Juliet Takes a Breath

by Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrations)

A NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATION OF THE BESTSELLING BOOK! Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving the Bronx and headed to Portland, Oregon. She just came out to her family and isn’t sure if her mom will ever speak to her again. But don’t worry, Juliet has something kinda resembling a plan that’ll help her figure out what it means to be Puerto Rican, lesbian and out. See, she’s going to intern with Harlowe Brisbane - her favorite feminist author, someone’s who’s the last work on feminism, self-love and lots of of ther things that will help Juliet find her ever elusive epiphany. There’s just one problem - Harlowe’s white, not from the Bronx and doesn’t have the answers. Okay, maybe that’s more than one problem but Juliet never said it was a perfect plan... Critically-acclaimed writer Gabby Rivera adapts her bestselling novel alongside artist Celia Moscote in an unforgettable queer coming-of-age story exploring race, idenrity and what it means to be true to your amazing self. even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand.

Genres: Graphic Novels, LGBT, Young Adult, Queer, Comics, Contemporary, Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2020

About the author

Gabby Rivera is a Bronx-born, queer Puerto Rican author on a mission to create the wildest, most fun stories ever.

She’s the first Latina to write for Marvel Comics, penning the solo series America about America Chavez, a portal-punching queer Latina powerhouse. Rivera’s critically acclaimed debut novel Juliet Takes a Breath was called “f*cking outstanding” by Roxane Gay and was re-published in September 2019 by Penguin Random House. Currently, Gabby is the writer and creator of b.b. free, a new original comic series with BOOM! Studios. Stay tuned for her podcast joy revolution coming in 2020!

When not writing, Gabby speaks on her experiences as a queer Puerto Rican from the Bronx, an LGBTQ youth advocate, and the importance of prioritizing joy in QTPOC communities at events across the country.

Gabby makes magic on both coasts, currently residing in California. She writes for all the sweet baby queers, and her mom.

Reviews

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

*reminds self that 3.5 stars is still a good rating and I shouldn't feel bad*

I wanted to adore this as much as most of my friends adore this and/or the original full novel version of the story, but I really thought it was just alright. While I adored the conversation on queerness and on being QBIPOC, and how different that experience is from a white queer person's experience, I found the plot rather meandering and boring. The art is really pretty, though, and I think this graphic novel will be PERFECT for so many readers! It might not have been the ideal fit for me, but I still enjoyed it enough and thought it was an important enough story (including the points made for us white queer folks who frequently don't get it right when allying with our QBIPOC loved ones) to recommend!

✨ Content warnings for: homophobia, racism, gratuitous usage of a homophobic slur ('d*ke' — and before anyone comments on this, yes, queer women & trans folks are more than welcome to reclaim it for themselves, but that doesn't change the fact that it's still viewed by many as a slur that is EXTREMELY triggering for many queer people!)

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

[JulesGP · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the original book almost 3 years ago and recall it having an impact on me. Although no specifics come to mind, I felt like it had unsettled me. Juliet Milagros Palante is 19 and is heading to Portland, Oregon, to do an internship with a well known feminist author, Harlowe Brisbane.

She is Puerto Rican and Harlowe is white. I mention this because it’s crucial to the story. Juliet is new and fresh eyed, open to possibilities of what it means to be a woman, a lesbian, and a person of color. How does it all come together, she wonders, the way you do when you’re first venturing out into the world.

There’s the inevitable heartache that comes with facing life’s realities and meeting other’s truths. But Juliet also finds love and maybe, just maybe, a bridge back to her mother. I loved the art, the warm colors, and best of all, the artist’s appreciation for what women’s bodies actually look like. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Read courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Althea ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

“I love you like the seas love the moon. Whatever you are, whoever you love. I’m here.”

I adored this ❤︎ there were issues that were pointed out in such a short story that is relevant until today even though the original novel was published some 4 years ago.

THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE SO GORGEOUS; it did a lot to convery Juliet’s emotions, the pallette is used well and so my style, translates the comic relief

tw// homophobia, fatphobia, cultural appropriation, white apologist

— overall thoughts: 3.75 —

To point out some of points that were tackled so bravely:
✧ it talks about the conflicts that could arise after coming out to your family and does it well
✧ pointing out the actual realities of issues like homophobia in families like Juliets
✧ cultural appropriation in a white dominated society
✧ “it’s just a phase”

At the heart, it is a coming of age story that showed the realities of how hard it can be for families to accept but also that not perhaps not everyone will be like that and there will be some people who will love you no matter what. Together with all the insecurities come at that age.

“They didn’t even know me and it was like they loved me.”

I loved the character dynamics and being able to see plainly see the cultural appropriation in certain parts irked me, but that was the point. But Harlowe… oh boy. Using Juliet as “proof” that she wasn’t being an ally was so out of line to an infinite degree. But that also goes to show just how entitled some white folks can be with topics like racism and the fact that it was pointed out so blatantly has me applauding.

I’m really glad they came out with this graphic novel because I might not have been able to get around to reading the novel, and it might be the same with other people. This, I feel, makes it more accessible to a lot more people which is important for such an important story.

There really is no excuse to be ignorant at this point with all the stories just like Juliet Takes a Breath that are being published.

This was a well done story on every level. It did feel like everything was moving too fast, I guess that comes with the graphic novel format.

↣  This was a nice breather and a surely important story to thousands of people. I wish this was more hyped but maybe I just missed said hype. ↢

“If you don’t have a hum, just a breathe.”

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[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story about Juliet learning who she was meant to be.

I loved how Gabby did not shy away from toxic masculinity, the problematic religious views of homosexuality, and racism.

It was absolutely beautiful to watch Juliet bloom.

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 ⭐️

- Really wanted to love this morning, but it didn’t land for me. I could see myself enjoying the traditional book more, but the graphic novel felt like it had so many gaps in the story and it seemed like I was missing so many important ties that would habe connected me to the characters more.
- Absolutely LOVED the art! The colors kept me invested and loved the style of the story.
- The plot felt too fast paced and was confusing most of the story. I wish that I had read the novel first because I feel like it would have given a deeper view of the story as whole.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is brightly colored, lively adaptation of the novel of the same name (which I read and loved over the summer). I love Juliet's character design and the warmth and energy of the color palette. I miss the pieces of her internal narration which had to be cut, and by necessity this is a slightly less complex version of the story. But it's a very faithful adaptation and I hope it pulls in new readers!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll just start by saying, I'm by no means the target audience for this book. In fact, I'm probably the opposite, given I'm a cis white male. I just liked the cover art and decided to check it out.

Juliet is a teenage, Puerto Rican, newly out lesbian from the Bronx. She takes an internship with her idol over the summer in Portland, OR. Her boss, Harlowe, is a crunchy, lesbian, feminist author with a Karen attitude. The characters seemed to have stepped out of a Portlandia sketch. Juliet grows up a lot over the summer as she's exposed to other lifestyles and cultures. It's your typical coming of age story with a lesbian twist. The story is a bit boring honestly. Not a lot happens, but it's sure to appeal to the YA set.

The art is unique and I loved the coloring. The only thing that bugged me was the absolute lack of backgrounds. Too many artists try to shortcut that today, taking a "manga" approach of foreground figures only.

Received a review copy from Boom Box and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, this art was gorgeous.
I really enjoyed this one, but it didn't do as much for me as the original book did. I still recommend it though!

[a. · Rating 4 out of 5]

consider reading this review on my new blog here !

eARC provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.

note : this story is ownvoices for queer latinx rep

tw : homophobia, fatphobia, sexual assault.

rep :
🌈 fat + lesbian + latinx ( puerto rican ) mc
🌈 side bi + latinx ( puerto rican ) characters
🌈 side black + nonbinary character
🌈 side afro-latinx + queer character
🌈 polyamorous relationship ( mentioned )
🌈 side trans character ( transwoman, to be exact )
🌈 side queer black characters
🌈 queer half - korean li
🌈 side minor gay character
🌈 side queer characters

*

J U L I E T T A K E S A B R E A T H

i honestly don't know where to start.

juliet milagros palante is the fat and asthmatic puerto rican lesbian you never knew you wanted to read about.

