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Between Gears
BETWEEN GEARS is an autobiographical comic detailing Natalie Nourigat's last year at the University of Oregon. This honest account of college life and preparing to enter the adult world will transport you to the land of Jell-O shots, term papers, job interviews, road trips, and sanguine optimism in the face of uncertainty and change.
This trade paperback of "Between Gears "collects the comic in its entirety, with 30-pages of new material!
This trade paperback of "Between Gears "collects the comic in its entirety, with 30-pages of new material!
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
3 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Nourigat
27 books50 followersNatalie “Tally” Nourigat is a writer and cartoonist from Portland, Oregon. She is a story artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank CA, storyboarding and participating in story rooms for feature films.
Natalie's comics work has been nominated for the Eisner Award, GLAAD Media Award, and Oregon Book Award. You can find her around Los Angeles with a sketchbook in one hand and coffee in the other.
Natalie's comics work has been nominated for the Eisner Award, GLAAD Media Award, and Oregon Book Award. You can find her around Los Angeles with a sketchbook in one hand and coffee in the other.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 6, 2012
I'll start by saying that the drawing is really cool. Natalie Nourigat is one talented lady. The composition and view and settings are all really well done. I like the sophisticated self portraits and the cute manga ish cartoony pics. The art is why I am giving this 2 stars and why I kept reading. At times I really wanted to put this book down (forcefully). I guess I didn't actively dislike the persona the author choose to present but I didn't like her either. The woman in this graphic novel (and Isay that cos I don't want to assume that that's all there is to Natalie Nourigat) is immature, shallow and views things from a very smug perch of privalige. Her main worries in life seem to be expired cereal, her hair, spiders and choosing between a few very cushy, safe and supported life paths. She comes across as egotistical but at the same time she is annoyingly dependent on her parents opinions . She's 22 but most of the problems in her life seem very high schooly. I feel mean now. I'm sure she's nice and stuff... just I didn't need to read her whinge about her really good life..
Also, I still think of graphic novels as part of an alternative culture. I think in New Zealand they are. Seems that in the states it's different. I kept being shocked at Nourigat's Starbucks (was she like, sponsered by them?), name brand this, mainstream that references and other pointers that she was very much popular, upper class and sorted.
Also, I still think of graphic novels as part of an alternative culture. I think in New Zealand they are. Seems that in the states it's different. I kept being shocked at Nourigat's Starbucks (was she like, sponsered by them?), name brand this, mainstream that references and other pointers that she was very much popular, upper class and sorted.
September 28, 2012
I don't think there's any way for me to describe Natalie Nourigat's Between Gears in a way that conveys how much I enjoyed it.
Nourigat took on the ambitious project of creating a page-a-day graphic novel diary of her senior year at the University of Oregon. The ambitiousness of the project comes through the story of this year, as you learn that she has a thesis to write in addition to jobs to apply for, commissions to finish, and cons to attend--which involves lots of preparation in creating and printing artwork, minicomics, and so on. And then there's life--a necessary tonsillectomy, family visits, relationships with friends and her sorority to maintain, dating, college classes, ridiculous neighbors you only find in campustown, some dating, alley cats, partying, TV shows, movies, music, and her intense appreciation for fashion and shopping. Some entries are fun--drunk Natalie or Natalie being harassed by her responsible side are particularly amusing. Other entries are deep and emotional--one that comes to mind presents three gray, still images and the simple line, "Why do I feel this way?"
I was not an art student in college. I was not a woman in college, not part of any Greek organization, and not particularly social and into parties. But I found this story highly-relatable and authentically reminiscent of my senior year in college--on a basic level, being a college student can be a universal experience. Compound this feeling of connection by the little window Nourigat gives you into her personal life, and I challenge you not to fall in love with her a little bit.
And this says nothing about her artwork. Her style is fun and flexible, veering from realism to chibi depending on the tone she wants to create and this harmonizes brilliantly with whatever context she depicts. At times, her work brings to mind Craig Thompson, Kazu Kibuishi, and occasionally Adrian Tomine. At other times, I feel like I'm reading a well-drawn manga. But the style is uniquely hers, and recognizably so.
While I honestly feel that anyone could pick this up and enjoy it, I think readers between 14 and 35 would get the most out of it. This diary was composed in 2010, and Nourigat makes pop culture references that may be out of reach to older readers--heck, I wouldn't be able to identify the Pokemon theme song if my younger brother hadn't watched it growing up. To younger readers, those not yet Freshman in high school, college may seem to be a distant daydream, and they may be uninterested in classes, papers and the like. High schoolers and college students will appreciate this glimpse into Senior year, and those who've graduate in the last decade-and-a-half will enjoy reliving the experience in someone else's shoes.
Nourigat took on the ambitious project of creating a page-a-day graphic novel diary of her senior year at the University of Oregon. The ambitiousness of the project comes through the story of this year, as you learn that she has a thesis to write in addition to jobs to apply for, commissions to finish, and cons to attend--which involves lots of preparation in creating and printing artwork, minicomics, and so on. And then there's life--a necessary tonsillectomy, family visits, relationships with friends and her sorority to maintain, dating, college classes, ridiculous neighbors you only find in campustown, some dating, alley cats, partying, TV shows, movies, music, and her intense appreciation for fashion and shopping. Some entries are fun--drunk Natalie or Natalie being harassed by her responsible side are particularly amusing. Other entries are deep and emotional--one that comes to mind presents three gray, still images and the simple line, "Why do I feel this way?"
