Stitches
A graphic memoir about childhood horrors from the award winning children's author, David Small.
This was suggested by the publisher in a batch recommendation of books that might appeal to readers of The Cult. Since I’m not much of a comic book guy anymore (I collected back when I was a preteen) and I don’t read children’s books, I’d never heard of David Small. Apparently he is a prize-winning author and illustrator. My childhood seems to predate his popularity, so I’m considering myself excused. To be honest, I was lured by the promise of a quick, easy read, and the ever-expanding size of my to read list intimidated me into taking this one on.
Stitches isn’t really a comic book, it’s more of a graphic novel. I know, I know, graphic novel is just a highfalutin term used to make comic books sound more adult, but in this case I think it applies. You won’t find any masked avengers traipsing around rooftops in their underwear here. Nor will you find any self-conscious counterculture posturing or pseudo indie hipness. What you will find, however, is a simple story told with poignancy and wit.
Stitches is an autobiographical story of childhood trauma and repression. Hospitalized at the age of fourteen for what he was told was a cyst, young David wakes to find he can no longer speak. What he doesn’t know is that he was diagnosed with cancer, due to years of x-ray therapy administered by his radiologist father (which was considered a cure-all for chronic sinus and respiratory problems at the time.) Upon learning this terrible secret, David moves out of his parent’s house and strikes out on his own to make it as an artist. I wonder how that worked out?
Years of writing children’s books have taught Small how to tell a story, but this one is decidedly adult. He peppers the story with enough surrealistic touches to keep both the mind and the eye occupied. The graphic medium doesn’t sugarcoat his childhood horrors, but it does make them slightly more palatable. The black and white art is simple and evocative, and Small uses words sparingly. This works to his advantage, as he is quite adept at conveying emotion with the tiniest line. I’m not an expert, but his style has a sort of cartoony naturalism that compliments his storytelling well.
Despite all the author went through, Stitches is not an angry book. It is infused with melancholy, but also with an understanding, one that comes with the benefit of hindsight. He treats his oppressors with the tenderness and sympathy he was denied growing up. They are not villains, and he is not a victim. I don’t know if Small has children of his own, but Stitches projects him as a man who would be more than qualified to raise them. This book is a celebration of his triumph over adversity and a testament to his character as a person.



Comments
Thank you for the great review. You make a compelling case to us for a great future read. Glad it was quick and easy, you spoke my mind about this as well. casino en ligne
Good review - I've been wanting to check this out.
For the record, though Adam might agree with your definition of comics v. graphic novels, for me I tend to use simply comics = saddle stapled issues (i.e. not too large/long) and graphic novels = larger differently bound. Now that gets you into what is a trade paperback then...but that's enough geek stuff for one day I suppose.
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Stitches took my breath away...literally. It is an autobiography so filled with image and emotion that it will leave an indelible imprint on your heart.
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I can understand you well because his comics are just super, I love his books too. Online Casino
What the hell is going on in the comments here? Strange.
Stitches is an amazing book, which i read on the recommendation of this site. What an incredible read, inspiring without being too saccharine. I would highly recommend this as a must read.
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