*First edition published in 2003
Author: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Published by: Oni Press, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1932664164
Genre: Graphic novel, Realistic fiction
Reading Level / Interest Age: Ages 15 and up
Author Profile:
“Bryan Lee O'Malley started in Film Studies at the University of Western Ontario, but dropped out before completing. Prior to having his own material published, O'Malley illustrated the Oni Press miniseries Hopeless Savages: Ground Zero, written by Jen Van Meter. He also lettered many Oni comics, including the majority of Chynna Clugston's output between 2002 and 2005.
His first original graphic novel was Lost at Sea (2003). On July 20, 2010, he released the sixth and final volume for the Scott Pilgrim series (2004–2010). All have been published by Oni Press. In 2011, his next graphic novel, Seconds, was officially confirmed. O'Malley created the cover art work for 2012 videogame Fez.” From – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Lee_O'Malley–
Reader's Annotation:
Raleigh is convinced that her soul is lost in a cat. After a trip to California leaves her feeling even more lost, she hitches a ride with some acquaintances from school back home, only to discover that sometimes you need the help of others to let go and find yourself.
Plot Summary:
Eighteen-year-old Raleigh is convinced that she does not have a soul. She believes that it was either sold to a demon by her divorcee mother in order to obtain her recent success or a cat stole it. That could be the only explanation as to why Raleigh feels like a failure at family, friendship, and life. After a trip to California leaves her feeling even more empty, Raleigh finds herself in a car with three classmates she hardly knows who are heading back home after a cross-country road trip. Shy and soulless Raleigh has no idea how she ended up with these hooligans and being forced to interact with people her own age has never really been her strength. However, as the trip continues, Raleigh discovers that they just may be able to help her find what she has been looking for or help her realize that she never really lost it in the first place.
Critical Evaluation:
Those expecting the lighthearted, good fun, action packed adventures of O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim will not see it in his debut graphic novel, Lost at Sea. The plot is driven by thematic elements that are deeply introspective and speculative rather than sequences of action and adventure. This is not a bad thing, but readers should be prepared that they are walking into something different. While the plot is somewhat weak, it is more than made up for in the dialogue and language that the author uses to expose Raleigh’s angst and every raw emotion that comes from feeling lost. Raleigh has deep inner monologues that not only slowly reveal how she ended up in the car with her classmates but also serve as a way to report the past that she felt caused her life to go so off course. The language is lyrical but also surprisingly honest as Raleigh often berates herself for her own isolation and behavior, while knowing that it cannot be any other way. In terms of the loss of her soul, this seems to serve as a metaphor for the number of losses that she has experienced along the way – her best friend, her father, the boy – that has put her in her own self-imposed isolation and that has overpowered her to the point where she is unable to feel anything at all. Rather than admit that her apathy is a result of depression and sadness for the losses she had no control over, she uses the excuse of “no soul” as a justification that adds one more loss to a long list of many and a way to avoid growing close to anyone who could possibly leave her behind again. This is all well expressed not just through O’Malley’s language but through his artwork as well. While still maintaining his cartoon-like signature style, there are no splashes of color but rather thick lines, broad strokes and heavy spaces that seem to reinforce Raleigh’s delicate state and insecurities.
Although this is certainly some deep material, O’Malley does something wonderful by creating fantastic secondary characters that balance the gravity of Raleigh’s angst with a sardonic humor fueled by ridiculous banter and bickering. Raleigh’s car companions – Steph, Ian and Daniel – all serve as an excellent contrast to her dark cloud and aid in lightening some of the graphic novel’s darker themes by emphasizing the value that comes from letting other people in and discovering that at some point everyone has felt lost.
Curriculum Ties:
- N/A
Challenges / Issues:
- Foul language
- Sexual innuendo
- Teen smoking
Defense of Challenges / Issues:
- Have a clear understanding of the library’s selection policy as well as copies available in order to identify specific points of the policy to challengers in order to strengthen defense.
- Express the library’s dedication to intellectual freedom and open access as outlined in the ALA Library Bill of Rights. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
- Know the material being challenged in order to show that you understand the content and how the challenged material works in context with the rest of the text.
- Have access to both supportive and critical reviews from reliable sources, such as School Library Journal or VOYA. Provide challenger’s with these reviews through either hard copies or by including reviews in the catalog records of library materials.
- Have the ability to explain the rationale behind the inclusion of materials in the library’s collection by discussing an item’s literary merits, intended audience, and offering a brief summary.
- One of the most important lines of defense is to be an active listener and to stay calm. Pay attention to the patron’s concerns, do not interrupt, and do not take his/her challenge personally. Additionally, even if you do not agree with the challenge, still speak to the patron with understanding and compassion. Make sure to respectfully outline the library’s selection policies as well as the principles outlined in the Library Bill of Rights. If the patron is still adamant about the removal of the text, offer a “Request for Reconsideration” form, outlining the patron’s concerns that can be presented to senior library staff.
Book Talk Ideas:
- Talk about why Raleigh believes she has no soul. Why does she think it is in a cat?
- Discuss why Raleigh accepted the ride with Steph, Dave, and Ian. What events led her to go with them? Why did she decided to open up to Steph?
Why this Book?
Fans of Scott Pilgrim will be interested to see where O’Malley started. Additionally, the angst that Raleigh feels is palpable, making her relatable to teens that may be in the in-between phases of high school and college or for those who have ever just felt lost.