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Slip
From Eisner-Award nominated writer Marika McCoola and debut artist Aatmaja Pandya, an emotional coming-of-age graphic novel for fans of Bloom and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me .
Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal they come to life. And they’re taking a if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?
Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal they come to life. And they’re taking a if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2022
About the author
Marika McCoola
3 books53 followersMarika McCoola has an MA in writing for children from Simmons College and is a former children’s book buyer at an independent bookstore in Massachusetts. Baba Yaga’s Assistant marks her publishing debut. She lives in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
April 21, 2022
Slip follows Jade's summer at an art camp immediately following her best friend's attempted suicide, and Jade must try to juggle her goal of winning a college scholarship alongside realizing her best friend is in terrible pain. Through all of this, there's an unexpected romance with another girl at camp, and Jade finds herself understandably overwhelmed with the variety of feelings happening at once.
Unfortunately, while this graphic novel sounded great in theory, almost nothing about it worked for me. The art is beautiful, but primarily in black-and-white, and I agree with a lot of other reviewers that it would have been improved tremendously by being a full-color graphic novel. It's an entire story revolving around art and taking place at an art camp, so choosing not to colorize the book feels like a massive missed opportunity!
While I loved the queer rep, Jade and Mary (and all of the other characters, too) are so flat that I could not possibly bring myself to feel invested in the romance forming between them. There's a bit of back-and-forth "will they, won't they", but it doesn't carry any weight, and when the two of them get into a tiff over miscommunication, it doesn't cast Mary in a good light (multiple panels of her throwing items in Jade's direction out of anger — something we don't need to normalize in arguments, even among teens).
And finally, as far as the representation of Phoebe's suicide attempts and how it affects Jade, I was uncomfortable with a lot of the commentary. Phoebe's suicide attempts only served as a prop for Jade's own pain, and I kept feeling like Jade cared less about how her best friend was doing and more about how it affected her, or how she had "missed the signs". There are a few moments where it felt that Jade was vilifying Phoebe and blaming her, and while there is a side character who makes great points about mental illness, I don't think we ever got to see Jade fully actualize those realizations for herself. Obviously, she's a teenager and I'm not expecting her to be the most emotionally mature character I've ever read, but it's hard to root for her.
All in all, Slip is a classic case of great theory, poor execution. I would have loved to have given this a higher rating, but I was disappointed and uncomfortable with too many elements to justify it.
✨ Representation: Jade and Mary are queer; multiple characters are BIPOC (no specific representation is mentioned for any of them)
✨ Content warnings for: attempted suicide of a side character, mentions of self-harm, brief depictions of self-harm scars
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
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Unfortunately, while this graphic novel sounded great in theory, almost nothing about it worked for me. The art is beautiful, but primarily in black-and-white, and I agree with a lot of other reviewers that it would have been improved tremendously by being a full-color graphic novel. It's an entire story revolving around art and taking place at an art camp, so choosing not to colorize the book feels like a massive missed opportunity!
While I loved the queer rep, Jade and Mary (and all of the other characters, too) are so flat that I could not possibly bring myself to feel invested in the romance forming between them. There's a bit of back-and-forth "will they, won't they", but it doesn't carry any weight, and when the two of them get into a tiff over miscommunication, it doesn't cast Mary in a good light (multiple panels of her throwing items in Jade's direction out of anger — something we don't need to normalize in arguments, even among teens).
And finally, as far as the representation of Phoebe's suicide attempts and how it affects Jade, I was uncomfortable with a lot of the commentary. Phoebe's suicide attempts only served as a prop for Jade's own pain, and I kept feeling like Jade cared less about how her best friend was doing and more about how it affected her, or how she had "missed the signs". There are a few moments where it felt that Jade was vilifying Phoebe and blaming her, and while there is a side character who makes great points about mental illness, I don't think we ever got to see Jade fully actualize those realizations for herself. Obviously, she's a teenager and I'm not expecting her to be the most emotionally mature character I've ever read, but it's hard to root for her.
All in all, Slip is a classic case of great theory, poor execution. I would have loved to have given this a higher rating, but I was disappointed and uncomfortable with too many elements to justify it.
✨ Representation: Jade and Mary are queer; multiple characters are BIPOC (no specific representation is mentioned for any of them)
✨ Content warnings for: attempted suicide of a side character, mentions of self-harm, brief depictions of self-harm scars
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
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January 28, 2023
I'm finding it a little difficult to review this, because while I think the message it imparts to young adults is well intentioned, the execution didn't quite work for me.
Slip is the story of Jade, a ceramic artist who goes to a month-long art summer camp at the same time that she gets the news that her best friend Phoebe has attempted suicide. Jade struggles with her art and her feelings about Phoebe's attempt during her time at the camp, while also connecting with Mary, another student. As she tries to process everything she's feeling, some of her art comes to life and she has to figure out why and what it means.
Each element is a good idea on its own, but not all of them land. I liked the story of Jade struggling with her art and her insecurities related to that; the art process, the critiques, figuring out what her art is about, that was lovely and was a good reflection of the internal struggles she was dealing with. Her art coming to life was just plain weird, and I don't think the metaphor there really worked. Part of that is the art itself in this book - while it's pretty decent, I think having it be monochromatic did this a pretty big disservice. The change from greys to reds when anything had to do with Phoebe was meaningful, but everything else felt so flat.
