Adulthood Is a Myth

Sarah's Scribbles #1

by Sarah Andersen

Are you a special snowflake?
Do you enjoy networking to advance your career?
Is adulthood an exciting new challenge for which you feel fully prepared?

Ugh. Please go away.

This book is for the rest of us. These comics document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas, and wondering when, exactly, this adulthood thing begins. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life.

Sarah Andersen is a young Brooklyn artist. This book is totally not autobiographical. At all.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Humor, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Adult, Comedy

110 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2016

About the author

Hello! I’m Sarah and I’m a cartoonist and illustrator. I graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2014. My comics are semi-autobiographical and follow the adventures of myself, my friends, and my beloved pets.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literally my entire life.

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

of the TWENTY-SEVEN books i'd read in the GR awards semifinals, this is the only one that won in its category. so congratulations, even though i don't consider this a graphic novel as such, more like a collection of unrelated cartoons better placed in the humor category, but who's gonna split genre-hairs?



although i'm pretty confident i have at least 10-15 years on this cartoonist, there's still so much in this book that resonated with me. which probably reflects very poorly on me - it's one thing to still be finding your way and retaining your childish mores in your twenties, but it's a little less cute when you're … older.

there are some parts of adulthood i am very good at: paying bills on time and making sure the dishes are done and the litterbox is clean and not running out of toothpaste. but then there are some other things i just can't seem to get the hang of, mostly in the realm of social fakery, like small talk and networking and climbing that social ladder. and then there are "adult" skills i just don't see the value of adopting, like the development of an impulse control muscle that says "don't eat that whole box of cookies in one sitting,"


or "don't buy another stuffed animal, you old fart."

and sarah andersen seems like a soulmate in those regards.



we are exhausted by the same things, like slow walkers, the ease of written vs. the hell of verbal communication, and the struggle of maintaining a polite and focused attention span while inwardly experiencing social anxiety and a desire to be back in the safety of one's home-cave.



i think i used to be an extrovert but then i just got so tired. i'd much rather hide out and be cozy, and while i'm a little regretful that i don't take advantage of all the fine cultural things new york has to offer, i feel a little "been there, done that," and now i'm all old and groggy. i'm no longer young and hot and new york is pretty much tailored for the young and hot. or the rich.

and too often i just feel like this



but this book makes me feel okay about myself. it says it's okay to have serious attachments to stuffed animals



and a notebook addiction that is well-intentioned but haphazard



and it stresses the importance of coziness:





especially when it comes to cozy-fashion



i mean, right now i am wearing doraemon poupons and a julius-monkey fleece top. like a baby.

there are, of course, several comics pandering to booknerds, most notably



but the biggest adult lesson i learned from this book is: wait, you're supposed to wash your bras?

i do laundry once a week - i'm no scrub, but i have never ever in my life washed a bra. not even when i was a little kid living at home and someone else was doing the laundry for me. how does this even work? don't they get all misshapen and crumpled? i do not have sweaty stinky boobs, and i've never had a problem with filthy bras. so i'm going to keep living the way i been living and no one's gonna stop me.

this book also highlights a lot of girl-woes that made me shout, "i know, right?" like the way the fashion industry and the lingerie industry just don't seem to be able to work together



the perils of long hair



and the mysterious ways of tampons



other noteworthy fist-bumps from me to ms. andersen include her addressing:

-the joy of giving gifts and the crippling shyness of receiving them.

-the constant dwelling on stupid things one has said long after anyone else remembers them

-the lack of desire to spawn

-the shyness that comes off as rudeness

-how long toenail polish lasts

and we also both have stuffed bunnies



except hers is a little more alive than mine



so i'm totally down to be her big sister, if she is in the market for one of those. we can wave shyly at each other from across the room and then go back home to our respective pj's and our too-early cat alarm clocks.

i'm gonna peter pan myself well into my old-age senility, when it will once more be completely age-appropriate for me to embrace what makes me comfortable over the challenges of the world of social expectations.

so there.

come to my blog!

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were so many things I related to in this book but I'm only going to share a few.



↑ Okay, so I'm going to show y'all pictures of SOME of my stuffed animals that take over my bed (I sleep on the couch anyway) and some of my dog, Lucy's stuffed animals. WE BELIEVE IN THE STUFFED ANIMAL! WE LOVE THE STUFFED ANIMAL!

I have seriously donated garbage bag upon garbage bags of stuffed animals to the children's home though. But, my stuffed animals will always be huge. These are not even the half of them =) PS ~ I'm getting one more garbage bag ready to go to the children's home when I go to the doctor in February. But never fear, at some point they will be replaced!!!! lol



Oh, and the big ones are kinda hiding the big pile that is on the bed you can't see and there are big ones under that pile too. I love them alllllllllllllllllllll !

My dog Lucy's pile down below =)



Down below ↓

I don't say my body is a temple but I do repeat over and over, you shouldn't be eating this, STOP!!!!





↑ This always happened just like the picture shows!

Okay so I don't have kids and I'm not a grandma, but I do have about a million notebooks and journals that I collect and have written in like two. And only in half of the two. I can't help myself!