THE STORY
↳ we got to explore not just what it meant for juliet to be a lesbian, but also what it means to be a lesbian of colour living in a world that seems to want to put her down.
↳ the white saviour complex in the form of harlowe brisbane was portrayed brilliantly, as was juliet's character arc regarding her idolization of harlowe. white feminism leaves behind women of colour, and it severely affects queer womxn as well. white feminism and the white saviour complex is unfortunately very much real and thriving sentiments in today's world -- something which was depicted with finesse by the author.
↳ on the topic of harlowe, i LOVED the way zaira called her out on her white feminism. zaira is a badass and we love her.
↳ i loved the dialogue between juliet and her cousin ava as they talk about sex and gender.
↳ i love how elements as serious as cultural appropriation to the little things like menstruation and masturbation were depicted. you don't see a lot of novels these days which portray menstruation and masturbation, so kudos to both the author and the artist for that !
⇢ now, admittedly i haven't read the original novel on which this is based on ( Juliet Takes a Breath ), but as far as this graphic novel is concerned, it feels like she isn't taking any action of her own to advance the plot. basically, it felt like the plot was this big current which was carrying juliet along -- she was thrown into different situations to which she reacted.
⇢ the ending was also a little too perfectly happy for my taste, but what the heck, qtpoc deserve perfect happy endings too.

THE ART
↳ i love that juliet was drawn to be fat. her body shape isn't ambiguous or anything -- it's just very clearly fat and i love that
↳ i love how other characters have normal bodies too. not everyone is skinny and white and that's awesome !
↳ i love, love, love the fact that harlowe had legs which actually had hair on them !
↳ i absolutely ADORED the colour palette for both portland and miami.
↳ i especially loved the character art of juliet, maxine, zaira and luz.
⇢ i just wish the art had a little more variation, though. there was a change in the colour palette when juliet reaches miami from portland, but other than that i do wish there was a change in atleast the tone of the colours used in accordance with, say, juliet's moods or the different people she meets.

would recommend if you want to gush about a graphic novel as much as i did in this review ( and more lmao ). i mean, it's got a lesbian of colour as the mc, subtly shades cultural appropriation, calls out white feminism and features a refreshingly diverse cast of characters !

another note : this graphic novel is based on the novel Juliet Takes a Breath by the same author, but you don't need to read it to understand this.

// 4 stars

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first: I have not read the novel this book is based on, so I can't say anything about how well it is adapted.

I sometimes get the feeling with books that involve a severely underrepresented group (in this case gay women of colour), that the fact of this representation is seen as part of the quality. I am all for more representation of minority groups, and I applaud every author and artist who tries to right this wrong, but sometimes I think faults in such works are overlooked. So the act of representation gets five stars, but what does the actual book get?

Juliet Takes a Breath is an uneven book, its pacing is irregular. The titular Juliet is a latinx gay, and her mother cannot accept this. Juliet takes an internship with a white feminist, and moves to Portland. This woman, Harlowe, is terrible (and judging by the excerpts we get to read, her book is just as terrible). Juliet's girlfriend is on her own internship in Washington, and isn't returning her calls.

All the people in Portland seem kind of awful to me, to be honest. They are supposed to be positive role models (I think?), but they all talk as if they're in a Portlandia sketch - it's all inner goddesses, your heart and your spirit, etc.

The book is a bit of a fantasy, where everything that's wrong gets solved, it all ties up a bit too neatly. I also wish Juliet as a character had a bit more agency in the story, she just seems to get bounced from situation to situation, from one character to yet another character.

I quite like the art style, except that the artist does not draw backgrounds. At all. Everything is awash in the same palet of orange, yellow, pink and purple, it never changes according to mood or tone (except when the story moves to Miami for a bit, that gets its own wash of samey colours). It makes the whole book quite dull visually.

A book with the heart in the right place, if a bit dull.

2.5 stars

(Kindly received an ARC from Boom! Studios through NetGalley)

[fer bañuelos · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW.

*4.5-5*

No suelo dar 5 estrellas a novelas gráficas porque siempre siento que es muy poquito lo que nos pueden dar, pero Juliet Takes a Breath se las ganó apenas empezando.