The romance was okay, but I didn't really care much about it because, like a lot of the book, Mary as a character felt flat. All I knew about her was that she made art and had cool art ideas.
Again, I think the main strength in this graphic novel was Jade dealing with the development of her art. That was really interesting to read, and the critiques and process of making her art as metaphor for her internal struggle was very solid and made me feel for her as a character.
Overall, I think this is a decent graphic novel, with some great ideas that unfortunately don't pan out. However, I think both the author and the artist have some promise and if I come across their works in the future, I'll check them out.
Slip is the story of Jade, a ceramic artist who goes to a month-long art summer camp at the same time that she gets the news that her best friend Phoebe has attempted suicide. Jade struggles with her art and her feelings about Phoebe's attempt during her time at the camp, while also connecting with Mary, another student. As she tries to process everything she's feeling, some of her art comes to life and she has to figure out why and what it means.
Each element is a good idea on its own, but not all of them land. I liked the story of Jade struggling with her art and her insecurities related to that; the art process, the critiques, figuring out what her art is about, that was lovely and was a good reflection of the internal struggles she was dealing with. Her art coming to life was just plain weird, and I don't think the metaphor there really worked. Part of that is the art itself in this book - while it's pretty decent, I think having it be monochromatic did this a pretty big disservice. The change from greys to reds when anything had to do with Phoebe was meaningful, but everything else felt so flat.
The romance was okay, but I didn't really care much about it because, like a lot of the book, Mary as a character felt flat. All I knew about her was that she made art and had cool art ideas.
Again, I think the main strength in this graphic novel was Jade dealing with the development of her art. That was really interesting to read, and the critiques and process of making her art as metaphor for her internal struggle was very solid and made me feel for her as a character.
Overall, I think this is a decent graphic novel, with some great ideas that unfortunately don't pan out. However, I think both the author and the artist have some promise and if I come across their works in the future, I'll check them out.
June 30, 2022
This is one of those tricky books to recommend, because it’s not an upbeat or exciting read. It’s fundamentally about a teenager stumbling and raging and weeping through something really difficult. She lashes out at others. She makes bad decisions. Her journey through this is messy and nonlinear. But that’s also what makes this feel real and what made me feel for her so much.
I hope this is one that makes its way to classroom and library bookshelves, because I can imagine that a lot of teenagers especially will appreciate this honest portrayal of what it’s like to love someone who is going through a mental health crisis—the helplessness and grief and anger and every other tangled, overwhelming emotion that comes with it.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
I hope this is one that makes its way to classroom and library bookshelves, because I can imagine that a lot of teenagers especially will appreciate this honest portrayal of what it’s like to love someone who is going through a mental health crisis—the helplessness and grief and anger and every other tangled, overwhelming emotion that comes with it.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
December 1, 2022
Jade, a ceramic artist, is accepted into a prestigious summer camp for teen artists hoping to build their portfolios and win college scholarships. Three weeks before she is due to leave, her best friend Phoebe attempts suicide, and Jade isn't able to see Phoebe or speak to her before Jade has to leave for art camp. She is naturally distracted, not able to focus solely on her work because she's thinking so much about her friend. Then some of Jade's sketches and sculptures start to come to life, and Jade has to rethinking why she makes art, what she's trying to express, and who it is for. This is a beautifully illustrated and emotional coming of age story with a queer lead. The plot is quite simple but I was drawn in by the limited palate, dry bush line art, and the creative struggle .
May 16, 2023
a short, angsty, artsy summer read!
we follow jade, a teenager who is just about to leave for art camp when she receives the news of her best friend's suicide attempt. she heads off to camp anyway, and her experience there is deeply colored by thoughts of her friend, phoebe.
the summer camp setting is a temporary place, almost liminal, and with the potential to be transformative. jade struggles to define her art project and to connect with her small group of classmates. she has a tentative sapphic romance, which is marred by the angst she is experiencing about phoebe. it's classic: a messy life relationship sabotaging fresh new love.
jade is slow to process her emotions regarding phoebe. confusion, worry, anger, and a taste of abandonment - thank goodness jade has her art to pour her emotions into. and she does, though perhaps too effectively, as the animals she sculpts come to life, unpredictable and difficult to manage, much like raw emotions.
i really like the moody art and woodsy camp setting. the book is short, but so are sad summers, so it all feels right.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest (and belated) review.
we follow jade, a teenager who is just about to leave for art camp when she receives the news of her best friend's suicide attempt. she heads off to camp anyway, and her experience there is deeply colored by thoughts of her friend, phoebe.
the summer camp setting is a temporary place, almost liminal, and with the potential to be transformative. jade struggles to define her art project and to connect with her small group of classmates. she has a tentative sapphic romance, which is marred by the angst she is experiencing about phoebe. it's classic: a messy life relationship sabotaging fresh new love.
jade is slow to process her emotions regarding phoebe. confusion, worry, anger, and a taste of abandonment - thank goodness jade has her art to pour her emotions into. and she does, though perhaps too effectively, as the animals she sculpts come to life, unpredictable and difficult to manage, much like raw emotions.
i really like the moody art and woodsy camp setting. the book is short, but so are sad summers, so it all feels right.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest (and belated) review.