The above picture is totally true. I never wanted kids and I don't have them and it's too late for all of that and I'm fine with it =)



Okay the wifi thing is self explanatory!

and the book thing, we all get that one!



I thought this book was soooooo cute! There are a good bit of cute funny stuff in the book and it's worth a pick up and read =)

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Natalie Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whole book is my spirit animal.










Side effects may include extreme nasal pain from snorting liquids up your nose while laughing or embarrassment from snorting very loudly in public.



ARC provided by Netgalley

[MischaS_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is soo me! Creepy, creepy! I think she is a stalker! Or somehow she lives the same life like me... Someone stop that. Please!

I really liked this one. Maybe because I was not very familiar with Sarah's Scribbles before reading this one, however, after this, I'll definitely follow the author more.

[Will Byrnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think you are exceptional, a magical person, someone whose heart is pure, and thus can do no wrong; if you have lived a life filled with success, self-confidence, good skin, clean rooms, an excellent wardrobe, top-notch grooming, and a positive outlook; if you are a person with straight teeth (all of them), thick hair, (and none sprouting in unwanted places), excellent carriage, and toned muscles, I have two things to say to you. First, please die, now. You are clearly an invading species and should be removed from the planet as soon as possible. Second, if you refuse to do the right thing and expire, please leave your name in the comments section, so I can block you forever on GR. This book is too much fun and you do not need any more than you have already had.


Sarah Andersen - image from Esquire

Adulthood is a Myth is a cartoon book on the trials and tribulations of being a young female in 21st century America. Not something I would normally have picked up. But it was included in a bling bag I received at a GR event recently, so gave it a look. This does not seem to be in my particular wheelhouse, not being, you know, young or female. But hey, I loved the Harry Potter books, so age should not be a major factor here.


And while I expect to continue being not-female for my remaining days, there is plenty of crossover in the miseries depicted here. Social anxiety, yep. Body Image? Hell, yeah. Issues with motivation? I’ll have to think about that and get back to you. Yeah, we guys feel the same feelings, experience the same insecurities, indulge in the same self-doubting, make the same dumb mistakes. Ok, there were a few items here that I will never have to cope with personally, but I can recognize most of those in my wife, sisters, daughters, female friends, and associates. The best books are universal and there is a lot of that here.
Andersen began cartooning (or at least uploading them to Tumblr) in 2013. She was still in school at the time. This book was published in 2016 and was an instant success. It helps to have millions of on-line followers. She has had two more published since, and continues to produce material on-line for her gazillion followers. Content tends toward the personal, with the exception of her love life.



So, for those of us not blessed with excessive quantities of self-confidence, there is much to relate to here, young or old, male or female. Perfect or imperfect. It is heartening to know that we are not alone in our perpetual angst, and it is a lovely thing to be able to laugh out loud, which you will do, (considerable LOL material in this book) while skipping through the pages. Adulthood may or may not be a myth. I presume (dearly hope) that there is a reasonable supply of actual adults around. But feeling that one is lacking in the qualities necessary for the designation is probably the reality for most of us. At least Andersen offers us a few moments of self-deprecating laughter to distract us before we resume being our reliably flawed selves.
Published – March 8, 2016

Review Posted – November 2, 2018

=============================EXTRA STUFF

Links to the author’s Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and FB pages

A brief bio

Sarah material on GoComics, including animateds

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ AVAILABLE NOW! ✨

THANK YOU, Sarah Andersen.

I mean it.

See, it seems to me lately that everyone around me has some variation of "You are an adult, you must-" sentence ready to throw it on me.

Real adults don’t read that much because when are you going to take time for making babies? (really)
Real women know how to cook/clean up everything without complaining (you don’t say)
Real women want kids, too (back off)
Real adults always wake up early (as if)
Real – *internal screaming*

*INTERLUDE*

*/INTERLUDE*

The truth is, I respect all the checklists of my definition of adulthood and it’s enough for me : I take care of my loved ones, pay my bills, work my best for my pupils, respect the law, assume myself, as in, I am independent. Being an adult isn’t about fulfilling some aged fantasies in which women are sort of superheroes who raise kids, are sexy, work like hell and fucking smile all the time because HEY! LIFE’S AWESOME! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that nobody can be happy like this - It's not me is all.

I don’t feel less adult because no, I don’t spend my Sundays cleaning the house like crazy (and somehow it's still clean, mind you)
I don’t feel less adult because yes sometimes I play videogames *GASP*
I sure don't feel less adult because I don't have kids.

I am an adult, but perhaps my definition isn’t the same as yours. Who cares? I'm sure not here to judge. Everybody needs to find his own happy place in my opinion, and I found mine, as you found yours.

This book explores what adulthood is about and how frightening and confusing it can be, with all the expectations and other stereotypes which can be motivating but also so very stressful. Although I didn’t relate to every anecdote (I’ve been in a loving relationship for 7 years and am lucky enough to have a stable job), Sarah Andersen managed to capture perfectly what it means to be an “adult” nowadays while making me laugh – not to mention all these OMG I AM NOT ALONE! moments I lived along the way (I won’t say which ones. Because of reasons).