Este libro es una belleza tremenda. Es una exploración hermosa de la experiencia queer y de la identidad de género a través de la perspectiva de una chica latina de color. Me encantó la forma en la que varios temas se llevan a cabo, como la diferencia que existe entre la experiencia de alguien blanco y la de alguien racializado.

El estilo de ilustración es fácilmente mi favorito dentro de todas las novelas gráficas que he leido. Celia Moscote hizo un trabajo ESPECTACULAR. Me dan ganas de comprar este libro en físico y arrancarle todas las páginas para hacer un mural con ellas en mi cuarto. Es demasiado precioso.

Hay un par de Trigger Warnings que creo se pueden considerar, como lo son la lesbofóbia, racismo y el uso de una palabra derrogatoria hacia lesbianas (en el libro no se usa en contexto negativo, ya que los personajes la pueden usar pero puede ser incomodo para algunas personas queer).

En general es un libro bellisimo y me terminando esta adaptación me apunto la novela completa para poder leermela, porque vale mucho la pena.

[Hsinju Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content warnings: racism, homophobia/homomisia, biphobia, sexual harassment, cheating

I went into this book without reading the original novel and really enjoyed this adaptation, especially the fun and expressive art style.

The story follows Juliet Milagros Palante (19, gay, Puerto Rican, fat) leaving the Bronx for an internship in Portland with (white) feminist Harlowe Brisbane (34). During this journey, Juliet is subjected to racism and finds kinship in the many QPOC she meets along the way.

“Go heal. I’ll be here.”

This is a very nice coming-of-age graphic novel, but it is not entirely a light read; the main character Juliet goes through many tough things in the story. There are multiple storylines, including coming out to family, internship, romantic relationship(s), etc., and all are interwoven well with a mostly happy ending. I love how baby gay Juliet finds love and support in her QPOC peers and mentors in a world of white feminism.

There were a few times where I had trouble following the story, mainly trying to figure out who’s who, but there is nothing that couldn’t be solved by rereading a few times. I did have a little issue with the mentioning of gender being heart and sex being parts—I feel like genitals aren’t relevant here. Also, almost everyone is a spiritual gay and it felt a bit stereotypical. But the overall joy and warmth of the story made it very worth a read, and I’d imagine it to be empowering, too.

Juliet Takes a Breath: The Graphic Novel is an enjoyable adaptation of Juliet’s journey of finding herself, focusing on the joy and pride of being a queer person of color.

I received an e-ARC from BOOM! Box via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. I’m a big graphic novel/comic book fan but I’m bad at keeping up with the interesting ones coming up so I’m really enjoying seeing all the queer storylines that are becoming available. Juliet Takes A Breath is adapted from the novel by Gabby Rivera - a work I unfortunately haven’t had the opportunity to read as of yet, however this did not impact my enjoyment of the graphic novel at all - it stands strong by itself.

I loved the storyline of this. The novel was originally published in 2016 and is still very relevant today. It tells the story of Juliet, who is from the Bronx, who heads to Portland for an internship and finds her community amongst fellow QTPOC people. When she leaves the Bronx she comes out to her family - not all of whom take it well. Her internship is with Harlowe, who wrote a book Juliet initially identifies with. Juliet’s time in Portland and then Miami gives her a different perspective on her queerness than being in the Bronx with her white young democrat girlfriend and I loved this exploration for her.

The illustration in this really stands out for me, especially the colours used. It makes for a beautiful read through the scenes. I enjoyed how the diversity of the characters is depicted and how the key scenes are illustrated.

As with most graphic novels it’s very easy to read, but the topics aren’t glossed over and I really appreciated the fine balance and editing this must have taken.

I’d highly recommend to any graphic novel fans, and if getting your stories in this manner isn’t your kind of thing I’d encourage you to pick up the original novel - just like I’m going to.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Fanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

December 12, 2020: A Puerto Rican lesbian—Juliet—has recently moved cities and started an internship, to find herself ecstatic by the sense of belonging she could feel amidst a diverse group that includes gender queer and other LGBT+ characters, Black and Latina characters, and a biracial (Korean-white) love interest. Despite being confident in her identity and proud of loving herself as a fat woman with asthma, she still receives the typical phrases from her mother who's in denial—"it's just a phase"—and often craves the support that a community can bring.

