Imagine Wanting Only This (Pantheon Graphic Library)

Item: Imagine Wanting Only This
Rating: 3.00
Author: wcs53

by Kristen Radtke

Imagine Wanting Only This is a haunting graphic memoir about leaving, and those left behind.

After the sudden death of a beloved uncle, Kristen becomes obsessed with abandoned places – derelict Midwestern mining towns, an Icelandic village preserved in volcanic ash, Cambodian temples reclaimed by jungle. At the same time, she examines what it means to be an artist, to be hungry for the next experience, to be always in transit.

Beautifully illustrated in black and white, Imagine Wanting Only This confirms Kristen Radtke as an important new voice in the comics world.

Reviewed by wcs53 on Aug 9, 2020

3 of 5 stars

I was fascinated by the premise of this memoir/graphic novel, especially with the author’s fascination with abandoned places. It’s a beautifully drawn book and was a decent enough read, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I had hoped for more of the abandoned places, but it fell short of those expectations. It’s not a bad read, but I’ve read better.

Reading updates

Started reading
9 August, 2020: Finished reading
9 August, 2020: Reviewed