A Mess of Everything

Miss Lasko-Gross' semi-autobiographical follow-up A Mess of Everything picks up where her debut Escape from 'Special' left off: nonconformist Melissa is now in high school, coping with an anxiety-induced drug habit and an anorexic best friend.

Even when the situation is not life-and-death, Melissa must negotiate the everyday problems that face young adults. By the end of the graphic novel, Melissa faces the choice that we all do at some point: whether to pursue her ambitions or settle for a more secure routine. As Melissa has grown, so has Miss Lasko-Gross' craftsmanship: A Mess of Everything retains the moodiness of her debut, but there's a new clarity to the art and characters' expressions and body language are more nuanced. Coupled with the unsentimental truthfulness that is the hallmark of Lasko-Gross' work, this intense book has appeal for anyone who is now navigating, or whose life has ever been touched by, these issues.