What do you think?
Rate this book
Happiness Will Follow
Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Hawthorne presents a true and tragic graphic novel memoir about family, abuse, survival and what it means to be Puerto Rican in America.
Mike Hawthorne’s mother is left alone to raise her son in New York City, a city that torments them both with its unforgiving nature. But when Mike falls victim to an old world Santeria death curse, a haunting sign from the old country of something his mother could never truly escape —she begins a series of events that drive him away both physically and emotionally.
For the first time ever, Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Hawthorne (Superior Spider-Man) tells the true and tragic story of enduring abuse, discovering a love of art, and a passion that helped him to build the home he never had in this graphic novel memoir about family, survival, and what it means to be Puerto Rican in America.
Mike Hawthorne’s mother is left alone to raise her son in New York City, a city that torments them both with its unforgiving nature. But when Mike falls victim to an old world Santeria death curse, a haunting sign from the old country of something his mother could never truly escape —she begins a series of events that drive him away both physically and emotionally.
For the first time ever, Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Hawthorne (Superior Spider-Man) tells the true and tragic story of enduring abuse, discovering a love of art, and a passion that helped him to build the home he never had in this graphic novel memoir about family, survival, and what it means to be Puerto Rican in America.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2020
6 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Mike Hawthorne
359 books18 followersMike Hawthorne is an American comic book artist known for his work on books such as Deadpool, G.I. JOE: Origins, Queen & Country, Conan: Road of Kings, and his own creator-owned book, Hysteria.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
July 19, 2020
This is a graphic memoir that is focused mainly on the author's relationship with his complicated mother. There is a lot of abuse here, and poverty. The author's anger towards the world, fueled by his rough mother, lonely upbringing and racism is palpable, and is by far the best part of this work.
However, as far as story-telling goes, it's uneven. There is some good stuff about Puerto Rico and some great episodes in the author's mother's life. But then there are huge gaps in the narrative that prevented me from understanding the author's journey to normalcy, and his mother's descend to what she'd became. I find this a lot in memoirs - authors, understandably, hold back, or maybe don't have all the information, but the overall picture is always missing something vital.
However, as far as story-telling goes, it's uneven. There is some good stuff about Puerto Rico and some great episodes in the author's mother's life. But then there are huge gaps in the narrative that prevented me from understanding the author's journey to normalcy, and his mother's descend to what she'd became. I find this a lot in memoirs - authors, understandably, hold back, or maybe don't have all the information, but the overall picture is always missing something vital.
September 25, 2020
Mike Hawthorne's graphic memoir details growing up in a cycle of abuse and poverty. Raised by his Puerto Rican mother and abandoned by his white father, Mike and his mother move to York, PA to find somewhere safer than New York. Being dark skinned in PA at the time meant not being able to find steady work, sinking further into poverty and self-hatred. Eventually she begins to take it out on her son, although a lot of people at the time considered it "tough love" to keep Mike out of gangs. This feels like an outlet for Hawthorne to shed some of the anger and self-loathing he grew up with. There's a lot of emotion portrayed through the art and story.
Received a review copy from Boom! and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no wya influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Boom! and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no wya influenced by the aforementioned.
March 16, 2021
Mike Hawthorne's graphic memoir is really a kind of anguished and complex love letter to his abusive mother, whom he finally forgives because she was a single parent, and poor, a survivor. There are huge holes in the plot from the abusive upbringing to his own family and comics career but you get a glimpse into what it meant/means to them to be Puerto Rican and poor in the US. A kind of exorcism for Hawthorne, maybe.
September 19, 2020
A comic book artist recounts the complicated relationship he had growing up with his single mother, a troubled woman who abused him physically and emotionally.
It's not bad, but there's a heavy-handed shoe metaphor that just doesn't work. Also, like three-quarters of the way through he skips abruptly from being an art-school grad working as a short-order cook in a diner to a successful comic book artist with a wife and three children, and I don't feel this pivot was properly explained, especially in light of all his previous struggles and ongoing turmoil in regards to his mother.
