If you only know Bechdel from her comic strip, like I did, this will feel both familiar and alien. The art is unmistakeably hers: clean, rich in detail but not distractingly so, greatly enhancing her narrative. The narrative: that’s less recognizable. It’s raw, often uncomfortable; not to mention book-length. And it works! She has an incredible voice, and I find I prefer this format over DTWOF which I often found cramped. Here she has space to move more gently; without the need for wisecracks or bon mots—they’re present, just paced more deliberately. She feels genuine. Vulnerable. And hella strong.

(If you don’t know Bechdel, you should. Would I recommend this as your introduction? I don’t know. It can be heavy. The coldness of her upbringing is every-page heartbreaking; her parents’ loneliness overwhelming. But yeah, even if you aren’t a fan, I would say: start here.)