January 6, 2023
Angsty artist angsts all over her summer arts program and the other angsty artists there as she processes a friend's attempted suicide. The bad gets worse when hallucinations and/or vaguely paranormal garbage starts happening.
Creators' kindly include me and my review on page 54:
(I seriously need to buy this NFT and use it on all my reviews for graphic novels about artists and art schools.)
Creators' kindly include me and my review on page 54:
(I seriously need to buy this NFT and use it on all my reviews for graphic novels about artists and art schools.)
October 26, 2022
check out my review on my booksta on the 10th!
June 8, 2022
3 stars
Art, pain, and discussions of friendship bonds and finding your individual voice collide in this new graphic novel for young readers.
Concept: ★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★
A quick disclaimer and a content warning: This young graphic novel deals heavily with discussions of suicide. Please be warned before proceeding with this review or others on this book.
Slip follows the summer journey of Jade, a young artist about to go off on a summer art program at the Art Farm. Right before Jade leaves for the camp, she receives the news that her best friend, Phoebe, has attempted suicide.
Phoebe is immediately sent off for treatment and help, and Jade is still sent to art camp.
Now separated from Phoebe and dealing with the complex feelings of being on intimate sidelines of such an event, Slip delves into the tangled ball of yarn of friendships, suicide, internal healing, and growth.
And, to make matters even more interesting, Jade's art pieces start to come to life at the camp—forcing Jade to confront a lot of her internal feelings around Phoebe, life, and what comes next.
I thought this graphic novel had a wonderful concept. The idea of a suicide impacting the social network around the affected individual—like a stone dropped into a pond, rippling outward—was a great topic, and having it conveyed to a younger audience even more so as this is something that affects groups of all ages, not just adults.
However, I must say that I felt a lot of mixed feelings while experiencing this story. Jade's self-absorption over the impacts of Phoebe's decision on Jade's own life read as selfish to me as opposed to caring, and while this was clearly NOT the author's intention, it then started to feel to me that the story was sidelining the real truth of Phoebe's story and subsequent trauma and somehow prioritizing the selfish angles of Jade as the "hurt best friend." It was always going to be a tightrope to balance this topic, and even if it was done flawlessly it might have continued to feel uncomfortable, but still... it struck the wrong chords with me.
In addition to the handling of the sensitive topics at hand, I also thought it was an odd artistic choice to have a very visual arts-themed graphic novel told entirely in grayscale colors, with an occasional pop of pink accents. This would have had such a different tone if done in full color, and might have more accurately represented the vibrant arts camp setting. I am assuming the artist's intention was to have it gray to represent the very heavy topics at hand, but to me personally it felt off.
Thank you to Algonquin Books for Young Readers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
Art, pain, and discussions of friendship bonds and finding your individual voice collide in this new graphic novel for young readers.
Concept: ★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★
A quick disclaimer and a content warning: This young graphic novel deals heavily with discussions of suicide. Please be warned before proceeding with this review or others on this book.
Slip follows the summer journey of Jade, a young artist about to go off on a summer art program at the Art Farm. Right before Jade leaves for the camp, she receives the news that her best friend, Phoebe, has attempted suicide.
Phoebe is immediately sent off for treatment and help, and Jade is still sent to art camp.
Now separated from Phoebe and dealing with the complex feelings of being on intimate sidelines of such an event, Slip delves into the tangled ball of yarn of friendships, suicide, internal healing, and growth.
And, to make matters even more interesting, Jade's art pieces start to come to life at the camp—forcing Jade to confront a lot of her internal feelings around Phoebe, life, and what comes next.
I thought this graphic novel had a wonderful concept. The idea of a suicide impacting the social network around the affected individual—like a stone dropped into a pond, rippling outward—was a great topic, and having it conveyed to a younger audience even more so as this is something that affects groups of all ages, not just adults.
However, I must say that I felt a lot of mixed feelings while experiencing this story. Jade's self-absorption over the impacts of Phoebe's decision on Jade's own life read as selfish to me as opposed to caring, and while this was clearly NOT the author's intention, it then started to feel to me that the story was sidelining the real truth of Phoebe's story and subsequent trauma and somehow prioritizing the selfish angles of Jade as the "hurt best friend." It was always going to be a tightrope to balance this topic, and even if it was done flawlessly it might have continued to feel uncomfortable, but still... it struck the wrong chords with me.
In addition to the handling of the sensitive topics at hand, I also thought it was an odd artistic choice to have a very visual arts-themed graphic novel told entirely in grayscale colors, with an occasional pop of pink accents. This would have had such a different tone if done in full color, and might have more accurately represented the vibrant arts camp setting. I am assuming the artist's intention was to have it gray to represent the very heavy topics at hand, but to me personally it felt off.
Thank you to Algonquin Books for Young Readers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Instagram
July 14, 2022
This book attempted big emotional overtures that, unfortunately, might’ve been out of its league. I was very excited by the idea of seeing Jade and Phoebe’s friendship play out in the fire visions, but it didn’t end up providing the emotional punch it needed.
