Crushing by Sophie Burrows
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A cute and wonderful silent graphic novel based on two people who are living separate lives.
You meet a young lady who is single and hoping to connect with someone. You then meet a young man who is also single, but seems to not like crowds or connecting with someone right away; however, he does seem to want to pair up with someone, but only on comfortable terms.
This is a parallel story of two strangers who are looking for similar experiences. They are both looking to connect with someone, but are not finding opportunities to their liking.
We can feel some of the emotions the artist invokes in her drawing; loneliness, hope, sadness, searching, looking, longing, feelings of being a bit overwhelmed, anxious, etc. The drawings really capture what it may feel like to be single, but longing for connection, friendship, relationships. We can also see comfort, and how one may want to be out there in the streets dating, but feel the call to be home in their own comfort and not wanting to go out, not wanting to be in the midst of crowds and loud places, etc. Also there is a sense of being out there in the crowds, around everyone, and still feel alone.
We see a glimpse of online dating, and the obnoxious behaviors you may face when dating online. We see in-person anxieties when it comes to meeting people face-to-face, and how even if we want to be in a companionship, easing out of the comfort of our home/personal space is daunting at times. We see people coupled up/booed up, and think that’s what’s missing in our lives, but sometimes it feels good to be alone.
You also see women looking at beauty standards trying to figure out how they stand out in the world among other women. Making changes to be more presentable. The book also shares how men may see themselves as attractive or not, and battling with their self-image as well. We are all trying to fit in and find a place in the world where we matter, and with those that care for us. This book packed a ton of things in here without even saying a word, and that is genius in itself.
Topics I gleaned from this:
– Self-care
-Self-image/esteem/confidence
– Loneliness
– Companionship
– Social awkwardness
– Beauty standards
– Dating (online/in-person)
– Dating
I really enjoyed this silent graphic novel, and I really got a good sense of the message here in this book.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and the illustrator Sophie Burrows for this book in exchange for a fair and honest opinion.
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