I was not an art student in college. I was not a woman in college, not part of any Greek organization, and not particularly social and into parties. But I found this story highly-relatable and authentically reminiscent of my senior year in college--on a basic level, being a college student can be a universal experience. Compound this feeling of connection by the little window Nourigat gives you into her personal life, and I challenge you not to fall in love with her a little bit.
And this says nothing about her artwork. Her style is fun and flexible, veering from realism to chibi depending on the tone she wants to create and this harmonizes brilliantly with whatever context she depicts. At times, her work brings to mind Craig Thompson, Kazu Kibuishi, and occasionally Adrian Tomine. At other times, I feel like I'm reading a well-drawn manga. But the style is uniquely hers, and recognizably so.
While I honestly feel that anyone could pick this up and enjoy it, I think readers between 14 and 35 would get the most out of it. This diary was composed in 2010, and Nourigat makes pop culture references that may be out of reach to older readers--heck, I wouldn't be able to identify the Pokemon theme song if my younger brother hadn't watched it growing up. To younger readers, those not yet Freshman in high school, college may seem to be a distant daydream, and they may be uninterested in classes, papers and the like. High schoolers and college students will appreciate this glimpse into Senior year, and those who've graduate in the last decade-and-a-half will enjoy reliving the experience in someone else's shoes.
February 8, 2018
I found this book super relatable and inspirational.
Tally is well adjusted and has a great mindset when approaching the challenges and uncertainties of her life. This book is also a testament to her drive and strong work ethic — it takes discipline to chronicle every day in a year of your life — while writing a thesis, going to class, participating in a sorority, having surgery, applying for JET, preparing for conventions, looking for a job, doing contracts, and making time for friend and family relationships. And all the preparation for each task.
It captures the whirlwind of the college experience while still trying to decide what paths you want to take. She is honest about the ups and downs of her life, which I found compelling.
What I really liked was how Tally balanced her drive and strong work ethic with making time to socialize and maintain good friend and family relationships — cause it can help us stay sane, grounded and well adjusted while chipping away at a mountain of work. (Just ask a well adjusted PhD student).
I also am of the attitude that healthy relationships matter, so it was easy for me to relate.
She values the importance of reaching out and getting constructive feedback from her peers on work projects, & asking for help when she needs it (contracts, major, feedback on decisions and thesis).
This book is valuable because it shows you the process of reaching a goal. Tally comes off as a very responsible student, willing to put in the grueling hours necessary to accomplish long-term tasks. She finishes her thesis (with distinction) and lands several contracts for graphic novels. Not bad for an artist, which can be viewed as a risky profession. I think it requires dedication, persistence and drive, which Tally shows in loads.
In the bonus material, she even shows you how she prepared, practiced and planned for this project ahead of time — really good stuff for artists or anyone getting ready to accomplish any long term goal that requires dedication and discipline (and in her case, passion and drive). My kudos to you Tally. This autobio comic is just what I needed to relate to and make sense of all the feelings & experiences that can happen while pursuing a goal.
I might refer to this for advice (like working in 1 hour chunks when juggling multiple projects, or listening to inspo music to keep my spirits up) and just to remind me to keep heart and keep working towards my own goals. Thank you Tally!
Tally is well adjusted and has a great mindset when approaching the challenges and uncertainties of her life. This book is also a testament to her drive and strong work ethic — it takes discipline to chronicle every day in a year of your life — while writing a thesis, going to class, participating in a sorority, having surgery, applying for JET, preparing for conventions, looking for a job, doing contracts, and making time for friend and family relationships. And all the preparation for each task.
It captures the whirlwind of the college experience while still trying to decide what paths you want to take. She is honest about the ups and downs of her life, which I found compelling.
What I really liked was how Tally balanced her drive and strong work ethic with making time to socialize and maintain good friend and family relationships — cause it can help us stay sane, grounded and well adjusted while chipping away at a mountain of work. (Just ask a well adjusted PhD student).
I also am of the attitude that healthy relationships matter, so it was easy for me to relate.
She values the importance of reaching out and getting constructive feedback from her peers on work projects, & asking for help when she needs it (contracts, major, feedback on decisions and thesis).
This book is valuable because it shows you the process of reaching a goal. Tally comes off as a very responsible student, willing to put in the grueling hours necessary to accomplish long-term tasks. She finishes her thesis (with distinction) and lands several contracts for graphic novels. Not bad for an artist, which can be viewed as a risky profession. I think it requires dedication, persistence and drive, which Tally shows in loads.
In the bonus material, she even shows you how she prepared, practiced and planned for this project ahead of time — really good stuff for artists or anyone getting ready to accomplish any long term goal that requires dedication and discipline (and in her case, passion and drive). My kudos to you Tally. This autobio comic is just what I needed to relate to and make sense of all the feelings & experiences that can happen while pursuing a goal.
I might refer to this for advice (like working in 1 hour chunks when juggling multiple projects, or listening to inspo music to keep my spirits up) and just to remind me to keep heart and keep working towards my own goals. Thank you Tally!
