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Waking up late, procrastinating on your very important tasks, dealing with social awkwardness, trying to work on your weird and over dramatic existential crisis, your weird whimsical actions going all over the place, frustrated with the people around you, and also striving to become the adult you’re “supposed” to be while surviving as an introvert in your every day life. Do these quirks describe your life? Because they certainly did mine, and all thanks to the graphic novel Adulthood is a Myth: A “Sarah’s Scribbles” Collection by Sarah Andersen. A collection of simple, yet endearing comics that follow a protagonist that may as well be us. Shy, clumsy, anxious, and completely relatable, we tag along with her and her struggles with every day tasks.
If you are a frequent relatable post or web-comic reader, then you probably have seen these comics on the internet. The author started posting her work (later named “Sarah’s Scribbles”) on her blog on Tumblr, a social media website, when she was only a sophomore in high school. From there on, she began to receive some well deserved recognition and notability on the internet. She perceived that her strips were gaining popularity because her followers could identify with the circumstances of that awkward character. Later, that became her purpose through her work, to create a character that anyone could see themselves in, and a string of misadventures that anyone could relate. It was not long ago that she finally could publish this collection of works. Andersen creates a wonderful, laugh-out-loud relatable comedy where many of us can affiliate since we may also try to assimilate our awkward circumstances and try to survive through the trayectory of this thing called adulthood.
Be it wishing to be all day in your pajamas, not cleaning your room how your mother taught you, or staying up late reading a book, we have all been through these issues. The main protagonist suffers from it too. She prefers watching Netflix on a comfy rainy day than to work, she doesn’t want to deal with people’s annoyance, and prefers the company of animals than anything else. Andersen creates a character that practically can describe many of us of our generation. From her refusal to have children and shaving her legs, to the usage of our modern technology, and the clear tiredness she has all the time…like us! She portrays the horrors, the awkwardness, the sweetness, and the laughter of today’s modern young life. She represents that even if you’re an “adult”, you don’t have to act like everyone else. Not like your parents, your grandparents, your boss, or your co-wokers; everyone is different and sometimes it’s best to stay true to ourselves, our choices, and what we’re attached to. Everyone experiences adulthood in different ways, so don’t worry if you think you’re not one because you have different likes, opinions, or because you prefer to be at your bed watching a show than be partying all night. At the end of the day, it’s your life, and adulthood it’s truly a myth.
This graphic novel is so relatable it hurts! I give it five stars because in just two or four blocks of strip comics in each page, and with a very simplistic art, the author made us laugh and care with a character that represent many of us out here in the real world. That’s why I won’t recommend it enough. If you want something simple to read, a book that doesn’t take too much off of your time, and that will make laugh and say “That’s so me!”, this is the book for you.
If you want to get to know the author better and see more of her work you can follow her on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and you can even support her on her Patreon page.