Interestingly, where other readers seem to have been put off by Jade’s thoughts about Phoebe’s suicide attempt centering on the frustration that her best friend didn’t talk to her about her feelings, I found it to be the most realistic and relatable part of the book! In a strange coincidence, my best friend in HS was also named Phoebe and also attempted suicide, and although there were lots of differences in circumstances, I found myself feeling like I wasn’t enough, because why would my best friend want to leave me??? Of course in hindsight, that isn’t what any of her struggles were about, but suicide in particular has a way of victimizing the survivors that deserves to be recognized.
All in all, I think this book ended up trapped somewhere between middle-grade and YA, because it didn’t go as far as it maybe needed to for the emotional story arc.
Interestingly, where other readers seem to have been put off by Jade’s thoughts about Phoebe’s suicide attempt centering on the frustration that her best friend didn’t talk to her about her feelings, I found it to be the most realistic and relatable part of the book! In a strange coincidence, my best friend in HS was also named Phoebe and also attempted suicide, and although there were lots of differences in circumstances, I found myself feeling like I wasn’t enough, because why would my best friend want to leave me??? Of course in hindsight, that isn’t what any of her struggles were about, but suicide in particular has a way of victimizing the survivors that deserves to be recognized.
All in all, I think this book ended up trapped somewhere between middle-grade and YA, because it didn’t go as far as it maybe needed to for the emotional story arc.
July 6, 2022
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this in exchange for promotion. All opinions are my own.
This was so sad but also I am soft.
Rep: sapphic cis female MC, Asian sapphic cis female side character, Black cis male side character, white cis female side characters, Black cis female side character.
CWs: Suicide attempt, self harm, suicidal thoughts. Moderate: mental illness, panic attacks, blood, injury/injury detail. Minor: drug abuse, grief.
This was so sad but also I am soft.
Rep: sapphic cis female MC, Asian sapphic cis female side character, Black cis male side character, white cis female side characters, Black cis female side character.
CWs: Suicide attempt, self harm, suicidal thoughts. Moderate: mental illness, panic attacks, blood, injury/injury detail. Minor: drug abuse, grief.
June 21, 2022
This was an adorable YA graphic novel about self discovery, love, and friendship. I thought the art was beautifully done and definitely recommend this to other graphic novel lovers.
May 15, 2022
I really enjoyed the art style of this book! I really enjoyed how this book depicted the MCs relationship with her art in this and how she navigated emotions.
I think this book lacked alot of the emotion it was trying to convey. It wanted us to feel bad for Pheobe, but didn’t give us any context or really anything about her at all.
This art program is really weird. Its just in the woods? only has 4 students? Shes living alone in a campers as a teen? Seriously what is this place it felt weird
I wish the romance wasnt here at all. It had n emotion or build up and was just lacking overall.
This book comes out on June 7, 2022.
I think this book lacked alot of the emotion it was trying to convey. It wanted us to feel bad for Pheobe, but didn’t give us any context or really anything about her at all.
This art program is really weird. Its just in the woods? only has 4 students? Shes living alone in a campers as a teen? Seriously what is this place it felt weird
I wish the romance wasnt here at all. It had n emotion or build up and was just lacking overall.
This book comes out on June 7, 2022.
June 11, 2022
see my review on ig
Rep: South Asian American sapphic mc, sapphic li, Black side characters
CWs: suicide attempts (side character)
Rep: South Asian American sapphic mc, sapphic li, Black side characters
CWs: suicide attempts (side character)
November 7, 2022
This is a quick read. It’s about a girl whose friend attempted suicide and her dealing with her emotions while figuring out her own struggles in an art camp. The nice part is the cute sapphic romance and the nice choice of having panels of red flame symbolizing when emotions run high. However, the resolution to this graphic novel feels too quick and forced, and all the characters feel underdeveloped. The central moral of “I need to stop letting this friendship define me” is literally spoken to the reader’s face but isn’t really shown that well? If anything it just feels like the mc just smashed some statues and suddenly all her inner turmoil is gone.
August 24, 2022
While I liked the style and overall sense of this graphic novel, I don't think the magical realism/memory aspects really worked. Their mechanisms were pretty vague and the whole fire connection didn't really resolve. The side characters were also mostly flat.
September 26, 2023
Before picking it up, readers should be aware that Slip deals with attempted suicide.
Slip is a difficult book to rate. I thought the core story was great. It skillfully captures a time in life where so many things are beginning to change. The main character, Jade, is starting to figure out who she is outside of her family, her core friends, and her familiar environments. The conflicts are realistic, the events are grounded, and the feelings are relatable. The artwork is excellent. The characters feel unique and fleshed out. Even though the end is a little abrupt, I think it works well in defining this pivotal moment in Jade's life. It is telling a specific story and knows where it wants to leave the character and the reader.
My problem comes in with the magical realism elements. The whole time I was reading, I felt unclear about the rules of the world and what was happening. This was not helped by the color choices in the artwork. When Jade first runs into these magical elements it is presented in red. Subsequent similar events are also in red. But later on we start seeing panels and events in red that are actual things happening with other characters in the story. At first I was thinking that those pieces were simply being imagined, but that turned out to be wrong. It felt totally inconsistent and threw me off. I do not think any of the magical realism parts needed to be included. Flash backs and inner dialogue could have done the same thing without feeling jarring and inconsistent. The use of colors to indicate those things would have fit well.