April 5, 2017
A graphic novel about day-to-day life that was really engaging and beautiful. I appreciate the moments when Nourigat lets us into her vulnerabilities and self-reflections. there is also a lot of content there about strategies for time management, as that was what she was experiencing, which have been inspiring and helpful for me surprisingly! bonus!
There is a quote on the back that claims you will read this and want to start a graphic novel of your own, and it worked for me! ...There is even a section in the back that describes how to create your own panels, which is very accessible.
Also there is the fun that Nourigat grew up in SW Portland and lives in Eugene in this book. #Portland
There is a quote on the back that claims you will read this and want to start a graphic novel of your own, and it worked for me! ...There is even a section in the back that describes how to create your own panels, which is very accessible.
Also there is the fun that Nourigat grew up in SW Portland and lives in Eugene in this book. #Portland
June 25, 2012
Natalie Nourigat's "Between the Gears" chronicles her senior year in college. Originally published as a daily web comic, it is now available in print through Image. Nourigat is an accomplished artist and her characters are very expressive. The style is fluid from day to day, but it mostly has a manga look. It is ambitious project and worthy of respect. I can certainly appreciate the wherewithal it took to commit to draw it each day.
While I like the art, I wish Nourigat had something more to say with it. The daily episodes often dwell on the mundane aspects of her life, such as drawing, working on college assignments, and hanging out with sorority girlfriends. There is briefly a boyfriend for a few pages before a breakup that carries no emotional resonance on the page. Throughout the year, there are some cute moments, but they rarely rise to the level of humorous. At one point it was so boring that I shamefully hoped that Nourigat was developing an oxycontin addiction after a tonsillectomy; if nothing else, to interject some needed drama into the lackluster story.
As an online journal it may work, but as a collected book meant to be taken as a whole, it is pretty flat. An issue may be that Nourigat hasn't really dared to live. One episode in the collection is particularly telling. Nourigat is obsessed with Japanese culture and is going to college as a Japanese major where she practices Japanese, takes classes on Japanese directors, and draws manga-influenced comics. She manages to get accepted to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. It should be a no-brainer decision to go and live in Japan for a year, but she turns it down. Instead she graduates and returns home to live with her parents, before setting out into a new home with an adopted cat. The spine of the graphic novel says volume 1, hinting that there might be others to follow. Hopefully, Nourigat will put in on hold until she actually has something interesting going on her life and a real story to tell.
As a side note: there is a major printing error in this edition where the entry for May 11th is missing and replaced by May 21st, which appears twice.
While I like the art, I wish Nourigat had something more to say with it. The daily episodes often dwell on the mundane aspects of her life, such as drawing, working on college assignments, and hanging out with sorority girlfriends. There is briefly a boyfriend for a few pages before a breakup that carries no emotional resonance on the page. Throughout the year, there are some cute moments, but they rarely rise to the level of humorous. At one point it was so boring that I shamefully hoped that Nourigat was developing an oxycontin addiction after a tonsillectomy; if nothing else, to interject some needed drama into the lackluster story.
As an online journal it may work, but as a collected book meant to be taken as a whole, it is pretty flat. An issue may be that Nourigat hasn't really dared to live. One episode in the collection is particularly telling. Nourigat is obsessed with Japanese culture and is going to college as a Japanese major where she practices Japanese, takes classes on Japanese directors, and draws manga-influenced comics. She manages to get accepted to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. It should be a no-brainer decision to go and live in Japan for a year, but she turns it down. Instead she graduates and returns home to live with her parents, before setting out into a new home with an adopted cat. The spine of the graphic novel says volume 1, hinting that there might be others to follow. Hopefully, Nourigat will put in on hold until she actually has something interesting going on her life and a real story to tell.
As a side note: there is a major printing error in this edition where the entry for May 11th is missing and replaced by May 21st, which appears twice.
September 18, 2015
This was lots of fun! I had never heard of Nourigat before, but this looked interesting enough to pick up. It's an autobiography of her senior year of college in comics form, one page a day. It doesn't work so much as a narrative--too disconnected and unfocused; that's life, though--but as a character portrait, it works very well indeed. This is not warts-and-all, emphasize-the-bad storytelling, a la Joe Matt, Robert Crumb, Harvey Pekar, Dori Seda, etc., but rather a somewhat idealized yet human portrayal. You won't know her intimate secrets ("And thank goodness for that," one imagines a relieved Nourigat saying) but you will know her well enough to think of her as that one cool friend who's always fun to hang out with (Note: For most readers, this friendship is entirely fictional and should not be considered in any way reality as the term is commonly understood.) Anyway, this metaphor is becoming a nuisance, so let's just drop it. I enjoyed this book greatly. Nourigat seems like a really cool person, and I enjoyed reading about her life. There seem to have been a few production issues with the book. I noticed a couple of pages got duplicated,: October 26 repeats in place of November 5, and May 21 appears in place of May 11. And she's either confusing "regiment" with "regimen" or it's a typo. These minor issues aside, it was an amazingly fun book!
April 10, 2014
I'm giving this three stars because I liked the art a lot, and it was fascinating to see Nourigat's style and talents improve and evolve as the year went on.
