Shortcomings

Once in a while a book comes along that captures the a small slice of life so accurately that it's almost too much to take.

One of my favorite comics artists, Adrian Tomine, has written and illustrated a small book of such high caliber, it's hard to really compare it to anything. I first read Shortcomings sitting at the counter at Book Soup and was immediately engrossed. When describing it, it's hard to not make the books seem trite. Really, it's a basic boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy moves on with life kind of story, but the tender black and white illustrations illuminate so much. The emotion, the solitude, the joy, the lonliness of relationships and their demise.

Tomine does what so few can do, he writes a comic book for all people of all ages, for anyone who just wants a good simple story, look no further than Shortcomings.

Happy Reading,
Julia