Awkward and Definition: The High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag (High School Chronicles of Ariel Schrag) [Paperback]

Ariel Schrag (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008 | Series: High School Chronicles of Ariel Schrag

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.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Many memoirs both inside and outside the world of comics cover the author's high school years. Far fewer are actually written during those years. Touchstone has started reprinting Schrag's comics chronicling her teenage years through the mid-'90s. Each of the volumes in Schrag's series was created in the summer of the year it chronicles. This book includes Awkward, about Schrag's freshman year, and Definition, which concerns her sophomore year. It's hard not to notice that the books were written and drawn by a young artist. The artwork is simple and, yes, awkward, especially in Awkward, where the characters look like punk versions of the Peanuts cast. But rather than being a drawback, the artwork is actually charming. It's clear that Schrag is pushing herself. Even at this age, she had already attained the ability to keep the storytelling smooth and fast-paced, even if the stories she's actually telling aren't remarkable. The typical teenage concerns of sex, drugs, drama with friends and the importance of music are all covered. The book is comfortable because it's so easy to relate to. (Apr.)
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Review

"An imaginative anthropologist of the post-punk set."

-- The Village Voice

"Impossible to put down."

-- Maggie Overfelt, The Minnesota Daily

"Schrag's perceptiveness and incredible eye for detail make Definition brilliant. Rarely have I seen such substantial work come from a person of her age."

-- Jennifer Joseph, The San Francisco Bay Guardian

"A scathing and meticulously documented autobiographical triumph."

-- Alison Bechdel, author of Fun House

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416552316
• ISBN-13: 978-1416552314
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love love love these books, April 15, 2008

By 

Janice Erlbaum (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Awkward and Definition: The High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag (High School Chronicles of Ariel Schrag) (Paperback)

I'd already read Ariel Schrag's POTENTIAL, so I knew how astoundingly talented she is -- how painfully honest and beautifully hilarious her work is. When I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of her first two graphic novels, I tore through them in an afternoon, then slumped over on my couch, dazed, dazzled, and wanting more. Heartbreakingly great!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, rough, brutal, honest, awkward, October 2, 2008

By 

Eric C. Williams (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Awkward and Definition: The High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag (High School Chronicles of Ariel Schrag) (Paperback)

I happened upon this book by chance, and I'm glad I did. I felt almost like a voyeur while reading it -- it's basically the diary of a high school girl in comic book form.

But I also felt a connection to the author. Though I went to high school thousands of miles away and a few years earlier than Schrag, her stories reminded me of my own experiences during that time.

And these stories are brutally honest. One of the things that surprised me most was just how open the author is. In my personal experience most people that age are, as I was, rather guarded and self-conscious. But Schrag lays everything on the table for all to see. Her lack of shame or fear in telling her stories makes them incredibly real, and I found her attitude towards life inspiring.

But don't expect a polished book. This work is rough around the edges, as you would expect from a young author. That said, Schrag's storytelling ability and maturity are evident, and beyond what I would normally expect from someone her age.

I highly recommend this book. It's dramatic, it's poignant, it's funny, and it's completely, utterly real.

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful memoir, July 25, 2010

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Awkward and Definition: The High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag (High School Chronicles of Ariel Schrag) (Paperback)

This volume collects Schrag's first two efforts, cringeworthy descriptions of her freshman and sophomore years in high school. By itself, I'm only moderately fond of this book. Schrag's visual style is still developing (that said, it's truly exceptional for someone her age when she drew these), and there's just too much about high school years that begs to be forgotten.

As the opening to her three-volume set (which includes Potential and Likewise), this takes on lots additional value. Together, these show Schrag's growth over those four chaotic years. In this book, Schrag and her peers often appear as small, wide-eyed beings, almost like fawns in a forest full of carnivores. These books trace Schrag's growth from late childhood to early adulthood, with all the wonder and weirdness that entails. Among other things, Schrag's sexuality begins to emerge, bringing confusion of its own.

Coming of age stories swarm the bookshelves. This one earns its place, not just for its charming visual style, but also for the authenicity and surprising candor of the story told as it unfolds around her. I recommend this one highly.

-- wiredweird