As a book, though, this is intensely dissatisfying. Nourigat needs to work on her storytelling. I realize that this is essentially a diary and a drawing exercise, so I'll cut her some slack, but this whole thing was just so, so superficial. I suspect she was trying to protect the privacy of her boyfriend, her friends, and her family, but the result is that there was nothing to draw my involvement or emotional interest. That single panel about how she's never had sex? What was that? I'm interested in that! I want more of that! That's just one example. There was just not enough here to make anyone feel *real*, other than the knowledge that she was real because this was her diary.
Bottom line: neat, but not enough for me.
As a book, though, this is intensely dissatisfying. Nourigat needs to work on her storytelling. I realize that this is essentially a diary and a drawing exercise, so I'll cut her some slack, but this whole thing was just so, so superficial. I suspect she was trying to protect the privacy of her boyfriend, her friends, and her family, but the result is that there was nothing to draw my involvement or emotional interest. That single panel about how she's never had sex? What was that? I'm interested in that! I want more of that! That's just one example. There was just not enough here to make anyone feel *real*, other than the knowledge that she was real because this was her diary.
Bottom line: neat, but not enough for me.
September 7, 2020
A lot of work went into the comics that make up this compilation. The artwork itself is good. For myself, I can't imagine who wants to know what anyone's boring last year of college is like. Daily entries made it long, adding to the tedium. There were flashes of what she might become, but reading about someone who finds sororities exciting was not so exciting for me. To be honest, it was in no way similar to the time I spent learning enough to graduate, which took me twenty years. I worked from the time I left home, and always had to squeeze classes in somehow. There was a time when I craved a career in laser optics, but there was no way to survive full-time day classes, and work every night at low-wage jobs, not making enough for rent and food. Eventually, I had a scientific career, and was able to study while working so that I received a degree twenty years after graduating from high school.
So, I'm a bit biased as to what constitutes education. The life of people who are able to move right into college without trying out life first, and without having to pay for it is beyond my understanding -- partying, drinking, hangovers? not having to cook my own meals or make my own bread? not having to worry about utilities or clothes? I get that she was able to sell some comics, but that hardly pays for the sheltered life she led. It was interesting to see how people like that get through life, so that's why I rated it as OK. But it was hard to get all the way through it.
So, I'm a bit biased as to what constitutes education. The life of people who are able to move right into college without trying out life first, and without having to pay for it is beyond my understanding -- partying, drinking, hangovers? not having to cook my own meals or make my own bread? not having to worry about utilities or clothes? I get that she was able to sell some comics, but that hardly pays for the sheltered life she led. It was interesting to see how people like that get through life, so that's why I rated it as OK. But it was hard to get all the way through it.
December 25, 2018
Between Gears by Natalie Nourigat is certainly a project worthy of respect (hence the 3 stars) and the art is solid. However, the subject matter is rather mundane. Nothing remarkable happens to Nourigat during the senior year of college. This, from the point of view of the person living the life, is fantastic. She's generally healthy, happy, chugging along. She has an operation, some migraines, a brief episode with a boyfriend, lots of sorority girlfriends, etc. However, from the point of view the reader reading an actual book or a memoir it is rather uninteresting. Life is not a story with excitements and twists all the time, understood. But compared to many fantastic graphic memoirs out there, Between Gears has very little to say about anything, even about the main character.
April 7, 2022
I think I'm too old for this book. Well, no, but at first I found a lot of it a bit annoying (drunken nights out and sororities are not really my thing these days). But I really liked how it evolved. You could see changes in the drawings and the effectiveness of the storytelling, and I enjoyed the randomness of the one-page-a-day format.
I would love to read something similar about an experience a little closer to my life as a stressed-out middle-aged mum living and working and parenting through a pandemic.
I would love to read something similar about an experience a little closer to my life as a stressed-out middle-aged mum living and working and parenting through a pandemic.
April 9, 2024
Decent book if you like a nonfiction slice of life where nothing happens. I mean really it’s just an average life of a college girl. Like reading into a diary. I enjoy this because I like reading how other people live but I imagine a large majority would not enjoy this. I think you have to realize that Natalie in this is only 22 and will make some mistakes. It’s very reminiscent of that time as well. I have read her other book about her moving to LA but I think it’s been a couple years since she released that and I wonder what she is up to now.
October 1, 2017
I forgot to add this since I read it online. However, it's really a great read. I'm always fascinated by creative people's thought processes (and general processes), and this series of daily comics chronicling Nourigat's last year of college is amazingly done. It's a lot of fun, too, and a glimpse into a different experience from my own!
July 24, 2021
Very cute, very sweet, and something to relate to on pretty much every page. And wonderful art! Not to mention a great peek back into what the world was like in the early 2010s, and I mean that completely unironically. A nostalgia hit I didn't know I needed.
June 10, 2024
I can't bring myself to enjoy a diary comic. Daily entries are just boring to me
January 30, 2020
It was pretty meh. There wasn’t really an overall arc to her year, it felt very disjointed.