Oh, and he has a major dream sequence near the end of the book. I hate dream sequences, especially in my nonfiction.
Regardless, Hawthorne has my best wishes for a happy future for himself and his family.
It's not bad, but there's a heavy-handed shoe metaphor that just doesn't work. Also, like three-quarters of the way through he skips abruptly from being an art-school grad working as a short-order cook in a diner to a successful comic book artist with a wife and three children, and I don't feel this pivot was properly explained, especially in light of all his previous struggles and ongoing turmoil in regards to his mother.
Oh, and he has a major dream sequence near the end of the book. I hate dream sequences, especially in my nonfiction.
Regardless, Hawthorne has my best wishes for a happy future for himself and his family.
April 27, 2020
An excellent spikey memoir, beautifully illustrated, which had me instantly hooked.
You could call this book an autobiography of sorts, but it's much more a biography of the author's mother, and a reckoning with the complex relationship they had. His mother, Blanca, is Puerto Rican, and she does her best to make ends meet while living in New York. His father has disappeared long before the author is born, the only thing that lingers is a surname. There is a half-sister from a different father, who is fifteen years older than Mike. To say this little family is poor, would be an understatement. Every single day is a fight to live, while dealing with waves of racist abuse.
But Blanca is more complex than "just" a strongwilled woman trying to survive. She hits her son, soon resorting to closed fists. When it turns out Mike's sister is gay, Blanca throws her out. She gets involved with dealing drugs, while trying to keep Mike away from drugs and gangsters. She cuts off contact with most of her Puerto Rican family, effectively also cutting off Mike's familial contact.
A lot of these actions are terrible, and the author acknowledges this. But his careful portrayal of his mother makes the reader see how she was a lone parent trying not to drown in an utterly hopeless situation. And when you think you have the measure of the woman, new information is revealed that again flips everything. It's a full, rounded portrait of a human being, with a deep, loving side, and a cruel, angry side.
If I have one criticism, it is that Hawthorne feels the need at the end of the book to make this explicit, directly addressing the reader and asking him or her to not think of Blanca in good or bad terms. It's totally unnecessary, as far as I'm concerned. I wish Hawthorne had more confidence in his storytelling skills, and more confidence in his readers. It's all already there, on the page.
The book is heartwrenching, and incredibly engrossing (I started reading just to get a taster, and soon found I had read half the book in one go). I absolutely loved the art, beautifully detailed, with extra focus on facial expressions (the facial art reminded me of Tim Sale, in places).
I can't recommend this book enough.
(Kindly received an ARC from Boom! Studios through Netgalley)
You could call this book an autobiography of sorts, but it's much more a biography of the author's mother, and a reckoning with the complex relationship they had. His mother, Blanca, is Puerto Rican, and she does her best to make ends meet while living in New York. His father has disappeared long before the author is born, the only thing that lingers is a surname. There is a half-sister from a different father, who is fifteen years older than Mike. To say this little family is poor, would be an understatement. Every single day is a fight to live, while dealing with waves of racist abuse.
But Blanca is more complex than "just" a strongwilled woman trying to survive. She hits her son, soon resorting to closed fists. When it turns out Mike's sister is gay, Blanca throws her out. She gets involved with dealing drugs, while trying to keep Mike away from drugs and gangsters. She cuts off contact with most of her Puerto Rican family, effectively also cutting off Mike's familial contact.
A lot of these actions are terrible, and the author acknowledges this. But his careful portrayal of his mother makes the reader see how she was a lone parent trying not to drown in an utterly hopeless situation. And when you think you have the measure of the woman, new information is revealed that again flips everything. It's a full, rounded portrait of a human being, with a deep, loving side, and a cruel, angry side.
If I have one criticism, it is that Hawthorne feels the need at the end of the book to make this explicit, directly addressing the reader and asking him or her to not think of Blanca in good or bad terms. It's totally unnecessary, as far as I'm concerned. I wish Hawthorne had more confidence in his storytelling skills, and more confidence in his readers. It's all already there, on the page.