That being said, I still think there is a lot of excellent stuff within the pages of Slip. It is a book that could have been great. As it stands, it is simply good.
Slip is a difficult book to rate. I thought the core story was great. It skillfully captures a time in life where so many things are beginning to change. The main character, Jade, is starting to figure out who she is outside of her family, her core friends, and her familiar environments. The conflicts are realistic, the events are grounded, and the feelings are relatable. The artwork is excellent. The characters feel unique and fleshed out. Even though the end is a little abrupt, I think it works well in defining this pivotal moment in Jade's life. It is telling a specific story and knows where it wants to leave the character and the reader.
My problem comes in with the magical realism elements. The whole time I was reading, I felt unclear about the rules of the world and what was happening. This was not helped by the color choices in the artwork. When Jade first runs into these magical elements it is presented in red. Subsequent similar events are also in red. But later on we start seeing panels and events in red that are actual things happening with other characters in the story. At first I was thinking that those pieces were simply being imagined, but that turned out to be wrong. It felt totally inconsistent and threw me off. I do not think any of the magical realism parts needed to be included. Flash backs and inner dialogue could have done the same thing without feeling jarring and inconsistent. The use of colors to indicate those things would have fit well.
That being said, I still think there is a lot of excellent stuff within the pages of Slip. It is a book that could have been great. As it stands, it is simply good.
June 16, 2023
such a good book in regards to the subject of suicide and friendships. The raw feelings are very well portrayed and the complex subject is explored in a tactful way. I think this will be a great read for teenagers and new adults to read who want to explore these subjects in a safe way.
January 15, 2022
As someone who did summer art programs as a teen, I thought this book would resonate more, but it just fell flat for me. I think the illlustrations by Aatmaja Pandya are dynamic and expressive. I particularly enjoyed how the book included descriptions of ceramicist tools and processes. Sadly, the storyline and writing in this advanced reader copy was uneven in its development and pacing. I also did not find the way that the author dealt with the topic of self harm and suicide to be particularly up-to-date. Many people are choosing not to use terms like "commit suicide" because it frames suicide as a sin or crime. Perhaps this language will change by the publication date. Overall, the book focuses on a main character whose friend attempted suicide, but it seemed like it teetered on the edge of perpetuating some misconceptions about suicide in the process as the main character tries to confront her own emotions around it. The ending is nice and empowering in many ways, but it doesn't resolve all the other issues I have with the book.
I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2023
It was okay, not amazing but I thought it was an emotional read. The whole “magic” aspect was introduced WAY too late in the book, and I didn’t really understand what the metaphorical “rules” of the magic were. I also wish we had like a resolution to Phoebe’s story too, instead of only the main character’s resolution. It just felt a little all over the place I guess.
Oh yeah also I read a couple other reviews. Jade keeps blaming phoebe for attempting suicide and that whole negative commentary is never resolved either, like does she ever come to an understanding? Phoebe is just painted in a bad light the entire novel and never has Jade fully come to terms with the why she attempted suicide. Ughh okay yeah this book is annoying the more I think about it
Oh yeah also I read a couple other reviews. Jade keeps blaming phoebe for attempting suicide and that whole negative commentary is never resolved either, like does she ever come to an understanding? Phoebe is just painted in a bad light the entire novel and never has Jade fully come to terms with the why she attempted suicide. Ughh okay yeah this book is annoying the more I think about it
October 8, 2022
cw: Suicide
Older teen goes to a summer arts intensive camp. Works on her pottery, engages with other artists, processes her best friend's suicide attempt. Supernatural things start happening.
I tagged it romance because there is a romance plotline, but the emphasis is really on the processing of her friend's choice, and not being with her friend. And the way that manifests in her art.
Lots of fun pottery lingo (which I especially enjoyed as a fan of the Great Pottery Throw-Down). Illustrations are all blue or red and white grayscale. Queerness.
Yes good.
Older teen goes to a summer arts intensive camp. Works on her pottery, engages with other artists, processes her best friend's suicide attempt. Supernatural things start happening.
I tagged it romance because there is a romance plotline, but the emphasis is really on the processing of her friend's choice, and not being with her friend. And the way that manifests in her art.
Lots of fun pottery lingo (which I especially enjoyed as a fan of the Great Pottery Throw-Down). Illustrations are all blue or red and white grayscale. Queerness.
Yes good.
November 11, 2021
This is an excellent YA graphic novel that deals with some of the heaviest of topics (attempted suicide, friendships evolving and dealing with mental illness, artistic crises of confidence, general fears for the future) in a deft and assured way. The art is absolutely stunning, and the plot seamlessly blends the magical with the mundane, the high-stakes with the everyday, in a way that makes me want to return to the book again and again (even though I consumed it breathlessly in one sitting).
Read
June 10, 2022I'm excited to look at this final art, since the early version was not complete. This is a fabulous story about what it is to grieve the loss of a could-have-been, the loss of a friendship, and what it is to worry deeply about someone's struggle with mental illness. It's also a queer romantic story of Jade, a girl going to art camp, as she learns to find her voice -- HER voice -- through her art.