May 8, 2012
One of the things that appeals to me about webcomics, is that it’s given a rise to a great number of autobiographical comic artists. These comic artists tend to be primarily young writers and artists, and webcomics allow them a chance to share the highlight of their day or those split-second funny moments with the rest of the world. It also has other benefits, such as allowing the writer/artist to perfect deadlines, improve their storytelling and artwork…but I digress. This increase I think has helped develop and nurture young writers/artists and introduce them to the world (and allow them to get published), such as Natalie Nourigat, the creator of this work. Natalie shares with readers a day by day account of her senior year in college–her adventures in finishing homework, of sorority life, of finding those quiet moments in hectic time, of wondering what life will be like after college. It’s these types of moments that are easy for anyone to relate to.
While a number of the comics share the seemingly trivial aspects of the day, Natalie allows us to take a close look at who she is, what drives her and makes her who she is, and at times giving us deeply personal glimpses into her life as a young woman just about to enter the real world. And to me that’s the best thing about this work. She doesn’t try to hide those moments that others might be embarrassed about or hide the genuine love that she feels for her family and friends. It’s like she’s got a video camera with her and we get to follow her along everywhere that she goes. And yes there are days where it feels like nothing has happened or that the moment she shared with us is less than interesting, but that’s what makes this such a great work. She bares her life to us. It inspires me to create an autobiographical webcomic…not that my day would be interesting as Natalie’s but…still.
Natalie’s artwork is deceptively simple, easily capturing the bare essence of the characters in a few simple lines and bringing to life the world around her. And the great thing about her doing a daily comic is that we get to see her art and style progress as she learns more about her craft and how to quickly capture those moments without spending days upon days trying to catch every detail. When she first starts the comic the artwork definitely has a more anime style to it in how the characters are drawn and move, and she uses thicker brush strokes to capture everything. But by the end of the book she’s progressed to a slightly more realistic style and thinner brush strokes. Don’t get me wrong, I like the artwork all throughout the book, but seeing the progression gives a great indication of the time and effort Natalie put into honing her craft (and an example that others can follow.) Overall the images are engaging and draw you in so that you can be a part of her life.
This is definitely a book that I’m purchasing for my shelves and I would recommend it to any fan of autobiographical comics. And while you can read all of the entries online (http://betweengears.smackjeeves.com/), do yourself a favor and buy the book so that you can see the details even better.
While a number of the comics share the seemingly trivial aspects of the day, Natalie allows us to take a close look at who she is, what drives her and makes her who she is, and at times giving us deeply personal glimpses into her life as a young woman just about to enter the real world. And to me that’s the best thing about this work. She doesn’t try to hide those moments that others might be embarrassed about or hide the genuine love that she feels for her family and friends. It’s like she’s got a video camera with her and we get to follow her along everywhere that she goes. And yes there are days where it feels like nothing has happened or that the moment she shared with us is less than interesting, but that’s what makes this such a great work. She bares her life to us. It inspires me to create an autobiographical webcomic…not that my day would be interesting as Natalie’s but…still.
Natalie’s artwork is deceptively simple, easily capturing the bare essence of the characters in a few simple lines and bringing to life the world around her. And the great thing about her doing a daily comic is that we get to see her art and style progress as she learns more about her craft and how to quickly capture those moments without spending days upon days trying to catch every detail. When she first starts the comic the artwork definitely has a more anime style to it in how the characters are drawn and move, and she uses thicker brush strokes to capture everything. But by the end of the book she’s progressed to a slightly more realistic style and thinner brush strokes. Don’t get me wrong, I like the artwork all throughout the book, but seeing the progression gives a great indication of the time and effort Natalie put into honing her craft (and an example that others can follow.) Overall the images are engaging and draw you in so that you can be a part of her life.
This is definitely a book that I’m purchasing for my shelves and I would recommend it to any fan of autobiographical comics. And while you can read all of the entries online (http://betweengears.smackjeeves.com/), do yourself a favor and buy the book so that you can see the details even better.
October 14, 2012
This volume took me a long time to get through, but it was a rewarding experience, and gave me a lot to think about. Here are some things that have been rattling around in my brain as I've moved through this graphic diary over the past couple weeks:
1. Our daily lives are pretty boring. There were times when I just wasn't terribly interested in the daily life of Ms. Nourigat, particularly sitting down and reading about a couple weeks or months of it at a time. That sounds like a bad thing, but it's not. There's a tough balance between trying to be an interesting person and just the slow, routine work of being a person in the world and scraping away at your goals. It felt very personal getting to see the ebbs and flows in her life and thinking about how universal that is.
2. People have many identities. I think often in life we play a lot of different roles depending on the situation we're in, and most people who know us only see a single side of that. This book was fascinating in that way, because it let you see, as an outsider, Tally functioning in a lot of different realms, as a lot of different people: a focused student, an up-and-coming artist, a nerdy Japanese enthusiast, a nervous almost-graduate, a sorority girl, a daughter and sister, etc. She was all of those people, but was also at a point in her life when she had to make a lot of choices about which identities were most important.
3. The end of college is a crazy time. This book was unique and perhaps particularly ambitious in tackling the last year of college. There were a lot of moments when Tally's stress of being unsure what she was going to do after graduation (and particularly her talks with her parents) brought me back to my own similar experiences and made me want to scratch my skin off. There's no way to put into words the combined terror and relief/excitement that you feel during that time, and this book showed it on every page instead of having to try to explain it.
