Spent

(English below) Das hatte ich schon im Mai in England in der Hand und habe es dann wegen Platz / Gewicht im Koffer nicht gekauft. Kein Problem mehr mit meinem neuen E-Reader 💪 Was in „Spent“ auf die Waage kommt: miteinander verwobene Story Lines rund um Alison, ihre Partnerin, deren queeren Community und Ziegen Sanctuary. Aufgebaut auf realitäts(nahen) Vorbildern steht alles mit einem Hufen auch im Fiktionalen. Ich mag diese Doppelbödigkeit, die sich durchzieht: Farmleben vs Influencerin auf Social Media, Polycule in jüngeren und älteren Beziehungen, Alison in der Novel vs. ihre dort gefeaturte Streaming-Serie , Blickwinkel auf die Familiengeschichte durch Alisons Augen und die ihrer schmerzhaft konservativen Schwester uswusw.

Es ist wie immer bei Bechdel: Zum drin Versinken und mitfühlen. Es gibt die rückhaltendgebende Wärme der queeren chosen family. Leiden und Ragen über die politische Weltlage. Lachenund Awwww-en über die kleinen Ziegen.

Auf dem E-Reader habe ich immer wieder rangezoomt, um Bechdels toll gemalten oder witzigen Details genauer anzuschauen. Werde ich immer wieder mal lesen.

Auf jeden Fall ein Empfehlung von mir!

I already had this in my hands in England in May, but didn't buy it because of space/weight in my suitcase. No more problem with my new E-Reader 💪 What comes into play in “Spent”: interwoven storylines around Alison, her partner, their queer community, and goat sanctuary. Based on (near) reality, everything is also rooted in fiction. I like the ambiguity that runs through it: farm life vs. social media influencer, polycule in younger and older relationships, Alison in the novel vs. her streaming series featured there, perspectives on family history through Alison's eyes and those of her painfully conservative sister, etc., etc.

As always with Bechdel, it's something to immerse yourself in and empathize with. There is the supportive warmth of the queer chosen family. Suffering and rage about the political world situation. Laughter and “awwws” about the little goats.

On my e-reader, I kept zooming in to take a closer look at Bechdel's beautifully painted or funny details. I will read it again and again.

Definitely a recommendation from me!

This is sweet! Functionally a DTWOF finale with Mo transmuted into an even-more-lightly fictionalized Alison Bechdel. There's a bit of "kids these days" here, but then again there was more than a little of that in DTWOF as well, and as before it's wrapped in a self-critique of Bechdel's own tendency to be a bit of a stick in the mud. As with the comic that this draws on, this book makes me feel proud to be part of a longstanding and never boring queer community.

I've known about the Bechdel Test for years, so was excited to see a new book out. Definitely up my alley. Found myself laughing several times. Lots of fun little details in the illustrations, too.