The book is heartwrenching, and incredibly engrossing (I started reading just to get a taster, and soon found I had read half the book in one go). I absolutely loved the art, beautifully detailed, with extra focus on facial expressions (the facial art reminded me of Tim Sale, in places).
I can't recommend this book enough.
(Kindly received an ARC from Boom! Studios through Netgalley)
September 4, 2020
Searing. An unflinching, harsh, loving, harrowing examination of the author's life growing up in extreme poverty as a Puerto Rican goring up in the northeast US. The core of the book is the author's mother, and her complex/abusive/self-sacrificing/angry/self-defeating relationship with her extended family and her son. This is a sad story with no happy ending (other than the author's success as an artist and storyteller) but it is one well worth reading.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 18, 2020
This graphic memoir is mainly about the author's relationship with his complicated and abusive mother.
I liked the art, but found the narrative rather uneven. There are gigantic holes here, and that might be because the author simply doesn't know, and can't tell us what he doesn't know.
I appreciated how he explored aspects of being Puerto Rican and poor in the US. Families are complicated, and this book lets us look behind the closed curtains of one. Not so we can judge, but maybe get a different perspective. I wanted more of his mother's life - but that is a story she'd have wanted to share, and I wanted more about how the author pulls out of this situation. At one point I kept seeing this woman, and realized only later that she was his wife. Things like that should have been caught by the editor. Overall, I liked it and felt sympathy for both mother and son.
I liked the art, but found the narrative rather uneven. There are gigantic holes here, and that might be because the author simply doesn't know, and can't tell us what he doesn't know.
I appreciated how he explored aspects of being Puerto Rican and poor in the US. Families are complicated, and this book lets us look behind the closed curtains of one. Not so we can judge, but maybe get a different perspective. I wanted more of his mother's life - but that is a story she'd have wanted to share, and I wanted more about how the author pulls out of this situation. At one point I kept seeing this woman, and realized only later that she was his wife. Things like that should have been caught by the editor. Overall, I liked it and felt sympathy for both mother and son.
July 9, 2020
Thank you .to the publisher for an advance copy via netgalley!
Ahh what a sweet story of a boy who loved his mom no matter what! The art of this book is amazing!! It tells you story of the harsh life of a little boy that just never fit in. His struggle thru poverty, violence and abuse. And his biggest struggle of them all.... how to raise his little girls for them to have a different life!
Ahh what a sweet story of a boy who loved his mom no matter what! The art of this book is amazing!! It tells you story of the harsh life of a little boy that just never fit in. His struggle thru poverty, violence and abuse. And his biggest struggle of them all.... how to raise his little girls for them to have a different life!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2023
CW: heavy physical and emotional abuse.
This was obviously a tough memoir to read, but it is also a person's true story, and it might give you some perspective on what it is like to grow up in urban poverty. I am so glad that the author found his solace in art, and that he has protected his own children from the kind of experiences he had.
This was obviously a tough memoir to read, but it is also a person's true story, and it might give you some perspective on what it is like to grow up in urban poverty. I am so glad that the author found his solace in art, and that he has protected his own children from the kind of experiences he had.
June 16, 2020
The artwork is amazing! And the story is compelling. It was interesting to see the tragic upbringing of the author and how he was abused by his mother. I didn't like character of his mother much and but I appreciated how morally gray she was, just like every person in real life. It was very brave of the author to share about his life experiences
May 29, 2023
Tragic.
May 23, 2020
Thank You to NetGalley for this eARC!!
Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Hawthorne presents a true and tragic graphic novel memoir about family, abuse, survival and what it means to be Puerto Rican in America.
It is a powerful story with amazing graphic illustrations by the author about his life, struggles and family relationships especially with his mother,
Eisner Award-nominated artist Mike Hawthorne presents a true and tragic graphic novel memoir about family, abuse, survival and what it means to be Puerto Rican in America.