4. Getting personal is a bold move. There were a lot of parts in the book where I felt like Nourigat was holding back. She would give something the barest mention, and I wanted to know more, but it was clear that some topics were going to stay out of the story. I kept thinking that she wasn't giving us a "good story" by being stingy with the juicy details. But then I remembered that this is her life, and it's ultimately up to her to decide what she wants to share with the world or not.
It's a rare thing to get a glimpse into someone's daily life like this. I certainly wouldn't want to have to look at myself this closely, and I'm grateful that Natalie Nourigat was willing to go there. Just seeing the progression in her artwork over the year made this a worthwhile read.
1. Our daily lives are pretty boring. There were times when I just wasn't terribly interested in the daily life of Ms. Nourigat, particularly sitting down and reading about a couple weeks or months of it at a time. That sounds like a bad thing, but it's not. There's a tough balance between trying to be an interesting person and just the slow, routine work of being a person in the world and scraping away at your goals. It felt very personal getting to see the ebbs and flows in her life and thinking about how universal that is.
2. People have many identities. I think often in life we play a lot of different roles depending on the situation we're in, and most people who know us only see a single side of that. This book was fascinating in that way, because it let you see, as an outsider, Tally functioning in a lot of different realms, as a lot of different people: a focused student, an up-and-coming artist, a nerdy Japanese enthusiast, a nervous almost-graduate, a sorority girl, a daughter and sister, etc. She was all of those people, but was also at a point in her life when she had to make a lot of choices about which identities were most important.
3. The end of college is a crazy time. This book was unique and perhaps particularly ambitious in tackling the last year of college. There were a lot of moments when Tally's stress of being unsure what she was going to do after graduation (and particularly her talks with her parents) brought me back to my own similar experiences and made me want to scratch my skin off. There's no way to put into words the combined terror and relief/excitement that you feel during that time, and this book showed it on every page instead of having to try to explain it.
4. Getting personal is a bold move. There were a lot of parts in the book where I felt like Nourigat was holding back. She would give something the barest mention, and I wanted to know more, but it was clear that some topics were going to stay out of the story. I kept thinking that she wasn't giving us a "good story" by being stingy with the juicy details. But then I remembered that this is her life, and it's ultimately up to her to decide what she wants to share with the world or not.
It's a rare thing to get a glimpse into someone's daily life like this. I certainly wouldn't want to have to look at myself this closely, and I'm grateful that Natalie Nourigat was willing to go there. Just seeing the progression in her artwork over the year made this a worthwhile read.
September 20, 2012
This utterly charming graphic novel memoir is perfect for high school students wondering what college might be like as well as aspiring artists of any genre, and lovers of graphic novel memoirs.
In 2009/2010 Natalie Nourigat chronicled her senior year at University of Oregon by drawing a one page comic for every day of her academic year. The title “Between Gears” refers to the sense of being in between two important stages of life. During the course of the year Natalie stresses about completing college and what to do with her life after graduation – all while balancing a full social life as well as her life as a graphic novel artist.
Nourigat’s style is dynamic and fun. The visual narration varies between “literal” depictions of her day and a more exaggerated, manga-influenced style. For example, Nourigat often will use a kind of mini cartoonish version of herself to show an expression of emotion like embarrassment or shyness or excitement. She also throws in little hearts and tears and other manga-like embellishments to show how a character is feeling. At the end of the book. Nourigat provides a whole bonus section that explains her artistic process and how she approached developing this graphic novel memoir of her Senior year. Her nuts-and-bolts explanations of her process will be valuable to aspiring graphic novelists.
Nourigat is sure to provide inspiration to high school students about how to get the most out of college: on top of being a “regular” college student, she also has duties as a sorority sister, she’s an Etsy vendor, a freelance artist AND someone who has made the commitment of doing a page of art a day for this very book. She seeks career and enrichment opportunities through friends and online contacts, and lets herself be open to all possibilities. Sometimes she becomes overwhelmed by just how many choices she has and fears that if she makes the “wrong” choice she is closing certain doors forever, and what if she makes the wrong choice? And what if people (whose opinion she respects) are telling her to do one thing but her gut is telling her something else? I think we go through many stages in our lives when we feel that we are “between gears” and this book gives a lot of comfort and inspiration about being in that phase. It’s a frightening place to be in life, but also so very exciting. Nourigat captures this perfectly.
In 2009/2010 Natalie Nourigat chronicled her senior year at University of Oregon by drawing a one page comic for every day of her academic year. The title “Between Gears” refers to the sense of being in between two important stages of life. During the course of the year Natalie stresses about completing college and what to do with her life after graduation – all while balancing a full social life as well as her life as a graphic novel artist.
Nourigat’s style is dynamic and fun. The visual narration varies between “literal” depictions of her day and a more exaggerated, manga-influenced style. For example, Nourigat often will use a kind of mini cartoonish version of herself to show an expression of emotion like embarrassment or shyness or excitement. She also throws in little hearts and tears and other manga-like embellishments to show how a character is feeling. At the end of the book. Nourigat provides a whole bonus section that explains her artistic process and how she approached developing this graphic novel memoir of her Senior year. Her nuts-and-bolts explanations of her process will be valuable to aspiring graphic novelists.
