The Dark Matter of Mona Starr

by Laura Lee Gulledge

A bold and original YA graphic novel about battling your inner doubts and fears—and finding your genius

 

Sometimes, the world is too much for Mona Starr. She’s sweet, geeky, and creative, but it’s hard for her to make friends and connect with other people. She’s like a lot of sensitive teenagers—but in the hands of graphic novelist Laura Lee Gulledge, Mona’s struggle with depression takes on a vivid, concrete form. Mona calls it her Matter. The Matter gets everywhere, telling Mona she’s not good enough, and that everyone around her wishes she would go away. But through therapy, art, writing, and the persistence of a few good friends, Mona starts to understand her Matter, and how she—and readers—can turn their fears into strengths. Heartfelt, emotionally vulnerable, and visually stunning, The Dark Matter of Mona Starr is a story that takes the inner life of a teenager seriously, while giving readers a new way to look at the universal quest for meaning and connection.

• ISBN13: 9781419734236
• Publish Date: 7 April 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 8 February 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Abrams
• Imprint: Amulet Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 192
• Language: English

Reviews

[mrs_mander_reads]

This is an amazing interpretation of depression and anxiety. It's so powerful to see the illness through Mona's eyes, and realize that there are different ways of expressing those emotions - and that they're also more common than we think. Definitely a recommendation for any dealing with anxiety/depression/isolation, especially teens who may not know how to verbalize their feelings.