisa says
    February 11, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    This sounds rad beyond measure. Sometimes, graphic novels can intensify emotions in way that print books just can’t. This sounds like one of those cases.

    NUDITY. Holla.