Nourigat is sure to provide inspiration to high school students about how to get the most out of college: on top of being a “regular” college student, she also has duties as a sorority sister, she’s an Etsy vendor, a freelance artist AND someone who has made the commitment of doing a page of art a day for this very book. She seeks career and enrichment opportunities through friends and online contacts, and lets herself be open to all possibilities. Sometimes she becomes overwhelmed by just how many choices she has and fears that if she makes the “wrong” choice she is closing certain doors forever, and what if she makes the wrong choice? And what if people (whose opinion she respects) are telling her to do one thing but her gut is telling her something else? I think we go through many stages in our lives when we feel that we are “between gears” and this book gives a lot of comfort and inspiration about being in that phase. It’s a frightening place to be in life, but also so very exciting. Nourigat captures this perfectly.
June 10, 2013
Another young comics creator steps onto the scene!
Nourigat publishes here her daily comic for her senior year of college at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
I feel this tension with daily comics - just because of their basic structure, they often have problems finding a narrative line. Authors often feel its necessary to keep some things private, which leads to vagueness or flat omission after the slow build of a plotline - which can be freaking annoying. Mostly in the area of romantic interests, but not always.
This story definitely has these problems, but two things tip it into the good for me...
1. The Special Features. Nourigat goes into a fair amount of detail at the end about how and why she decided to do this project, her methodology... there's a lot more thought that goes into the method than I would have guessed. It's fascinating and hopefully instructive for other (young) comics creators. Good on her for revealing her trade secrets. ;)
She also includes hand-drawn maps of Eugene and Portland, so it's almost like she knows me and my pet peeves and desires.
2. The drawing! This girl can draw. She uses a nice variety of tools and techniques, does some nice things with shading, and varies her panels like a pro.
I'm looking forward to seeing an original story from Nourigat - the other stuff she's come out with has all been written by other people (at least that my library system has purchased). Maybe something YA?
Nourigat publishes here her daily comic for her senior year of college at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
I feel this tension with daily comics - just because of their basic structure, they often have problems finding a narrative line. Authors often feel its necessary to keep some things private, which leads to vagueness or flat omission after the slow build of a plotline - which can be freaking annoying. Mostly in the area of romantic interests, but not always.
This story definitely has these problems, but two things tip it into the good for me...
1. The Special Features. Nourigat goes into a fair amount of detail at the end about how and why she decided to do this project, her methodology... there's a lot more thought that goes into the method than I would have guessed. It's fascinating and hopefully instructive for other (young) comics creators. Good on her for revealing her trade secrets. ;)
She also includes hand-drawn maps of Eugene and Portland, so it's almost like she knows me and my pet peeves and desires.
2. The drawing! This girl can draw. She uses a nice variety of tools and techniques, does some nice things with shading, and varies her panels like a pro.
I'm looking forward to seeing an original story from Nourigat - the other stuff she's come out with has all been written by other people (at least that my library system has purchased). Maybe something YA?
April 24, 2012
Background: “This honest, autobiographical account of a college senior’s life will transport you to the land of Jell-O shots, term papers, job interviews, road trips, and sanguine optimism in the face of uncertainty and change.” From the author/ book. I think that this sums it up very well.
Review: Between Gears is amazing! I loved it. It follows Natalie aka Tally, a college senior who chronicles her daily life. I loved the illustrations and as the character grows and changes we also see the same of the author. The illustrations are choppy and cluttered at first but get better and clearer as the novel progresses. Some of the episodes are hilarious and fun, others a slow and a little on the boring side…but it’s the life of a college student; some days ARE just plain boring. I loved the honesty in this graphic novel and some of the content hit close to home, as I too once was a college senior and understood a lot of the cramming and panic moments.
When I first began reading, I knew that the storyline followed a college student but was a little deterred by the drawings looking very young, I am glad that as I progressed she felt older.
Review: Between Gears is amazing! I loved it. It follows Natalie aka Tally, a college senior who chronicles her daily life. I loved the illustrations and as the character grows and changes we also see the same of the author. The illustrations are choppy and cluttered at first but get better and clearer as the novel progresses. Some of the episodes are hilarious and fun, others a slow and a little on the boring side…but it’s the life of a college student; some days ARE just plain boring. I loved the honesty in this graphic novel and some of the content hit close to home, as I too once was a college senior and understood a lot of the cramming and panic moments.
When I first began reading, I knew that the storyline followed a college student but was a little deterred by the drawings looking very young, I am glad that as I progressed she felt older.
August 7, 2012
Verdict: Utterly charming graphic novel memoir.
Perfect for: High school students wondering what college might be like; college students wondering what other college students’ life is like; aspiring artists of any genre; lovers of comix memoirs; post-college peeps looking for a little nostalgia. So….pretty much everyone?
Summary: In 2009/2010 Natalie Nourigat chronicled her senior year at University of Oregon by drawing a one page comic for every day of her academic year. The title “Between Gears” refers to the sense of being in between two important stages of life. During the course of the year Natalie stresses about completing college and what to do with her life after graduation – all while balancing a full social life as well as her life as a graphic novel artist.