January 26, 2024
a wonderful teen GN that dealt with some pretty heavy topics. I think this was a perspective that was much needed, and it wasn't just about how we handle when our loved ones suffer but how it affects us as well. very special!
October 16, 2023
4/5
Even if graphic novels aren’t your thing, I highly recommend getting yourself a copy. The artwork is stunning and the story is an important one, but one that is heartwarming and compelling. This is a beautiful graphic novel that tackles the often-forgotten subject of the friends’ of a person who attempts to take their life.
Even if graphic novels aren’t your thing, I highly recommend getting yourself a copy. The artwork is stunning and the story is an important one, but one that is heartwarming and compelling. This is a beautiful graphic novel that tackles the often-forgotten subject of the friends’ of a person who attempts to take their life.
July 14, 2022
**Thank you Algonquin Books for giving me the opportunity to win this graphic novel in a goodreads giveaway!**
I don't consider myself an artist, but as a mentally ill woman who appreciates the arts deeply and veers on the side of creativity from time to time, this book was beautiful in my honest opinion. the illustrations were beautiful and the writing was much deeper than I was expecting. This is a quick read that packs a punch and reminds you that dealing with your emotions alone is not the only option and in those moments where you feel the most helpless art is there to guide you.
I don't consider myself an artist, but as a mentally ill woman who appreciates the arts deeply and veers on the side of creativity from time to time, this book was beautiful in my honest opinion. the illustrations were beautiful and the writing was much deeper than I was expecting. This is a quick read that packs a punch and reminds you that dealing with your emotions alone is not the only option and in those moments where you feel the most helpless art is there to guide you.
June 11, 2022
A graphic novel that follows a teen named Jade who is going off to Art camp. However, before she arrives, she learns that her best friend Penelope has attempted suicide and is in the hospital. Jade begins to assess her emotions as she embarks on this great opportunity of having her work possibly chosen for an art scholarship, but she finds she’s unable to focus and work consistently due to the emotions she has over her friend Penelope and her attempted suicide.
This topic of suicide is very important to young adults everywhere, and adults too, but the way the writing chose to pursue Jade’s emotions over Penelope, who was actually going through the traumatic event of attempted suicide, left me feeling kind of empty. Albeit, Penelope is a teenager, and her mom was there to help navigate the situation, but it seems like the book focused on Jade’s feelings, instead of the person who was actually in need of care and attention. I personally didn’t enjoy that aspect. However, I do see a point of exploring the emotions of a friend who is close to the person going through the emotional turmoil and distress of suicidal ideation. Also, there is an unexpected romance between Jade and another student, which seemed super inappropriate as Jade hasn’t even had a chance to figure out her feelings with Penelope and the attempted suicide. The insta-romance felt rushed, and unnecessary, especially without strong character development.
The graphics were very nicely drawn, but seeing that this book also centered around an Art Camp, I would have appreciated the drawings in color, instead of the black and white. Seems like there should have been more to the art in the book due to the fact it was based around an art camp with competitive art work.
Not sure with graphic novels and character development, as there may not be enough “time or space” to discuss a ton about the various characters, but all of the characters seemed flat and uninteresting, and even a bit annoying.
To be honest, I really didn’t like the fact that the book centered around Jade’s “pain” of not knowing the signs of her friend’s attempted suicide. It didn’t seem like Jade was too concerned about Penelope, but was “suffering” because Penelope wasn’t emotionally available for Jade to go through this Art camp with her.
Though I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, and the talk regarding suicide, the execution was poor for the work overall. 2 stars.
Topics discussed:
- Teen suicide
- Mental health
TW: attempted suicide, mention of cutting/self-harm, illustration of cutting marks.
Thank you to the publisher, Algonquin Young Reader, and the author Marika McCoola and illustrator, Aatmaja Pandya for this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This topic of suicide is very important to young adults everywhere, and adults too, but the way the writing chose to pursue Jade’s emotions over Penelope, who was actually going through the traumatic event of attempted suicide, left me feeling kind of empty. Albeit, Penelope is a teenager, and her mom was there to help navigate the situation, but it seems like the book focused on Jade’s feelings, instead of the person who was actually in need of care and attention. I personally didn’t enjoy that aspect. However, I do see a point of exploring the emotions of a friend who is close to the person going through the emotional turmoil and distress of suicidal ideation. Also, there is an unexpected romance between Jade and another student, which seemed super inappropriate as Jade hasn’t even had a chance to figure out her feelings with Penelope and the attempted suicide. The insta-romance felt rushed, and unnecessary, especially without strong character development.
The graphics were very nicely drawn, but seeing that this book also centered around an Art Camp, I would have appreciated the drawings in color, instead of the black and white. Seems like there should have been more to the art in the book due to the fact it was based around an art camp with competitive art work.
Not sure with graphic novels and character development, as there may not be enough “time or space” to discuss a ton about the various characters, but all of the characters seemed flat and uninteresting, and even a bit annoying.