Complementing the excellent storyline of finding wonderfully strong friendships through empathy, relatability, and shared identities, are other themes highlighting the importance of communication in a deteriorating relationship and of discovering new feelings for someone.

Running timely parallels, this graphic novel adaptation of a highly recommended book by the same name, Juliet Takes a Breath, comments on the savior complex accompanying most white feministic views, the utter inexistence of reverse racism, and the additional strength every BIPOC is forced to show in order to let their opinions be heard in a world often silencing them. A delightful read paired with difficult subtleties, and coupled with a warm, colorful art style, this contemporary delivers with pride.

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➼ an early digital copy received via netgalley but the review remains uninfluenced. ↤

[Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Okay, so here's the thing:
Juliet Takes a Breath made me feel both extremely uncomfortable, and very empowered.

The first half of this book felt like a mixture of old-school and new, slightly elitist feminism. Talks about how womanhood is loving my pussy, folds within the inherent assumption that being a woman equals being a female. I'm pretty sure this wasn't the author's intentions, it was probably even a criticism more than anything else... but starting off with the glorious revelations the mc felt towards these concepts made me feel so soooo uncomfortable.

I don't like being told how to experience my body. This specific type of feminism who tells me to embrace my pussy (my pussy and I are on excellent terms, thanks for the concern), while important and undoubtedly groundbreaking at its time, is simply patronizing, and can't be considered the holy grail of feminism.
So yeah, to see it meshed with a series of so-called modern and queer things like pronouns, soy milk, and apparently tree-hugging (seriously?), felt like an attack. It felt like a double criticism. Like those archaic views are actually the same as understanding gender and the implications it decrees. And it all boils down to things you don't understand.

On the other hand, I loved that she was fat, I loved that I could see that she was fat because it wasn't just my interpretation of the book - it was illustrated right there. And Juliet was GLORIOUS in all her curves and color and messy confusion.
I loved being able to look inside Juliet's family, the good and the bad parts. AND THE REP! So much, so inclusive and diverse! I love how I had to double-check myself on my thoughts because I'm a white woman, and when I read a book written by an author of color, I want to make sure I don't think or judge before I listen.
I loved seeing trans people talked about as beautiful and desired.
I loved Juliet's cousin and her flash course on how trans people don't owe cis people their gender, their sex, or their education.

I loved how flawed Juliet was, because we all are, all the time... but I wish she could've been explored better as a character, and not just as a reflection of her surroundings. I don't know how different this adaptation is from the original book, so I can't speak for the actual story. I feel like there's so much more to this story than the graphic novel shows. It has so much joy and love, I wish I could've read it when I was young. I wish I could've felt the power that comes with being represented, even if just your size. Not only represented - but loved.

PS - the illustrations are s t u n n i n g! But please, someone do something about the typography, because it looks sloppy and patched.

*I received an eARC of this book from the wonderful Boom! studios through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Creya Casale | cc.shelflove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Juliet comes out to her family in a big way. You know, when your main character is sitting at the dinner table and blurts, “I’m gay!” That night, she leaves the Bronx for an internship in Portland with “the pussy lady,” a super feminist who loves to stand for what she believes in... or so it seems. Juliet learns a lot about herself in Portland and kisses everyone. There were quite a few Vagina Monologues-esque scenes that were highly uncomfortable, though. Overall, I loved the color palette of this graphic novel, and I can see young girls enjoying this a lot.

[DesertSkyCacti · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork was beautiful and the color palette they used is extremely memorable! But sadly the plot just didn't do it for me... Mainly because I didn't feel like there really was one.
Artwork 5/5 stars
Plot 2.5/5 stars

[Sasha Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

everyone is gay and nothing hurts!

[Reading with Yolandas Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me forever to finish this graphic novel. Just was not interesting at all

[Lea (drumsofautumn) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Reading will make you brilliant but writing will make you infinite.”

Juliet Takes a Breath is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel with the same title and unpacks so many different themes, from white feminism and intersectionality to finding your place in queer spaces, heartbreak and coming out.

