A funny and thoughtful graphic novel by the author of My Life As A Background Slytherin.
Image credit: Pan Macmillan Australia
Twelve Percent Dread is the latest graphic novel by British-Irish cartoonist Emily McGovern. I, like many of her fans, got to know her work through her webcomic series My Life as a Background Slytherin. However, this is the first of her graphic novels I’ve read, so I was curious to see how the pithy style I was familiar with would translate into a longer narrative, and was pleased to find a balance between the sharp punchlines present in the rest of McGovern’s works and a well-paced storyline throughout the book.
The story is both funny and thoughtful, packed with ironic and observational humour as it trains the magnifying glass on a 21st century life steeped in capitalism and heavily reliant on technology. The story and artwork uses Emily McGovern’s trademark minimalist style, and fans of her other works (including Bloodlust & Bonnets) will be pleased to know there’s a consistency of style. Despite the simplicity of style, each character has easily identifiable features, whether it be a different shape to the face, a different hair style, or even the line of the eyebrows. However, with minimalism and small frames comes small text, and at times this became difficult to read. While the amount of empty space on the pages looks pleasing visually, a better choice may have been to sacrifice a little of that space for larger frames and a slightly larger text size to make it easier on the eyes.
Each of the characters showcases a unique side to struggling with friendships, jobs, and the incessant demands of social media and being available 24/7. There’s Katie, who struggles to hold down temp jobs and finds herself tutoring the daughter of her friend’s boss. Nasim, an immigrant struggling with the endless wait for a visa and trying to balance their creative outlets with the need to earn a living. Emma, who on the surface has it all figured out, with a fiancé and a well-paying job, but struggles with the pressure and demands of her overbearing mother and formidable boss. And Michelle, CEO of tech giant Arko, trying to bounce back from poor press coverage and desperately searching for the “next big thing” that will secure her company’s future.
The book covers their varying perspectives well, balancing the different views and desires of the characters, while projecting them on a path that may change their lives forever. The story is told completely through dialogue and visual gestures, with a copious amount of onomatopoeia (“hf hf hf” describes panting while running; “shake” is a hand shake; and “clack clack” refers to heels on a tiled floor) giving a very cinematic approach to the story. Because of this, it takes a few scenes for the characters and shape of the story to become clear, but it is definitely worth sticking with it, as once this story starts rolling it’s a real roller-coaster.
For fans of humorous graphic novels and McGovern’s other works, Twelve Percent Dread is an entertaining and worthwhile read — just be sure to read in a well-lit space.
Reviewed by Kristin Stefanoff
This review is the opinion of the reviewer and not necessarily of Glam Adelaide.
Distributed by: Pan Macmillan Australia
Released: September 2022
RRP: $32.99