It is a powerful story with amazing graphic illustrations by the author about his life, struggles and family relationships especially with his mother,
March 20, 2021
this was pretty darn good.
May 8, 2020
I do not know if migrant families really talk about the challenges of being family as migrants, and the many different ways of being family that they experience. These involve both geographical and cultural distances, and the impact of this on the different generations. My family certainly didn't really speak much about these issues when I was a child.
The distance might be physical such as living in a place which is far from your country of origin, or people or tribe of origin. The distance might be less if you are truly connected to your community of origin in the place you live. The challenge of living in two cultures, or living in one but being disconnected from the other can be hightened by the country you live in and whether you are truly welcomed there.
This book has a subtle way of reminding the reader that migrant families experience various kinds of disconnections which can echo through generations. Eventually the disconnections can be healed by the passage of time and the creation of new families and communities. When people tell me they are American but their great grandmother was from Italy you know that at some point that grandmother and some of the generations after her may have experienced cultural and family disconnections and even some kind of dislocation.
In this book the author captures some of these disconnections through a story about his childhood and his relationship with his mother. I found it moving and painful, but it was very good to read. Michael had struggles with his mother as a child and as an adult. Their relationship was difficult and there was violence. The kind of violence that can erupt from within desperation. His mother struggled with poverty but worked hard to bring her son up but it was an incredibly painful upbringing.
With her death, Michael begins to see the cracks and the fault lines in her life and how they affected him. He is then able to see the fault lines and gaps in his own life. This is a beautiful memoir even though it is painful. It is beautiful because it captures the pain and difficulties of life but at the same time there is hope.
I loved this book because I could recognise some of those same fault lines my life. Questions about where I truly belong. Where is home for me? In the country of my birth or my country of origin? Is my home the same as my son's home? It is a question faced by migrant families all over the world and faced by the generations that come after them. Those cultural questions are familiar to me but thankfully the abuse is not. The abuse Micheal grew up with made those questions all the more complex and challenging and this book in a way is trying to respond to those complexities.
As a single mother of a son it was good to read this. My relationship with my son is peaceful and as a highly educated working woman I was able to give him a good upbringing but so many people struggle to do this whether single or not. This book made me realise that we can only do as much as we can for our children and that as parents we should be kind to ourselves. So this was altogether an amazing read for me in so many ways because it led to lots of reflection and letting go.
It is a powerful story which anyone can appreciate. We may not have questions about culture and country, we may not have questions about belonging, but many of us have questions about life and family and our upbringing.
The author also explores poverty and the way it can erode and stifle life. He doesnt use those words but he portrays it in the story he tells. The story really emphasises the struggle with poverty, isolation and hardship but the author softly reminds us not to judge.
The artwork is really good with very clear drawings which convey the emotions of the characters. The story also has a nice balance between prose and pictures. I dislike graphic novels with too much text and this book gets the balance just right. Although this is heart wrenching in places, the author gives us hope by showing us his own family and trying to reconcile his relationship with his mother. He really shows that he loved her despite the hardship. He also shows his own capacity for love and forgiveness in a really poignant way. I really appreciate the opportunity I have had to review this.
Copy provided by Boom! Studios and Archaia publications via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The distance might be physical such as living in a place which is far from your country of origin, or people or tribe of origin. The distance might be less if you are truly connected to your community of origin in the place you live. The challenge of living in two cultures, or living in one but being disconnected from the other can be hightened by the country you live in and whether you are truly welcomed there.
This book has a subtle way of reminding the reader that migrant families experience various kinds of disconnections which can echo through generations. Eventually the disconnections can be healed by the passage of time and the creation of new families and communities. When people tell me they are American but their great grandmother was from Italy you know that at some point that grandmother and some of the generations after her may have experienced cultural and family disconnections and even some kind of dislocation.
In this book the author captures some of these disconnections through a story about his childhood and his relationship with his mother. I found it moving and painful, but it was very good to read. Michael had struggles with his mother as a child and as an adult. Their relationship was difficult and there was violence. The kind of violence that can erupt from within desperation. His mother struggled with poverty but worked hard to bring her son up but it was an incredibly painful upbringing.
