For the young person navigating profound feelings of loss, grief, and the challenging journey of self-discovery, this graphic novel explores healing and trust.
A parent might reach for this book when their older teen is processing a deep-seated trauma or loss they are struggling to articulate. This surreal and beautiful graphic novel follows two young women, Bea and Lou, on a road trip through West Texas. Their journey is both literal and metaphorical, as the landscape shifts and changes to reflect their inner emotional worlds. It delicately explores profound themes of grief, trauma, and the power of human connection to heal. Due to its mature themes and ambiguous, metaphorical storytelling, it is best suited for thoughtful older teens (15 and up). It’s a powerful choice for normalizing the chaotic feelings that accompany trauma and showing that healing is a journey, not a destination.
Adult characters are occasionally shown smoking cigarettes.
Sensitive Topics
The central sensitive topic is trauma, strongly implied to be sexual assault, though never explicitly stated or shown. The approach is entirely metaphorical. Bea's psychological pain manifests as physical changes in the world: earthquakes, strange lights, and menacing figures. The book also deals with grief over the death of a parent. The resolution is not a simple fix, but an ambiguous and realistic depiction of the beginning of a healing process. The tone is secular and focuses on interpersonal connection as the source of healing.
Ideal Reader
An introspective teen, 15 or older, who appreciates lyrical, ambiguous storytelling and powerful art. This book is for the young person grappling with a significant past event they can't put into words, or who feels an intense sense of alienation. It will resonate with readers who feel their inner world is chaotic and would find comfort in seeing that feeling made visible.
Parent Prep
Parents should preview this book to understand its metaphorical nature. The surrealism is the point: it’s a visual representation of trauma’s impact. There are no graphic scenes, but the emotional weight is significant. A parent should be prepared to discuss that healing is a nonlinear process and that some wounds don't have simple explanations. The book can be read cold, but a post-reading conversation will be beneficial. A parent notices their teen is withdrawn, struggling emotionally, or showing signs of dealing with a past trauma. The teen might express feelings of being broken, lost, or alone. The parent is seeking a gentle, non-clinical entry point for a conversation about healing and memory.
Age Experience
A younger teen (14-15) may focus more on the magical road trip elements and find the subtext confusing. An older teen (16-18) is better equipped to understand the story as a psychological allegory. They will likely grasp the connection between the external weirdness and the characters' internal states, appreciating the nuanced take on queer identity, trust, and recovery.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many YA books that tackle trauma directly, this one uses magical realism as its primary tool. The story externalizes internal pain, making the Texan landscape a character in itself. Its power lies in the atmospheric, watercolor-style art and what is left unsaid. It's an emotional, sensory experience rather than a plot-driven narrative, trusting the reader to feel the story's meaning.
Read plot summary
Bea, an 18-year-old runaway, is picked up by Lou, a 27-year-old on her own journey. As they drive through West Texas, the world around them becomes increasingly surreal. They follow a lost cat, are pursued by men from the mysterious “Office of Road Inquiry,” and watch the landscape itself transform. The trip becomes a quiet, powerful journey into Bea’s unarticulated trauma and Lou’s own unresolved grief, as they learn to trust each other and find solace in shared silence and experience.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
The landscape of West Texas changes in strange, magical ways. What do you think these changes (like the ground cracking open or the mountains appearing) represent about what Bea is feeling inside?
2
Bea and Lou don't share their full stories with each other for a long time. Why do you think they come to trust each other anyway? What does their journey say about how people can connect without words?
3
The cat, Dianne, seems to guide the characters to a specific place. What role do you think Dianne plays in the story? Is she a real cat, a symbol of something, or both?
4
The ending doesn't resolve everything into a neat 'happily ever after.' Why do you think Tillie Walden chose to end the story this way, with a feeling of quiet hope rather than a perfect solution?