To be honest, I really didn’t like the fact that the book centered around Jade’s “pain” of not knowing the signs of her friend’s attempted suicide. It didn’t seem like Jade was too concerned about Penelope, but was “suffering” because Penelope wasn’t emotionally available for Jade to go through this Art camp with her.
Though I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, and the talk regarding suicide, the execution was poor for the work overall. 2 stars.
Topics discussed:
- Teen suicide
- Mental health
TW: attempted suicide, mention of cutting/self-harm, illustration of cutting marks.
Thank you to the publisher, Algonquin Young Reader, and the author Marika McCoola and illustrator, Aatmaja Pandya for this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 8, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Before:
I can't wait to get started on this one!
After:
Slip follows Jade's summer at an art camp immediately following her best friend's attempted suicide. While at camp Jade must try to juggle her goal of winning a college scholarship with realising the pain her best friend is experiencing. Taking on such a big topic from an outside characters perspective is a large undertaking and I feel this portrayed that well - sympathetic whilst also not fully comprehending why someone you love feels this way.
The way in which Jade's pain and overwhelm at the situation is conveyed is beautiful and well captured - although I was not expecting the magical realism aspect and don't feel it was fully resolved/explained,
The art is beautiful, but primarily in black-and-white and felt at times like sketches. While this works for the project I also feel this could have worked as a full-colour graphic novel because the whole story revolves around art/an artist/art school.
Before:
I can't wait to get started on this one!
After:
Slip follows Jade's summer at an art camp immediately following her best friend's attempted suicide. While at camp Jade must try to juggle her goal of winning a college scholarship with realising the pain her best friend is experiencing. Taking on such a big topic from an outside characters perspective is a large undertaking and I feel this portrayed that well - sympathetic whilst also not fully comprehending why someone you love feels this way.
The way in which Jade's pain and overwhelm at the situation is conveyed is beautiful and well captured - although I was not expecting the magical realism aspect and don't feel it was fully resolved/explained,
The art is beautiful, but primarily in black-and-white and felt at times like sketches. While this works for the project I also feel this could have worked as a full-colour graphic novel because the whole story revolves around art/an artist/art school.
March 7, 2023
Jade is excited for a month away at the summer art intensive with other artists. It’s an exciting time where she gets her own workshop and the chance to win college scholarships. Unfortunately for Jade, she learns that her best friend attempted suicide just as she’s about to leave for the month. With her mom’s encouragement, Jade takes her place at the summer art intensive only to find that her mind is elsewhere.
When I picked up this book, I wasn’t expecting it to be as moved by it as I am. We follow Jade shortly after she learns that her best friend, Phoebe, has attempted to take her own life and we see how heavily it weighs on Jade. She goes through so many emotions and feels guilty about growing as an artist, making new friends, and even finding romance. The more she tries to run away from her problems and the guilt she carries because she feels like she’s leaving Phoebe behind, the more she finds that the problems are not leaving her alone. It’s a beautiful story that shows how much Jade struggles with her own mental health but also how she views her friendships. I like that she grows during this time and that eventually facing everything leads to her learning a lot about herself in addition to strengthening her own relationships.
I think that this is one of those stories that can be difficult to read, but I also think that it was handled very well. Since the story follows Jade, we watch her journey as she deals with the aftermath as well as her own struggles and discovering that she needs more support than she’s getting. If the story followed Phoebe, we would be following her struggles with her mental health as she’s recovering and it would be a different but equally as powerful story. However, since we’re following Jade, we’re watching her go through a different journey full of different raw emotions.
From an artistic standpoint, the artwork is absolutely beautiful and really helps communicate the different emotions Jade is going through before she can even say anything about it. I also love how much focus there is on Jade’s journey as a ceramic artist, and I enjoyed watching her work progress as she unknowingly starts to put her feelings into her work. Watching ceramics come to life through this medium was also wonderful. It also made me miss ceramics more than I already do.
When I picked up this book, I wasn’t expecting it to be as moved by it as I am. We follow Jade shortly after she learns that her best friend, Phoebe, has attempted to take her own life and we see how heavily it weighs on Jade. She goes through so many emotions and feels guilty about growing as an artist, making new friends, and even finding romance. The more she tries to run away from her problems and the guilt she carries because she feels like she’s leaving Phoebe behind, the more she finds that the problems are not leaving her alone. It’s a beautiful story that shows how much Jade struggles with her own mental health but also how she views her friendships. I like that she grows during this time and that eventually facing everything leads to her learning a lot about herself in addition to strengthening her own relationships.
I think that this is one of those stories that can be difficult to read, but I also think that it was handled very well. Since the story follows Jade, we watch her journey as she deals with the aftermath as well as her own struggles and discovering that she needs more support than she’s getting. If the story followed Phoebe, we would be following her struggles with her mental health as she’s recovering and it would be a different but equally as powerful story. However, since we’re following Jade, we’re watching her go through a different journey full of different raw emotions.
From an artistic standpoint, the artwork is absolutely beautiful and really helps communicate the different emotions Jade is going through before she can even say anything about it. I also love how much focus there is on Jade’s journey as a ceramic artist, and I enjoyed watching her work progress as she unknowingly starts to put her feelings into her work. Watching ceramics come to life through this medium was also wonderful. It also made me miss ceramics more than I already do.