With her death, Michael begins to see the cracks and the fault lines in her life and how they affected him. He is then able to see the fault lines and gaps in his own life. This is a beautiful memoir even though it is painful. It is beautiful because it captures the pain and difficulties of life but at the same time there is hope.
I loved this book because I could recognise some of those same fault lines my life. Questions about where I truly belong. Where is home for me? In the country of my birth or my country of origin? Is my home the same as my son's home? It is a question faced by migrant families all over the world and faced by the generations that come after them. Those cultural questions are familiar to me but thankfully the abuse is not. The abuse Micheal grew up with made those questions all the more complex and challenging and this book in a way is trying to respond to those complexities.
As a single mother of a son it was good to read this. My relationship with my son is peaceful and as a highly educated working woman I was able to give him a good upbringing but so many people struggle to do this whether single or not. This book made me realise that we can only do as much as we can for our children and that as parents we should be kind to ourselves. So this was altogether an amazing read for me in so many ways because it led to lots of reflection and letting go.
It is a powerful story which anyone can appreciate. We may not have questions about culture and country, we may not have questions about belonging, but many of us have questions about life and family and our upbringing.
The author also explores poverty and the way it can erode and stifle life. He doesnt use those words but he portrays it in the story he tells. The story really emphasises the struggle with poverty, isolation and hardship but the author softly reminds us not to judge.
The artwork is really good with very clear drawings which convey the emotions of the characters. The story also has a nice balance between prose and pictures. I dislike graphic novels with too much text and this book gets the balance just right. Although this is heart wrenching in places, the author gives us hope by showing us his own family and trying to reconcile his relationship with his mother. He really shows that he loved her despite the hardship. He also shows his own capacity for love and forgiveness in a really poignant way. I really appreciate the opportunity I have had to review this.
Copy provided by Boom! Studios and Archaia publications via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
June 7, 2020
A graphic memoir about what it means to be Puerto Rican in America, about love, loss, family, loneliness and most of all, abuse. I hadn't realized that this story would mainly be about the abuse the author suffered from his mother and how their poverty shapes their lives.
It can be triggering for anyone who's been abused by a parent. It was heartbreaking seeing him go back to those memories and come to a lot of realizations about his mother, their family, and what they mean to him after he's grown up and got a life and family of his own.
The art style wasn't my favorite thing, it wasn't the type I would usually gravitate to in graphic memoirs, it's mainly suited fro action or superhero comics (which I knew after reading the book is what the author grew up to do, and that is an amazing success story), but the story was heart-wrenching and the writing style was amazing. I would recommend it if you can handle it.
I thank Netgalley and Archaia for the digital ARC.
It can be triggering for anyone who's been abused by a parent. It was heartbreaking seeing him go back to those memories and come to a lot of realizations about his mother, their family, and what they mean to him after he's grown up and got a life and family of his own.
The art style wasn't my favorite thing, it wasn't the type I would usually gravitate to in graphic memoirs, it's mainly suited fro action or superhero comics (which I knew after reading the book is what the author grew up to do, and that is an amazing success story), but the story was heart-wrenching and the writing style was amazing. I would recommend it if you can handle it.
I thank Netgalley and Archaia for the digital ARC.
April 26, 2020
An extremely intense memoir about the author and his mother. It goes over what kinds of hardships they both went through and how that has affected the authors present. Wasn't the biggest fan of the art style, but that's just a personal preference.
April 6, 2023
Sympathy, justification, bravery, and great comic art combine to create this graphic memoir that I’d put in the same league as Bechdel’s Fun Home with its common abusive parent/s’ actions viewed from the unreliable (?) narrative of a child’s memory. I thought the most effective element of this was Hawthorne’s piercing blue eyes in each panel, reminding us of the schism between he and his mother. Lots of pain within; I hope creating it was a cathartic experience for Mike. 3.5 🌟🌟🌟
November 22, 2024
I hope the author goes to therapy someday soon
August 8, 2020
Happiness Will Follow is a memoir in graphic novel form. It focuses on the author's relationship with his mother. Mike Hawthorne was raised by his single Puerto Rican mother Blanca. When he was young they lived in New York City but his mom moves them to York, PA because she thinks it will be safer than NYC. Mike's childhood is one of poverty and insecurity. His mother is proud and has a temper, so Mike faces his share of abuse.
