My New York Diary

This week I started reading the graphic novel My New York Diary by Julie Doucet and I found myself unable to put it down. I have to say I have never been to New York. Although I couldn’t relate on that level I still found it very easy to relate to on many different levels. There is something about this graphic novel that just seems so real I think its because its more of a documentary of the year she spent in New York and not just a made up story, that is what appeals to me.

The book is about the experiences Julie goes through during the time she spends in New York and what its like moving to a big city for the first time, I could image overwhelming! Julia moves into an apartment in the city with her boyfriend, which is practically a dump and they start having problems immediately. They turn to drugs to solve all their relationship issues and neglect the cartoons they are suppose to be writing together. More and more problems arise and she even ends up getting pregnant but then has a miscarriage. Julia leaves him without letting him know and moves to Brooklyn where she moves in with a literature student who kind of drives her crazy because they don’t have much in common at all.

Immediately I was into the book because it was told from a woman’s perspective. I found that even if you didn’t know the main character was a female you could still tell that one wrote it. The way that she depicts men in the comic is pretty feminist (but not in a bad way) they all seem to be tools for the most part. They are dirty and lazy and most of them are trying to get in her pants. Not only were the characters entertaining but I absolutely love Julie Doucets illustration style. Every frame on the page is packed with information, for me it was a slow read because I was engrossed in all the little details she puts into every frame.

I would definitely recommend this graphic novel the story is real and the characters and well developed and without a doubt interesting. The images keep you involved with the settings and the writing is quite humorous.