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The Flip Side: A Graphic Novel

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This breathtaking, page-turning graphic novel is a supernatural survival story in which a grieving teen finds himself in a haunting alternate reality—the frightening embodiment of his depression.

Theo’s best friend has died, and he can’t pull himself out of his sadness—a sadness that those around him don’t seem to respect or even notice. And then something even more disconcerting His town literally flips upside down and everyone disappears, except for a threatening, shape-shifting monster and a snarky teenage girl who knows her way around this flipped world. Is Theo doomed to spend the rest of his life in this scary state?

Tremendously unique and suspenseful, The Flip Side tackles grief and depression in a fascinating and affecting way.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2025

11 people are currently reading
4519 people want to read

About the author

Jason Walz

7 books63 followers

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5 stars
103 (31%)
4 stars
141 (43%)
3 stars
74 (22%)
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8 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Profile Image for Terri.
373 reviews60 followers
May 13, 2025
The Flip Side was a very emotional read. Even more so for me after the passing of my nana last month. I really connected with Theo and what he was going through after the loss of his best friend, Evan, to cancer. The grief and pain was very well written and I liked the concept of the alternative reality, the flip side being the embodiment of his depression. I especially appreciated that the author depicted Theo, Emma, and Bernard’s monsters/(
depression differently. Because no one has the exact same experience with grief or depression.

On a different note, the artwork itself was stunning. I have several pages bookmarked so I can go back and look at the art again. If you love graphic novels with amazing art and an emotional story I suggest you check out The Flip Side.

3.5 stars

Be sure to check TWs

*I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Profile Image for Alecia (aleciareadsitall).
251 reviews15 followers
May 10, 2025
This is a fantastic supernatural survival story that deals with the physical manifestation of grief and depression.

The graphic novel opens at the funeral of Theo’s best friend, Evan after he’s died of cancer. Theo has a hard time finding the will to go on, and he struggles with his place as Theo’s friend during the aftermath of the death.

The resulting spiral sends him into the “flip side” where he meets another teen struggling with grief, Emma. They work together to survive in this upside down world, and there are many tender moments where they. This is such a powerful look at grief and its all-consuming nature. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I love the color palette and how it contributes to the overall moods of the scenes.

I cried multiple times throughout the course of the book - there are some really emotional and powerful scenes. If you’re a fan of YA, don’t miss this one.
Profile Image for Jenna Reed.
13 reviews
September 15, 2025
Lots of triggering topics in this one including death of a friend, depictions of self-harm, and metaphors for suicide.

Amazing depiction of depression that I haven’t really seen done elsewhere. At some points the story felt rushed and visually confusing, which is why I didn’t give it 5 stars, but it’s still a great book overall. Before you even get to the author’s note at the end, you can tell he put a lot of care into crafting this story.
Profile Image for K..
4,779 reviews1,135 followers
January 6, 2026
Content warnings: death of a friend, cancer, self harm, suicidal ideation, grief, mental health

I did NOT expect this to be as sad as it is. It's essentially about slipping into depression after the death of a friend and finding yourself in an upside down world being chased by something that wants to drag you down further. It was beautifully done and while it was perhaps a LITTLE too action-heavy at times, I really liked the way the story played out between the two core characters.
Profile Image for Katie Florida.
614 reviews1 follower
November 13, 2025
A creepy, impossible to put down, look at grief, loneliness, and hurt, and what can be found on the other side.
Profile Image for Joan.
43 reviews
April 16, 2025
Loved, loved, loved this graphic novel! Jason weaves a beautiful story about grief, loss, depression, and the importance of connection, friendship, and belonging. The artwork is distinctive and the colors used reflect the tone and energy of the events that are happening.
In the beginning of Flip Side, main character, Theo, feels alone in this strange new place, although he soon finds out he isn't alone! The neighborhood is familiar yet disturbing. He meets another teen, Emma, who shows him how to survive and escape the monster that's chasing him.
What had me gripped and turning page after page was the suspense of knowing whether or not Theo will make it out of the Flip Side -- alone or will Emma escape, too?
As a native Minnesotan, I also loved the local references to Twin Cities landmarks, malls, and Matt's Bar (hello Juicy Lucy!).
At the end, Jason includes a few pages in honor of his friend, Kris, who inspired the idea of living in an upside-down world. It is a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to Kris and you can feel the strength of their friendship through the pages.
Thank you, Jason, for sharing an advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Cornerofmadness.
1,962 reviews16 followers
May 18, 2025
This graphic novel deals with young death (from cancer) and the grief of those left behind. Theo's best friend Evan has died and along with a deep friendship (and the movie they were working on together). Fourteen year olds aren't meant to waste away and die before their friends and family's eyes.

