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Ariel Schrag captures the American high school experience in all its awkward, questioning glory in Awkward and Definition, the first of three amazingly honest autobiographical graphic novels about her teenage years. During the summer following each year at Berkeley High School in California, Ariel wrote a comic book about her experiences, which she would then photocopy and sell around school. Some friends thrilled to see themselves in the comic, others not so much, but everyone was interested. Awkward chronicles Ariel's freshman year, and Definition, her sophomore year. With anxiety in excess and frustration to the fullest, Ariel dives in -- meeting new people, going to concerts, crushing out, loving chemistry, drawing comics, and obsessing over everything from glitter-laden girls to ionic charges and the constant pursuit of the number-one score. Totally true and achingly honest, with every cringe-inducing encounter and exhilarating first moment documented -- Awkward and Definition is an unflinching look at what it's like being a teenage girl in America.… (more)
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I had originally heard about Ariel Schrag because she's one of the women artists mentioned in the Le Tigre song "Hot Topic". I later stumbled upon a website that explained the references in the song and that's when I learned about Schrag's series of comics about her
I am not exaggerating when I say that I couldn't stop reading this collection. Awkward documents her Freshman year of high school and Definition does the same for her Sophomore year. Schrag is honest and funny when dealing with issues such as friend betrayal, and experimentation (both the sexual and the substance kind). She never apologizes for anything and just draws and explains everything in this straightforward way that I really loved. I can see why Schrag's comics have been given accolades. How could you not relate to Ariel's character with her obsessions (boys, girls, and music), catch phrases, betrayals by friends and awkward sexual experiences? I know I did.
I also really liked how her experiences were framed within the context of the mid-nineties music scene because it made me relate even more. I remember when No Doubt became popular and when Bush was my favorite band. This comic reminded me of my own friends in their Marilyn Manson and Kurt Cobain t-shirts smoking cigarettes and flirting with boys behind the 7-11. It made me feel nostalgic and that was nice.