Find out more why I thought this book was so great at LitHacker.com :)
October 16, 2013
I may be just the wrong audience but this book didn't really appeal to me. The art is good, and the idea of doing a page a day is an ambitious project that I respect I just don't know if it needed a book. There's very little depth here and the panels seem to zip by without any connection. Not to mention two missing days when pages repeat. We're introduced and de-introduced to people,places, things so quickly none of it seems to matter - meanwhile being told by the narrator how important this year is(!!!). I would have preferred some deeper meditation - which almost comes through towards the end when Nourigat begins thinking about life partners - or even a bigger reason to read this then just learn about her nice college experience. If this is a coming of age story it missed the point and if it's not then I really don't know what it is besides at worst an exercise in narcissism.
August 17, 2014
I feel like I lucked out finding Between the Gears by Natalie Nourigat: I generally don't find myself looking for non-fiction sequential art, though I've certainly read enough to have favorites. What piqued my interest was a description of the book that let me know it's a year-long autobiographical comic of her senior year at the University of Oregon in 2010. Since I earned my PhD in English Literature from the U of O in 2000, I was extremely interested in seeing Eugene, Oregon through her eyes. However, if the book had been merely of personal interest, I wouldn't bother to write a review. I think it's a fascinating work that will be of interest to anyone who likes reflective coming-o... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/comi...
December 12, 2015
I'm not a big fan of the Comics journaling concept, at least not for public consumption, but Ms. Nourigat's chronicle of her senior year of college was interesting. Seeing how she balanced (or didn't) her various parts of life (school, thesis, work for hire, social groups, dating) was a nice reminder of my college days, which had little in common, but enough that I could relate to her experiences. The artwork ranges in quality, as time permitted, but the fact that she was able to illustrate every day for her entire senior year is impressive, and the openness she shares is refreshing. I can see sharing it with my daughter, who could relate to parts even though she's many years away from that point, just because of the way Natalie captures life.
May 20, 2016
It's embarrassing, but the thing that sold me this book was not so much the stellar recommendations I had for it, but simply because it was a graphic novel without all-caps text. No lie.
That being said, it's cute. I really appreciate the spirit of the thing. But it failed to really capture my interest. I won't say too much about the art, because I don't feel particularly qualified as a judge, but the story wasn't especially engaging for me. On the one hand, I respect Nourigat's privacy and the privacy of the people in her life, but on the other hand, the story was generally lacking in resonance and depth.
That being said, it's cute. I really appreciate the spirit of the thing. But it failed to really capture my interest. I won't say too much about the art, because I don't feel particularly qualified as a judge, but the story wasn't especially engaging for me. On the one hand, I respect Nourigat's privacy and the privacy of the people in her life, but on the other hand, the story was generally lacking in resonance and depth.
July 26, 2013
Whoa! I started reading this and was all groannnn diary comic and ughhh I am not sure I like this girl, but as it went a long a couple of things became clear to me. One: she's EXCELLENT at making the American Manga (think Scott Pilgrim but more detailed) feel lived-in and like an actual non-commercial manga style. Two: It doesn't matter if I like her as a person, a diary comic doesn't require that I do, it's about getting inside the rhythms of someone's head -- their day-to-day life as well as their dreams and the things and people they love. And I got into this, against my will! And I wasn't ready to say goodbye. So Natalie, meet a new fan. Well done.
November 12, 2014
I discovered Lucy Bellwood through another artist (who I will be reviewing in the future!) and I am so glad I did. Her work is genuine, uncompromising and often happens to be about something I love: sailing! I am particularly a sucker when it comes to hearing stories about how people find the courage to pursue their dreams full time. Read this, get inspired and then get out there: pursue your dreams!
See more of Lucy’s work on her website at: http://nauticry.wordpress.com/
Who should read it? Everyone who needs a reminder that life is too short postpone doing things you love.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
See more of Lucy’s work on her website at: http://nauticry.wordpress.com/
Who should read it? Everyone who needs a reminder that life is too short postpone doing things you love.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
October 18, 2021
Between Gears is Natalie Nourigat's visual diary of her senior year of college. One page for every day of the school year.
I love her illustration style and her sense of humour. I laughed out loud or snorted several times while I read the book.
A lot of it was also very relatable. For example when she was stressed out of her mind during the last phase of writing and drawing her thesis or when she made friends with the neighbourhood cats.
I highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone who was ever at university, who is a nerd, who is slightly scared of spiders, whose lazy side is in a constant battle with the responsible side or ever had to make big life decisions.
5/5 Stars
I love her illustration style and her sense of humour. I laughed out loud or snorted several times while I read the book.
A lot of it was also very relatable. For example when she was stressed out of her mind during the last phase of writing and drawing her thesis or when she made friends with the neighbourhood cats.
I highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone who was ever at university, who is a nerd, who is slightly scared of spiders, whose lazy side is in a constant battle with the responsible side or ever had to make big life decisions.
5/5 Stars
April 29, 2012
Another book from Stumptown Comics Fest, where this author had a booth. A wonderful page-a-day look into what life is like at the University of Oregon for a senior in college. Every day holds little snippets of her hopes, dreams, and challenges. Men. Thesis. Cheap rental apartments. Good movies. Evil spiders. Midterms. When faced with several awesome-sounding futures, which would *you* choose?
February 17, 2013
I had forgotten that I had actually followed this artist on Smack Jeeves previously and had actually read some of this while she was writing it when I first saw this on good reads, and only realized it when I flipped through the pages. Because it was written journal/diary style, it's not a straight up "story", but it's very relate-able and art style is really great.
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