Theo is raw from Evan's death especially as well meaning but unaware family members shunting him out of the house before he can grieve the loss of his friend and his own mother doesn't seem to understand either. Theo wakes up in the Flip side where everything is literally upside down and he is alone.

The Flip side is a hell of isolation and loneliness interrupted only by a nebulous monster whispering all your self doubts and fears to you, making them oh so real. The black and white art very much serves the story, making it even more eerie. Before he can realize the danger he's in Theo gets a strange text message telling him to get out of his house.

This is how he meets Emma a young girl who's been here longer than he has and has some working idea of how to survive in the Flip Side. Emma has issues of her own, growing up in a group home with some obvious neurodivergence and mental health issues. She tries to keep him and her safe even though she's pricklier than a hedgehog and not nearly as cuddly.

Theo clings to her at first out of desperation and then out of true friendship as he doggedly pursues an escape that Emma has given up on. And dogged is a good word choice because one of the way Emma wards off the thought-monsters after them is thinking about/talking about Scooby-Doo fan theories and fanfiction (which is so endearing)

It was written out of the author's own pain of losing his friend to cancer (at a later date than Theo did) and it comes across well. Grief and mourning are never straightforward or easy and they can easily become monsters. I thought this was well done.

I won this in a goodreads giveaway which in no way influenced my review.
Profile Image for Ms. Yingling.
3,998 reviews609 followers
January 6, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this graphic novel, Theo loses his best friend Evan to suicide. No one seems to understand the way he feels, especially since his last interaction with his friend was problematic, and he doesn't get the help he needs. Obsessing about his friend, he gets sucked into an alternate universe, the Flip Side, where he meets Emma, who had struggled with depression and cut herself. The two try to survive in the post apocalyptic world, reading Evan's journals and trying to make sense of the fantastical world where they are stuck, and also the real world to which they need to return.

I picked this up thinking it would be a middle grade horror book. Instead, this is a YA book about mental health and the aftermath of a friend's suicide. It is very fraught and dark, and while it might be perfect for high school readers, it seems like a bit much for middle school students. Even though this ends on a slightly hopeful note, with Theo returning to the real world feeling a little better and finding Emma and connecting with her, it didn't offer much in the way of guidance in how to deal with the death of a friend.

I'm very sorry that Mr. Walz lost his friend Kris, who had the seed of this story, to cancer, and he has done a nice job crafting a graphic novel about loss, which seems to be the focus of some of his other work, which I have not read. Take a look at this if it sounds like a title your high school library needs.
Profile Image for Jessica Brown.
585 reviews7 followers
May 6, 2025
Theo's best friend Evan has died from cancer and this story opens at his funeral. Theo is struggling with his grief that is exacerbated by him having a fight with Evan shortly before his death. Suddenly, Theo finds his world flipped upside down - literally. His grief and depression is manifesting as a monster chasing him through this upside world, where there is nobody left but Theo and a girl named Emma who has been outrunning her own monster in this world for far longer than Theo.
This is a visually interesting examination of grief and depression, especially by someone young and by someone who loses a friend. It is mentioned in the story, and in the backmatter, that there are lots of depictions and support groups for people who lose a parent, child, spouse, sibling, but not a lot for those who lose friends. There are heavy mental health topics covered here, including self-harm behaviors, and while it feels pretty on-the-nose, I still think it's such an interesting and well-executed concept that it's important to pass along to young folks.
Profile Image for Rita Tourner.
42 reviews
July 23, 2025
Ended up devouring this book all in one sitting while killing time at my local library.

Absolutely fantastic read that found me in a moment when I really needed it's message.

This book is heavy, heavy, heavy... heavy in the way the burden of mental illness can weigh on you on any time, all the time, but heavy still in the same way as being embraced tightly by someone who loves you and cares about your struggle.