At the center of this story is Juliet, who moves from the Bronx to Portland, Oregon, to start an internship with a feminist author called Harlowe Brisbane. During this internship she gets introduced to a super diverse group of queer people and finds a queer space to belong for the first time.

As time goes on, Juliet becomes more comfortable within queer spaces but also learns that Harlowe Brisbane is not everything that she had hoped she would be and represent for her.

“They didn't even know me and it was like they loved me. I almost couldn't accept it. Like the ache of Lainie had me numb way deep in my spirit too.”

There is truly so much to say about Juliet Takes a Breath because it unpacked so many different themes but I thought it was all done incredibly well. I haven't read the original novel but this graphic novel had me so hooked and so in love, that it made me want to read it, even though I now obviously know the basic storyline.

But it just made me so intriguied to see how the novel unpacks all of these issues because if the graphic novel already did it so well in such a small amount of pages, then surely the novel will be doing an ever greater job at it!

I also just adored all the characters in this novel so much and I would want to read more about them. This novel features an incredibly diverse cast of characters! Most of them are queer and/or genderqueer, we have Black characters, Latinx characters and a biracial (White & Korean) love interest.
Juliet herself is Puerto Rican, fat and a lesbian. She also has asthma and is shown using her inhaler on page.

“And you get to decide what you believe and how you worship yourself.”

Even though Juliet has known for a long time that she is gay and feels quite comfortable and confident in that identity, and even has been in a relationship for a year, she hasn't really been part of any queer community and she really finds a wonderful support system with these people.

The story actually starts with Juliet coming out as a lesbian to her family and while a lot of the members of her family are dismissive at first, most of them are accepting. But Juliet's mother does not accept her sexuality and calls it "just a phase" and thinks that Juliet just needs to find the right guy. It was a storyline that obviously many queer people can relate to and that I thought was well done overall.

I really loved Juliet's relationship with her brother, even though we only got to read about it briefly and later on in the novel we meet Juliet's cousin and aunt who live in Miami, who were also such wonderful characters to read about and had a big impact on Juliet's journey too.

“Juliet Milagro Palante. I love you like the seas love the moon. Whatever you are, whoever you love, I'm here.”

One of the biggest themes of this graphic novel was white feminism and the saviour complex that white people have. This is definitely a story that is not always a fun and happy read, it can be quite uncomfortable at times. But it shows a reality of our world and I really appreciated that the author was so blunt about it.

This graphic novel talks about casual racism, it talks about how reverse racism doesn't exist, it's about how white people will so often overstep and speak over people of colour when they are trying to help. And it's also about holding people accountable.
All those aspects, while brief, due to the nature of this format, were so well done and surely very eye-opening for many people.

On top of all that, Juliet Takes a Breath also has themes of different kinds of romantic relationships and how self-love plays an important role in that. We see that the relationship that Juliet is in in the beginning of the story does not seem very healthy and it shows just how important communication is in a relationship.

But within the course of this novel, Juliet starts dating someone else and it is a really beautiful development. There is also a great f/f sex scene with a big emphasis on consent and masturbation is also explored in this graphcic novel. Neither of thoses scenes are explicit but make it very clear what's happening.

“Kira felt like home. Like a million street bikes zipping down the bronx river parkway and popping endos under the elevated trains. Dinosaur-sized butterflies fluttered in my stomach.”

And of course there is the beautiful art style, that I truly loved and that only added so much love for this graphic novel for me. I loved the line art and how much very clear body diversity there was with these characters. It also has a very warm and pleasant colour palette, that just made it a very pleasing reading experience.

“Gender is a trip. Limitless like the universe.”

Overall, as you might be able to tell from this review, I truly loved this graphic novel and cannot wait to dive into the novel soon because I am just that in love with the characters and themes in this story!

Trigger and Content Warnings for homophobia, racism, fatshaming, sexual harassment, smoking (weed), use of d-slur (in a reclaiming nature).

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I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

[TJL · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this in one go during some downtime today.

Morbid curiosity drove me; I don't have the energy for hate-reads the way I used to.

And by God was this one bad.

The cringe was POWERFUL. The story-telling was non-existent. The dialogue was grotesquely flowery. Every other sentence was social justice-scented commentary. The art was... Not horrible? But not great either.

