Sometimes nothing is happening and yet everything is happening. Sophie Yanow’s wise, funny, melancholy graphic novel follows young and queer Sophie and vegan anarchist Zena on what seems an arbitrary zigzag around contemporary Europe. But while Sophie (the protagonist) may not realize it fully, she is quietly, bit by bit, being prepared for life, being prepared to be herself. The author’s touch is light but absolutely sure. Yanow captures perfectly the ambivalence, alienation, and malaise of queer youth (sometimes you want to be impatient with Sophie and Zena, but you just can’t), as well as the flatness of the world they see (even in the capitals of Europe), yet she does all this through affecting, witty details.
The Contradictions, by Sophie Yanow. Published by Drawn and Quarterly. The editor is Tracy Hurren; the agent is Jennifer Linnan. The Contradictions is a finalist for the Publishing Triangle’s Edmund White Debut Fiction Award; the winner will be announced on May 12.