And omg, one of Emma's coping methods being Scooby Doo fanfic?? Girl, saaaaame lol

This book says and portrays a lot of valid messages on grief and mental illness. But as someone who has been riding a roller coaster of depression and suicidal ideation for the last 18 years, this exchange between Theo and Emma after they temporarily lose sight of the eldritch horrors that represent their pain stuck with me the most...

Theo: "Is it gone?"
Emma: "No, it's never really gone."

But it's not so much something to despair over as it is accept. As the book concludes, it's not about winning the fight forever. Sometimes it's victory enough to get through another day ✌️
Profile Image for Lisa.
644 reviews9 followers
November 30, 2025
The Flip Side by Jason Walz was the last novel I read during the month of November 2025.
I received the paperback version of The Flip Side by Jason Walz for FREE through the Goodreads Giveaway program. Below is my honest, unbiased review of this young adult, graphic novel.

First off, I absolutely loved the artwork for The Flip Side. In fact, the artwork was probably my favorite thing about this book. The Flip Side is also a very quick read, which is one of the things I enjoy about graphic novels.

The Flip Side by Jason Walz is a novel geared towards teens. The focus of The Flip Side is on the loss of one’s best friend, loneliness, fear, grief, and how one’s life can feel like it has turned upside down after the loss of one's best friend.

The Flip Side by Jason Walz showcases how to two teens, Theo and Emma, overcome the obstacles of fear, loneliness, and grief together.
Profile Image for Vanessa.
901 reviews36 followers
July 18, 2025
I like the idea. And it was pretty good till the ending. I was a bit confused with

Now. My next question... who's the audience? The topics are tough, but that alone doesn't dictate the age range for me. It feels a bit middle school, but the lack of hope and resources makes me feel like this is a bit more high school. It's a weird mix for me. Greif and horror go together so well. But I'm not sure a middle school audience will get this one.

The art is great. It's kinda ugly. But its the right kind of ugly. And we're dealing with ugly thoughts and feelings. The color use is excellent.
Profile Image for Peter Derk.
Author 32 books404 followers
May 29, 2025
What do you do when you read a graphic novel you don't love, but it's firmly rooted in someone's grief related to losing a friend?

25 year-old Pete, who was kind of a dick, gives it like 2 stars and talks about its flaws.

Old Man Pete is like, Fuck It, 5 stars, whatever, the artistic expression of the thing is never as perfect as the emotion, and in those imperfections, there's a certain beauty.

Not a 5-star book for me, as a reader, but also not a book that I think I'd feel good about giving a lower rating. And that's what Goodreads is here for, to make me feel good.

Will someone please tell people who review my books about this fact?
308 reviews1 follower
May 29, 2025
Tw: for thoughts of suicide, cutting, cancer death

If you like Infinity Train, you'll like this comic. What an absolutely excellent comic. I had no idea what I was expecting, and it kept my attention throughout. All the characters are super dynamic with unique personalities, the danger felt real and ever present, and I was really rooting for everyone in the end.

It is a bit of a shame that there are several mysteries never explained, or that the covers hinted at other stuff happening but we're never shown that, and the ending is a bit flat and anti-climatic, I still really enjoyed this comic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
646 reviews5 followers
July 12, 2025
Dark and frightening, disorienting and supernaturally confusing, but this graphic novel is also very emotional and thought provoking in the way(s) it looks into how people (especially teens/young adults) process grief.

Theo's best friend has died and he finds himself alone in a world that has been flipped upside down, until he finds Emma, who is also trying to survive.

If you read this book, even if you don't finish it, flip to the back pages for the author's essay about the friend whose life inspired this story.
Profile Image for Camaryn.
19 reviews1 follower
August 25, 2025
This book was simple, but had so much depth as well. For youth struggling with loss, feeling unheard by the adults around them, this book can act as comfort and hope. The author dealt with loss as well influencing the nuances feelings of the characters. In a way, the story reminded me of "Wrist Cutters: A Love Story." A movie from 2006 where those who had taken their own lives were sent to an afterlife where things were metaphorically upside down. This book also deals with trauma and loss and how that sends characters to an unfamiliar scary world.
Profile Image for Heydi Smith.
3,198 reviews8 followers
October 6, 2025
The Flip Side was a very emotional read.

