Title: Halfway There
Author: Christine Mari
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Publication date: October 15, 2024
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Summary
In this graphic memoir, Christine Mari recounts her year of studying abroad in Japan. Being half American and half Japanese, she didn’t feel like she belonged in either world. She hopes that studying in Japan would help her sense of identity, but instead, she finds herself spiraling into a depression. It’s all she can do to stay afloat until the end of the year, to figure out who she really is.
Review: Halfway There
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Ink for an advanced copy of Halfway There by Christine Mari to review! There have been quite a few graphic novel memoirs around this similar topic in the YA realm recently, but they all read so differently. This book especially focuses on Mari’s mental health, and learning how to cope with it.
One of the strongest themes throughout this is the worry about not having everything figured out the first year of college. It’s a misconception that everyone immediately knows what they want to do when they get to college, and Christine worries about this throughout the book. The fact that she doesn’t seem to have any one thing that stands out as what she wants to do for the rest of her life. It’s a worry that the targeted teen audience will definitely identify with, especially those getting ready to go to college.
There’s also an important analysis of what it is to biracial and not feeling accepted by either culture. I especially appreciate the way that Mari outlines the different ways she’s viewed in the US vs. Japan, and how that contributes to her mental health. It’s well written, and written in a way that’s relatable to the audience.
The art is just as well done as the writing, pulling the reader into the story immediately. An excellent addition to the growing number of YA graphic memoirs.
4/5 stars