I found the story to be raw and powerful. The artwork was awesome and done by the author himself. The narrative was a little uneven, but it is good to see the author being so open and honest about his difficult childhood.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
I found the story to be raw and powerful. The artwork was awesome and done by the author himself. The narrative was a little uneven, but it is good to see the author being so open and honest about his difficult childhood.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
May 12, 2020
Happiness Will Follow is Mike Hawthorne's memoir told in graphic novel format. Growing up in America as a Puerto Rican in the 80s and 90s, Hawthorne vividly describes his childhood of poverty, anger issues, juvenile misdemeanors, and abuse. This graphic novel doesn't sugarcoat anything in showing the abuse Hawthorne suffered from by the hands of his mother. I really liked how nuanced the characters were and the different perspective Hawthorne presented on the abusive mom in an attempt to show her point of view and to explain why he doesn't view her as the villain of his story despite their complicated relationship. Raw, gripping, and brutally honest. I wasn't that fond of the storyline though because the flashbacks seemed kinda chopping and discordant but I really enjoyed the different point of view this memoir offered.
*Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios publishers for providing a free ARC
*Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios publishers for providing a free ARC
August 3, 2020
Graphic memoirs are one of my favorites, so I'm thankful to have read #HappinessWillFollow. The author tells his story as a young Puerto Rican boy growing up with his single mother, moving around New York and York. The story jumps back and forth in time and also telling stories of his mother and his own life. Despite all of the hardships he lived through, Hawthorne does not paint a totally dreary picture of his childhood--pointing out the beauty and community despite--alongside his mother's abuse and emotions. He wants very clearly for the reader to see that she was a complex person and not the "villain." There are warnings here for topics of abuse, drugs, violence, and other. It is not suitable for younger children, but it may be OK for older teens. Thank you to the publishers and #NetGalley for this early copy.
May 20, 2020
I've never read a graphic novel before but wanted to read this one because of the plot. This was heart breaking, raw, but real . It made me tear up in the end. It was extremely intense and the author was very open in speaking about his abuse, drugs, and poverty. His struggle with his mother broke my heart as well because you know she just wants the best for her son but she is struggling herself in trying to be happy. Overall, I enjoyed this and thought it was quite powerful.
Read
May 13, 2025I went into this book completely blind, so expectations were really low. I read this in one sitting and I absolutely loved it. I had no idea who Mike Hawthorne was prior to reading this, but it’s safe to say I will be reading his other books. I loved his artistic style. The way that some pages were monochrome, while others were colored, to help set the tone of the story. It was very well executed. Aside from loving the illustrations, the story itself was very engaging, and I loved how open he was about the struggles he faced growing up poor, and the amount of sacrifice was made to survive. The final pages were a perfect way to end the story. Hawthorne layed out that he understands that as readers it’s easy to depict Blanca (his mother) as a villain; with selling drugs to make ends meet, or the abuse towards her son. He simply asks the reader to reread the book from her side. From a mother cashing in her pride to provide for her son. It just was overall well rounded, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
August 1, 2020
'Happiness Will Follow' by Mike Hawthorne is a graphic novel autobiography of Mike Hawthorne who was raised by his mother, Blanca.
Mike and his mother Blanca, fought to keep food on the table. They fought a family that didn't want them. Mike and his mother fought too, but that was mainly Mike getting abused by his mother. Blanca has a lot to make her angry, and the only one to take it out on is Mike. He shows how complicated people can be, so Blanca is never just a one dimensional person.