I really connected with Theo and what he was going through after the loss of his best friend, Evan, to cancer. The grief and pain was very well written and I liked the concept of the alternative reality, the flip side being the embodiment of his depression. I especially appreciated that the author depicted Theo, Emma, and Bernard’s monsters, highlighting that no one has the exact same experience with grief or depression.

On a different note, the artwork itself was stunning.

Walz is just amazing.
2,447 reviews12 followers
December 16, 2024
Theo tries to navigate a world flipped upside with grief when his best friend dies. He meets Emma, another person struggling with grief, as they try to flee their monsters. Visually stunning depictions of grief, mental illness, and survival.

I loved the premise for this graphic novel, but the upside down universe didn't work well for me. I recognize the stylistic choices, but I think it keeps the book from having wider appeal with students.

I read an ARC from Edelweiss.
Profile Image for D.T..
Author 5 books80 followers
July 1, 2025
"There's something different about losing a friend, though. [...] There are no drugstore sympathy cards for you because nobody understands."

This was weird and amazing. A raw look at mental health and grief. The embodiments of the characters' depressive or suicidal thoughts are eldritch and effective.

Some of the characters aren’t “likable”, but they felt human.

I was intrigued the entire time.
Profile Image for Peter.
45 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2025
The beginning is such a gorgeous and real depiction of grief, especially mourning a friend. It is amazing!! Then the majority of the fantasy element of grief and sadness monsters hunting people in an upside down world just did not hit. It was convoluted and overly dense (plus the monsters triggered my trypophobia 😅) and it lost the beauty of the beginning. Also weird Scooby doo theories included lol
Profile Image for Daria Orlowska.
20 reviews
July 26, 2025
I enjoyed the premise but I wanted more from the delivery. Emma, the main side character in the "flip side" didn't really get any background, which was missed opportunity for emotional connection. I really wish that the author opted for a slightly longer gn with more time for that kind of development. The ending also felt a bit rushed and confusing to me. Maybe it was meant to be ambiguous, but it wouldn't have hurt to spend a few more pages on what is essentially the climax of the story.
Profile Image for Emily Cissell.
77 reviews
August 26, 2025
What a great depiction of grief in a graphic novel format. I am one of the biggest supporters of graphic novels and comics, but I truly believe it is a medium that authors need to INTENTIONALLY choose to drive the story further. This graphic novel accomplishes this by making grief and depression easily understood for middle schoolers and up. There were a couple of parts that felt repetitive but, overall, a wonderful graphic novel that is a great addition to libraries!
38 reviews
October 1, 2025
7.5/10

The themes of grief and depression hit me hard, and I respect how personal and emotional this story is. But while the message resonated, the Flip Side itself felt underdeveloped. We never really learn why or how the characters ended up there, or how Theo returned, and that lack of worldbuilding made the ending feel more unfinished than intentionally ambiguous. A powerful idea, but I wish the execution had built more on its premise.
Profile Image for Dolores.
3,907 reviews10 followers
November 17, 2025
After the death of his best friend, Theo's whole world is flipped upside down. Literally. He finds himself alone in a nightmare space where he is fighting for his survival from some kind of monster. Eventually he finds Emma, who has been in this space for some time, and who shows him the ropes. But does Theo want to stay in this space? Does he want to survive here--or does he want to move on? A moving and tough look at a young man's journey through grief and despair.
Profile Image for Fny.
654 reviews18 followers
July 17, 2025
This was such emotionally exhausted read. Heavy topics. Of grief, anxiety and guilt. Of survival. Of depression. It hit me hard. I kind of cried right through the whole story. But it was beautiful too. There was hope. A seed to something new. Something other.
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The art did complement the storyline, with grey parts depicting memories…and then a lot of color for the other parts…
Profile Image for William Hume.
229 reviews
August 19, 2025
Jason Walz's "The Flip Side" seemingly sums up every bizarre, terrifying, recurring dream that I ever had as a child, and really as an adult as well. But it goes deeper than that. Within the nightmarish convulsions that happen in the protagonists world, it still boils down to a story of friendship, love and being there for the people who are important to you. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Jennifer Epling.
311 reviews3 followers
September 25, 2025
This was much more emotional than I was prepared for. I feel like this is a very resonating read for people. I felt very connected to Theo- with the loss of his friend. It is something we all can connect with. The grief he felt was real and raw. The story was well written, and the illustrations were amazing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews

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