I almost want to read the original book because I feel like I'm missing out on some gold-quality cringe the graphic novel version could not capture. I can only compare the feeling to looking at a live rattlesnake and thinking "God, that thing is gonna kill my dumb ass, but I really wanna touch the little rattle on its tail."

This barely qualifies as a story. With maybe the exception of Juliet, every character in this story exists as a mouthpiece for the author's sociopolitical views, or a strawman villain designed to be a hate-sink. The mouth-pieces parrot a lot of social justice rhetoric about gender, sexuality, race, feminism, etc, and the villains (all of whom are white, from the guys who assault Juliet at the beginning to her girlfriend to Harlowe to the white girls at the Octavia Butler seminar) exist as paper-tigers to be easily torn down and defeated.

There are many points at which the rhetoric becomes downright cultish. If you're white, you simply need to duck your head in shame and apologize for the sins of your ancestors... Even if your ancestors never owned slaves or participated in the slave trade; this is a sin you will literally never be forgiven of, but take the snide comments and abuse with gratitude because you should be grateful that you are being "educated" as to your original sin (that being, being born with the wrong skin color) by your betters.

Because, you know, holding people accountable for things that they DID NOT DO and had ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER is a 100% healthy and not at all fucked up way of viewing the world and others in it. The idea that you are owed an apology from every white person (lol, I'm sorry, the preferred term is colonizer) because some of them did bad things to you or your ancestors is delusional.

This graphic novel is hilariously bad. A social justice cringefest of terrible pedigree.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley

actual rating: 3.5

I haven't read the prose version of this story [I am way more likely to read contemporary YA as a graphic novel than a prose book] so I'm not sure how good of an adaption it is but I thought it was overall a cute and enjoyable read. I would like to warn for some transphobia that I don't think really gets adequately addressed though. There is a nonbinary character in a few scenes at the beginning and a trans woman at the end, but since Harlowe's particular brand of awful white feminism is incredibly vagina-based I wish that had been addressed a bit more. I get that the author was more wanting to focus on the racism side of things which is incredibly valid but I feel like it might have been better tone down all the vagina stuff if they weren't going to get into it very much. Still, it was a fun read and I really enjoyed reading about Juliet's journey and her finding herself. Would definitely recommend for people like me who might have been interested in the novel but didn't want to commit to something longer.

[TJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a miss for me. The writing seemed really amateur; the dialogue wasn’t good, the plot was boring, characters one dimensional, etc. The themes were interesting, but they were presented in such a way that they lacked any depth. The colors were dull, and everything just kind of blurred together. I’m glad a book with these topics exists, but I wouldn’t recommend this one. I hope the novel version is better, but I won’t be picking it up after this, personally. The best things here were the art style and representation— but that’s not enough to carry a graphic novel. 2/5 stars.

[farith · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks to netgalley and boom! studios for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

if you were a fan of gabby rivera's "juliet takes a breath," this graphic adaptation is a must. celia moscote, the artist, stayed faithful to the little details of the original story and delivered a fun and refreshing graphic novel that suits the novel perfectly. the art is gorgeous and the character representation brought into these pages is pretty accurate to rivera's book.

in case you don't know, the original story is about a young girl named juliet, who moves to portland for a summer internship with her favorite author. she learns a lot about herself, her community, feminism and her value as a latinx who has come from the bronx. i cannot recommend this enough, especially if you are latinx and queer.

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I think I tripped myself up with this one because I hyped it massively to myself and I seriously wish I’d read the book (which I own) before the graphic novel. What I found with Juliet Takes A Breath was a character I could adore but a story short on depth because…graphic novel length, I think.

What I cannot regret over this read was fantastic illustration and story potential. Juliet was beautiful, curvy and full of feisty get-go but also with a bit of fear and trepidation. There was a coming-out story, family woes and relationship stresses. Plenty for the reader to get their teeth into as long as you don’t want to bite too deep. I wanted more underneath, depth to the story which I’m guessing is present in the book.

Illustration wise, this was glorious. My favourite visualisation of characters were Juliet (of course), Kira, Maxine and Harlowe’s hairy legs. There’s also a wee bit of suggested visualised steam and that was nicely done.

