I recently got the chance to read Jessica Abel’s graphic novel/comic La Perdida. The story tells of the 20 something year old Carla as she packs up and moves to Mexico City. Carla’s on a journey to experience culture and life for herself and as the story progresses we get to see her coming-of-age. This is one of the first graphics novels that I have ever read, so I don’t have much knowledge of the genre, but I did have some naive ideas about what a graphic novel is supposed to be. La Perdida changed those assumptions because Abel’s writing and artwork, which she did herself, is clever and interesting.

The story follows Carla as she embarks on her journey in Mexico City as she tries to reconnect with her Mexican heritage. She begins the journey of somewhat of a whim because she doesn’t speak the language, the only person she knows in Mexico City is an ex-boyfriend that she ends up staying with for an extended period of time, and she doesn’t have a solid reason for being there, other than she wanted to go. Eventually as the story goes on, Carla makes her own group of friends that challenge her belief systems. She’s looking for an “authentic” Mexico, but she’s really buying into romanticized ideals of what Mexico is. Her friends shake up her educated, middle-class, American worldview/notions.

As the story continues there’s some kidnapping and adventure, I won’t ruin the plot, but in all of that Carla does experience a coming of age. She comes to understand different characters in the comic in a new light, her personal view of herself is changed, and she comes to develop a better sense of humanity all around.

I think the artwork is the best part of the book. I’ve never read a graphic novel before and I didn’t realize just how essential the images are in getting across emotions because there isn’t that much narration. All of the images are done in black and white and they are all really striking. The pages look a bit cluttered because of the black and white, but Abel adds so much detail in each panel you have to pay close attention. You can truly see Carla’s journey in terms of her appearance and how she progresses from beginning to end.

Abel, Jessica. La Perdida. New York: Pantheon Books, 2006.
Links
http://www.amazon.com/La-Perdida-Jessica-Abel/dp/0375423656?linkCode=wsw&tag=tvsh079-20

(I scanned the images from the book myself)