Proceed with Caution:
This book contains homophobia and depictions of vomit and violence.
The Basics:
Luisa: Now and Then is a graphic novel about 33 year old Luisa who is not living the life that she imaged she would as a teenager. Then, 15 year old Luisa appears at her apartment, and the two have a lot of things to work through in regards to what Luisa wants out of life.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Luisa: Now and Then. I was hooked from the beginning. Luisa is having lunch with a friend and imagines what she'd tell her younger self, which is exactly what doesn't happen when she's actually faced with the teenage version of herself. It's easy to tell ourselves that we'd say something or change this one thing, but when it comes down to it, it's not that simple.
Luisa: Now and Then covers just a handful of days as Luisa and Luisa work through their issues, starting with realizing that they are the same person, despite how impossible that seems. Younger Luisa hates the life her adult self is living, as she's made too many compromises and wound up further from her ideal life rather than closer to it.
The main theme and focus of this graphic novel is actually Luisa's sexuality. At 33 she's still single after a string of unsuccessful relationships with men. She's been repressing her feelings for women for years thanks to things that happened when she was a teenager. However, I found it interesting how young Luisa comes to accept herself. It's not even through her older self, who also needed to learn to accept who she is and live her truth.
I do wish Luisa: Now and Then was just a few pages longer. The ending was very sudden. I kept hitting the next arrow thinking my screen froze! I wanted to know what changes both Luisas made with their relationships and where they wind up!