So, if you want a taster of this story, the graphic novel is perfect. I imagine that those that have read the book already will love this visualation too. I think I need to reverse my steps now and read the book to get that bit more that I wanted.

Thank you to BOOM! Box for the early review copy.

This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.

[Oyinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 135 of 2021

I enjoyed this one. A lot. It's a graphic novel adaptation of the novel with the same name. I haven't read the novel, but I got all the "Gist" from the graphic novel, and I loved that a lot. Juliet is a Latinx lesbian who has gotten the chance of her life, to intern with her role model for the summer, leaving the Bronx to Portland. When she gets there, all is not as she expected.

I'll write my review by highlighting the themes/topics covered , what I loved, and what I didn't like.

Themes/Topics
Family: Family was a huge part of this graphic novel. From the beginning with a richly illustrated dinner scene where Juliet comes out, to her Miami trip where she visits her cousin and aunt, we see how much her family means to her. Her brother is one of my favorite characters because the love between them just shone through and reminded me of my own brother.

Intersectionality, feminism, race, and allyship: These topics came together a lot in this book, and I enjoyed how it was written. We got to see the white savior trope and how that character was dealt with. We also got to see a lot of things relating to race play out.

What I Loved
Representation: Gosh. This was... chef's kiss. This book had a slew of diverse characters, and there was also a lot of lessons in here about sexuality, identity, and the importance of pronounce.

The illustrations: I absolutely adored the color schemes and art styles of the book. I love how the characters were visualized and how unapologetically authentic they were with Juliet's body.

What I Didn't Like
The pacing: The Graphic Novel is an abridged version of the main book, so this moved from plot point to plot point and felt a little bit too rushed.

Overall, this was such an important and amazing book, I highly recommend it.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it nearly as much as I loved the book!

Full RTC

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

[aarya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read via library.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

During our first writer's club meeting this year, one of the new members recommended "Juliet Takes a Breath" to us, and I was super stoked to read it. To my surprise, I saw that it was also coming out as a graphic novel adaptation, and scooped it up (also forwarded the good news to a very excited teenager). I usually don't read the adaptation of books BEFORE reading the original, so this may be less "biased" review since it will be judged just on its merits as a graphic novel.

The main character of this book, Juliet, experiences some pretty big life changes at 19 -- she moves across the country from the Bronx to Portland, Oregon to take a summer internship with Harlowe Brisbane, the author of a feminist text that has opened Juliet's eyes to new ways of looking at the world. But as a Puerto-Rican American, who also identifies as a lesbian, she's not sure Harlowe's book makes room for her experience as a queer woman of color. But off she goes! She leaves her family, distance girlfriend, and life behind to assist this woman and learn more about herself.

I enjoyed Juliet's character and loved the art in the book. The plot line was engaging, and it was a quick read that can easily be finished in one sitting. I can see this book bringing up important themes, but two most especially 1) the idea of the white savior and how dangerous this can be and 2) the importance of intersectionality and representation/equity for all.

I found some of the queer characters to be little stereotypical and not developed enough in this short text (perhaps they are more developed in the longer version). Some of the plot points too felt a little too coincidental or strange to be realistic. Juliet's ability to just hop on a plane or stay with people she barely knows to avoid conflicts seemed too simple. Her whole stay with Harlowe, too, felt suspect -- I can see the summer internship as reality, but letting a strange teenager crash on your couch all summer (no matter the personality type) seemed a bit too out there to believe.

I love the representation and think seeing more queer people of color in the media people consume is incredibly important. But this book tackles some of the same topics we see in a lot of other books. A lot of my teen readers are dying for books that don't need a big coming out scene or some sort of racial confrontation in a book with a protagonist that looks like them. I do, however, see that this book is valuable for WHO is experiencing these life events in fiction -- there are still so few books that portray queer women of color at all. So long story short, keep books like this coming, and I'll keep putting them on my shelves.

[Ditte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is gorgeous, Juliet's a wonderful character, and the message of the story is forever relevant and important. A few things felt a bit surface-level but looking at reviews has made me want to read the novel this is adapted from to get the full impact of the story.