This kind of story can feel pretty one-sided, but Mike Hawthorne makes sure the angles are seen. This must have been a painful and cathartic story to write. Mike's art here is as good as his other work in the Marvel books I know him from. This kind of story takes a lot of courage to tell.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from BOOM! Studios and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Mike and his mother Blanca, fought to keep food on the table. They fought a family that didn't want them. Mike and his mother fought too, but that was mainly Mike getting abused by his mother. Blanca has a lot to make her angry, and the only one to take it out on is Mike. He shows how complicated people can be, so Blanca is never just a one dimensional person.
This kind of story can feel pretty one-sided, but Mike Hawthorne makes sure the angles are seen. This must have been a painful and cathartic story to write. Mike's art here is as good as his other work in the Marvel books I know him from. This kind of story takes a lot of courage to tell.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from BOOM! Studios and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
December 2, 2020
This wrecked me. I read it before going in to work. Hawthorne presents his story in a way that is relatable and frustrating. Strong illustrations, and the author's note will make you cry.
July 22, 2023
I would have liked to see a little more of how he went from being very unsuccessful in his art career to being successful and having a wife and children. A lot of reviews have mentioned this, but the holes and pacing in this story really are confusing sometimes. I also think he should have introduced his wife better, as I only realized she was his wife over half way through.
However, I did find his explanation/rationalization of his mother and her behavior to be very interesting, and I can tell he really tried not to demonize her, but rather show many of the things she did, including the good things. I'm glad he did this while recognizing her actions as abuse, because it's more helpful to people going through this same thing who may be rationalizing an abuser's behavior as their (the victim's) fault than it would if his mother was portrayed as constantly evil. I don't think most abusers go into raising a child with the intent to abuse, and I think he showed that well.
Side note, he said something during the dream sequence at the end that really confuses me. I won't spoil it, but it was the thing he said in Spanish. Why did he say that? Maybe because it was a dream, it isn't supposed to make sense.
However, I did find his explanation/rationalization of his mother and her behavior to be very interesting, and I can tell he really tried not to demonize her, but rather show many of the things she did, including the good things. I'm glad he did this while recognizing her actions as abuse, because it's more helpful to people going through this same thing who may be rationalizing an abuser's behavior as their (the victim's) fault than it would if his mother was portrayed as constantly evil. I don't think most abusers go into raising a child with the intent to abuse, and I think he showed that well.
Side note, he said something during the dream sequence at the end that really confuses me. I won't spoil it, but it was the thing he said in Spanish. Why did he say that? Maybe because it was a dream, it isn't supposed to make sense.
April 28, 2021
This is a graphic memoir through detailed and beautiful illustrations. It potraited the complex relationship between Mike Hawthorne and his mother.
Being a Puerto Rico living in America is pretty difficult. He has been managing hard against his single mother, who herself was alone and had suffered a lot raising a kid by herself only.
The protagonist belonged to a friend who was not only poor but had to struggle each day to live against the racism and unjust. His mother's struggles and sufferings playing the role of a single mother while she didn't even realise that she made the things more toxic and instead of taking the control of each situations, she messed up the things more which ultimately end up the situations in their house being intolerable.
The author has carefully protraited each information with his impressive artwork yet there are some gaps inbetween the narration which made it a little awkward to read and connect with the plot.
Being a Puerto Rico living in America is pretty difficult. He has been managing hard against his single mother, who herself was alone and had suffered a lot raising a kid by herself only.
The protagonist belonged to a friend who was not only poor but had to struggle each day to live against the racism and unjust. His mother's struggles and sufferings playing the role of a single mother while she didn't even realise that she made the things more toxic and instead of taking the control of each situations, she messed up the things more which ultimately end up the situations in their house being intolerable.
The author has carefully protraited each information with his impressive artwork yet there are some gaps inbetween the narration which made it a little awkward to read and connect with the plot.
January 12, 2021
okay, think of a glossy, bold stroke superhero comic but done masterfully in Chris Ware's pastels and with the surety afforded by drawing only the minimum lines - this was a very distinctive and stylish work; not least because "glossy paper" and "gloomy theme" are practically antonyms in popular comics.