June 10, 2022
Slip follows a teen, Jade to an art camp immediately following the suicide attempt of her BFF, Phoebe.
Jade has a hard time at camp because she is so preoccupied with thoughts of her friend and trying to figure out how to create art in a cohesive manner and with a message. The pressure of creating art while thinking about her friend back home is enough to really stress a teen out. Add in a side of romance and Jade is all confused and doesn't know what to do with all her emotions.
Slip had an interesting concept and great bones for a story of a teen grappling with a lot, but the story fell a little short for me. I didn't get to connect with Phoebe and felt the beginning of the story just skimmed over Phoebe and her mental health. We really could've benefitted with more from her and/or her mother. I think an opportunity was lost to have Jade grow as a person with her knowledge of what was going on with her friend as opposed to making it all about herself.
Including LGBTQ rep was a great addition. I liked having Jade finding love with Mary at the camp. They had some great times, but also had a few toxic situations that were glossed over. We even get a memory of a conversation with Phoebe that was just thrown in there, but I wasn't sure why it was included. The camp itself was a little odd for a small group of teens, but I suspended my belief for that and for Jade's lively art. I enjoyed the creations that Jade came up with and how they came alive with their own emotions that paralleled what Jade was going through.
With that said, I enjoyed the drawings that went with the story. I liked when we got thoughts of Phoebe, the color changed from black and white to red. For graphic novels, the visuals must bring the words alive. But for this being a book about an artist at an art camp, wouldn't it have been cool for this to have been in full color to really wow us with the art??
Overall, there really were great ideas, but the execution fell a wee flat.
I shared my book with my young teen and will share their thoughts on the book below....
Kai's review (from a young teens perspective):
It seems like Slip is more like a 2nd book because it goes right into the suicide attempt at the beginning without explaining anything. I wish I got to know Phoebe's story a bit more because it seemed really important to Jade and how she was coping. I liked that Jade and Mary started a deeper friendship at the art camp, but I wanted to know more about them as a couple. The art that Jade began to make at the camp was really cool and I liked the meaning behind it. I think the emotional parts of the animals were very relatable. I liked that this graphic novel talks a little bit about mental health because that is very important to teenagers right now and that should be represented more in books. As with any graphic novel, the art has to go with the story. I liked the art style, but it made the characters seemed young, until we see the serious topics like suicide and including smoking by a teenager. If this were to become a series, I would definitely want to read more about these characters.
Overall, I'd say that this book was 4 star. I enjoyed it, but there were a few things things I would change. I would recommend it to teens that are struggling with mental health and/or a part of the LGBTQ community because of the representation in it. We need more books like this to make us feel included and this graphic novel really did that.
Jade has a hard time at camp because she is so preoccupied with thoughts of her friend and trying to figure out how to create art in a cohesive manner and with a message. The pressure of creating art while thinking about her friend back home is enough to really stress a teen out. Add in a side of romance and Jade is all confused and doesn't know what to do with all her emotions.
Slip had an interesting concept and great bones for a story of a teen grappling with a lot, but the story fell a little short for me. I didn't get to connect with Phoebe and felt the beginning of the story just skimmed over Phoebe and her mental health. We really could've benefitted with more from her and/or her mother. I think an opportunity was lost to have Jade grow as a person with her knowledge of what was going on with her friend as opposed to making it all about herself.
Including LGBTQ rep was a great addition. I liked having Jade finding love with Mary at the camp. They had some great times, but also had a few toxic situations that were glossed over. We even get a memory of a conversation with Phoebe that was just thrown in there, but I wasn't sure why it was included. The camp itself was a little odd for a small group of teens, but I suspended my belief for that and for Jade's lively art. I enjoyed the creations that Jade came up with and how they came alive with their own emotions that paralleled what Jade was going through.
With that said, I enjoyed the drawings that went with the story. I liked when we got thoughts of Phoebe, the color changed from black and white to red. For graphic novels, the visuals must bring the words alive. But for this being a book about an artist at an art camp, wouldn't it have been cool for this to have been in full color to really wow us with the art??
Overall, there really were great ideas, but the execution fell a wee flat.
I shared my book with my young teen and will share their thoughts on the book below....
Kai's review (from a young teens perspective):
It seems like Slip is more like a 2nd book because it goes right into the suicide attempt at the beginning without explaining anything. I wish I got to know Phoebe's story a bit more because it seemed really important to Jade and how she was coping. I liked that Jade and Mary started a deeper friendship at the art camp, but I wanted to know more about them as a couple. The art that Jade began to make at the camp was really cool and I liked the meaning behind it. I think the emotional parts of the animals were very relatable. I liked that this graphic novel talks a little bit about mental health because that is very important to teenagers right now and that should be represented more in books. As with any graphic novel, the art has to go with the story. I liked the art style, but it made the characters seemed young, until we see the serious topics like suicide and including smoking by a teenager. If this were to become a series, I would definitely want to read more about these characters.
Overall, I'd say that this book was 4 star. I enjoyed it, but there were a few things things I would change. I would recommend it to teens that are struggling with mental health and/or a part of the LGBTQ community because of the representation in it. We need more books like this to make us feel included and this graphic novel really did that.
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