I was recently in a comicky sort of mood and picked up the graphic novel Skim. Quicky, I found myself with a real page turner on my hands. The Canadian coming of age story written by Mariko Tamaki with art by cousin and illustrator, Jillian Tamaki proved to be a very well put together book, and worthy of the numerous awards it has garnered.

The content and feel of the writing is reminiscent of a female version of Craig Thompson's Blankets, as we follow the lives and heartbreaks of several teenage girls in high school.  Taking place in the mid 90's, full of drama and even a little witchcraft, the story offers an intimate and accurate look into being an outcast and adolecence. Mariko writes with a poetic flare, working in unison with Jillian's delicate artwork.

Having seen Jillian's colour illustration work, I was not surprised to find how well it translated into a black and white graphic novel. Her linework pushes the boundaries of loose sketchiness, while at the same time being entirely purposeful. Some of the female characters are full of unique life-like qualities but even more stunning are the double page landscapes that come up every so often. I think both the art and the writing do a quality job of recreating the feel of growing up in the 90's and would highly recommend Skim as a solid read.