Mike Hawthorne is born to and raised by a single diminutive Peurto Rican mother, but one who has a massive ego, is a compulsive liar, and chooses to remain cut-off from her family. Mike is beaten abusively as a child and grows up to deeply resent his mother, remaining out of home as a teen and going away in later life. thankfully his older peers are somewhat sane and he is kept away from major trouble that afflict the rest of his family and friends - drug dealing and usage, disputes and fights, squalid living etc. He goes on to art school, works at a restaurant, and eventually makes it as a cartoonist. He acknowledges his deep emotional void and bitterness at having being cut-off from his family, and the scars formed due to his mother's upbringing. An honest, well-executed, and engaging read
Mike Hawthorne is born to and raised by a single diminutive Peurto Rican mother, but one who has a massive ego, is a compulsive liar, and chooses to remain cut-off from her family. Mike is beaten abusively as a child and grows up to deeply resent his mother, remaining out of home as a teen and going away in later life. thankfully his older peers are somewhat sane and he is kept away from major trouble that afflict the rest of his family and friends - drug dealing and usage, disputes and fights, squalid living etc. He goes on to art school, works at a restaurant, and eventually makes it as a cartoonist. He acknowledges his deep emotional void and bitterness at having being cut-off from his family, and the scars formed due to his mother's upbringing. An honest, well-executed, and engaging read
October 12, 2021
Not sure if the graphic novel was the best format for this complicated memoir.
The scenes jump around in time, and these flashbacks are easier to signal and integrate with text; here there were some abrupt confusing transitions. It didn't help that characters were hard to tell apart—even the child Michael could look different from one panel to the next. Many of the other characters, male and female, were thin-faced and sharp-nosed, exactly like the mother.
The book ends with an apology of sorts; the author expressing his fear that the portrayal of his mother was too one-sided or too harsh. I didn't feel that at all while reading the book, but again these fears and complicated emotions are easier to tuck into the narrative if it were prose.
The effort was too sprawling for me, and I often felt lost. I was sympathetic, but confused. Rounded up to 3 stars.
The scenes jump around in time, and these flashbacks are easier to signal and integrate with text; here there were some abrupt confusing transitions. It didn't help that characters were hard to tell apart—even the child Michael could look different from one panel to the next. Many of the other characters, male and female, were thin-faced and sharp-nosed, exactly like the mother.
The book ends with an apology of sorts; the author expressing his fear that the portrayal of his mother was too one-sided or too harsh. I didn't feel that at all while reading the book, but again these fears and complicated emotions are easier to tuck into the narrative if it were prose.
The effort was too sprawling for me, and I often felt lost. I was sympathetic, but confused. Rounded up to 3 stars.
August 4, 2024
excellent read highly recommend
A raw beautiful fucked up story of a complicated relationship between mother and Son (Author) relationship throughout his youth. Once I picked this up , I don’t put it down till I was done.
I don’t really want spoil anything but shout out to Mike for writing this piece I hope your mother was able to experience this wherever she might be, I know your journey wasn’t the best ( in your words - Cursed ) .. but thank you for sharing your story/pictures and I hope your future is much better.
Ps. Can anyone explain to me the scene where he is look out the window and the teenage couple go in the alley and make out , than come out to everybody laughing. ( Am I thinking to deep about it or Am I missing something)
A raw beautiful fucked up story of a complicated relationship between mother and Son (Author) relationship throughout his youth. Once I picked this up , I don’t put it down till I was done.
I don’t really want spoil anything but shout out to Mike for writing this piece I hope your mother was able to experience this wherever she might be, I know your journey wasn’t the best ( in your words - Cursed ) .. but thank you for sharing your story/pictures and I hope your future is much better.
Ps. Can anyone explain to me the scene where he is look out the window and the teenage couple go in the alley and make out , than come out to everybody laughing. ( Am I thinking to deep about it or Am I missing something)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews