My Perfect Life

In this Lynda Barry classic, Maybonne and Marlys Mullen endure the mortifying highs and lows of middle school, with a broken home, parents struggling with addiction, and a grandmother who takes her granddaughters to a bland small town. Maybonne begins September full of life and excitement but experiences bullying, her first boyfriend, family drama, drinking, and more, leading to her withdrawal and jadedness.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2022
Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly

In this Lynda Barry classic, Maybonne and Marlys Mullen navigate the exhilarating and humiliating experiences of middle school. Collected from the Ernie Pook's Comeek strip, which was serialized in alternative weeklies across the continent, My Perfect Life encapsulates the moment when Lynda Barry perfected the art of blending humor and realism in longer-form storytelling. Alongside the 2022 release Come Over, Come Over, this collection continues to showcase the life of teenager Maybonne Mullen. She grapples with the relatable insults of junior high and the mortifying embarrassment caused by her younger sister, Marlys. While a broken home, parents grappling with addiction, and a grandmother who relocates her granddaughters from the diverse metropolis to a bewilderingly bland small town loom in the background, fitting into the new school and surroundings becomes paramount for a young teenager like Maybonne.

As September arrives, Maybonne brims with vitality and enthusiasm. However, as the school year unfolds, she encounters bullying, experiences her first boyfriend, navigates family drama, indulges in drinking, and witnesses numerous other pivotal moments. By the book's end, Maybonne finds herself withdrawn and jaded, as the harsh realities of her world overshadow the enchantment she once cherished.

Dimension: 152 x 241 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781770465657