Title: Stitches
Publication Year: 2009
Plot: One day David Small awoke from a supposedly harmless operation to discover that he had been transformed into a virtual mute. A vocal cord removed, his throat slashed and stitched together like a bloody boot, the fourteen-year-old boy had not been told that he had cancer and was expected to die. Depicting this coming-of-age story with dazzling, kaleidoscopic images that turn nightmare into fairy tale, Small tells us of his journey from sickly child to cancer patient, to the troubled teen whose risky decision to run away from home at sixteen—with nothing more than the dream of becoming an artist—will resonate as the ultimate survival statement.
“I was floored…this was the first time I read a graphic novel and it was very powerful. And moving.” Two of the readers shared this sentiment. They absolutely loved his voice and illustrations. For example, the way the house is depicted makes it look uncomfortable and sparse, as if he could not stay there forever. They also loved the use of light and darkness throughout the chapters–it helped to immerse them in the mood.
Without the illustrations, the sadness and “vibe” of the novel would have been lost. The sadness is prolonged through the still pictures. The readers found themselves dwelling on the pictures and slowing down as they read. His emotions are illustrated beautifully in the pictures and not necessarily the actual words.
The relationship and private life of his mother was dealt with in a good manner. It’s clear that she was not able to be herself. And Small references this in the end of the novel. So even though she wasn’t kind, it allowed the readers to have some sympathy for her.
Pages 306, 234, and 198 were all examples of particular illustrations that resonated with the readers. For example, page 198 the umbrella fails and David is left in the rain. He has no protection from the storm. He’s not flying or anything–he’s walking. He mistakes the umbrella for a mom. It’s a heartbreaking way to illustrate how alone and isolated he felt as a child.
Feel free to leave comments below. We’d love to hear what you think.
Until next time,
E.
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