As for the art, I’m not sure I like it but it definitely helps staying focused on the story related and never diminished my enjoyment during my read.

► Recommended for every lover of pajamas out there. *winks*



*arc kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adulthood Is a Myth documents the beauty of wasting an entire weekend on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas, and wondering when, exactly, this adulthood thing begins

This book was great because it made me feel lighter while reading, but ultimately it didn't do much towards building a full picture of happiness. And I probably won't remember most of the instances after putting it down.




































But Adulthood Is a Myth managed to put a smile on my face, which is always a bonus.

*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Adulthood Is a Myth, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*


This review and more can be found on my blog.

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adulthood really is a myth!
And I read this book while enjoying a Milka & Oreo chocolate.

Sarah Andersen does a great job at showing the hardships of girls and women while keeping it light and funny. It's amazing how easy I could relate to her drawings. I kept showing some of the drawings to my husband and he was impressed and could not believe someone would write about me. Especially the part about not growing up. He says that, according to Sarah Andersen, I am in my mid 20'.

Anyway, I really need to get my hands on a paperback copy.

If you liked Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, you'll love Adulthood is a Myth: A "Sarah's Scribbles" Collection.

*I thank Sarah Andersen, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[María · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuánto me alegra que Sarah Andersen esté en nuestro planeta.

[فؤاد · Rating 4 out of 5]

«این سارا اندرسن قشنگ از رو زندگی من میکشه!»

«زندگی‌نامه ی منه گمونم!»

«انگار آدم داره فیلم زندگی خودش رو می بینه!!»

«بخدا اینا دوربین مخفی تو خونه‌های ما کار گذاشتن که تونستن اینقد واقعی کمیک درست کنن!!»

این ها بخشی از ابراز احساسات هاییه که خوانندگان این کمیک کردن! توی اینترنت، از گوگل پلاس تا گروه های تلگرامی هر جا که تونستم بخش هایی از کتاب رو گذاشتم، و همه جا خواننده ها بالاتفاق با این دخترک بانمک کارتونی همذات پنداری کردن، که به قول نویسنده ش "لحظات ترسناک و ضایع زندگی مدرن" رو به نمایش میذاره.



مجموعه کمیک های "بزرگسالی افسانه است" از "سارا اندرسن" قبل از این به صورت جداگانه روی اینترنت منتشر می شدن. و ماجرای زندگی هر روزه ی دختری رو روایت می کنن با شکل و شمایل کارتونی، بی اعتماد به نفس، درونگرا، خوره ی اینترنت، که به صورتی طنزآمیز و با نمک، زندگی خودمون رو به خودمون نشون میده. به رغم ادعای طنزآمیز نویسنده که "این کتاب هیچ ارتباطی با زندگی شخصی نویسنده نداره!"، به قدری جزئیات کتاب ملموسه، که آدم لحظه ای شک نمی کنه که از روی لحظات واقعی زندگی کشیده شده ن. و همین هم کتاب رو این قدر جذاب می کنه.



اگه این خانم که مدام وسط ریویوی من ولو میشه روی زمین اجازه بده، این رو هم اضافه کنم که چند روز پیش داشتم کتاب های برگزیده ی امسال گودریدز رو میدیدم که ببینم محض رضای خدا اسم یکی شون رو شنیدم یا نه! (اسم هری پاتر و کودک نفرین شده رو شنیده بودم فقط!) و دیدم این دختر هم بین کتاب های برگزیده است! خوشحال از این که کمیک های پراکنده به یک کتاب تبدیل شده، فوری رفتم به لیبجن و دانلودش کردم، و سه روز باهاش خندیدم.

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is adulthood an exciting new challenge for which you feel fully prepared?

Ugh. Please go away.

I was writing down some thoughts for two reviews, one of a Mishima book and the other of The Bell Jar, but at the moment, I don’t feel like dedicating so much time to that kind of introspection, since in my case, reviewing a book is almost never writing a simple summary. So I will deal with all those books next year, while focusing on other works which are also existentially complex but from a different perspective.



A very different perspective.

In the spirit of the preceding paragraph, I have a shocking revelation to share. I can never participate in the GR Awards. Scandalous, right? I mean, after the Best Poetry debacle, it’s still nice to be able to cast some votes considering that, in general, the most recently published book I have read might have been in the bookshop for twenty years.

Another delightful fact I can find in this little adventure regarding the Best Books of 2016 that I almost never pay special attention to: the only book to which I could give my precious and humble vote was Adulthood is a Myth. The irony makes me chuckle. In any case, and in my opinion since not everyone shares my peculiar sense of humor, it was a fun read. The most hilarious, ridiculous, absurd and to some extent, pathetic aspects of life are depicted through comedy and simple, adorable drawings. Andersen's keen ability to perceive different feelings and situations pertaining to the issue of being human and to portray them with such humorous simplicity… it is certainly remarkable. I’m completely enamored with her work and Allie Brosh and her Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened now share the podium with lovely Andersen.

Classics, poetry, extremely dark and heart-rending books that may or may not have a happy ending are not enough. Books brimful of humor, wit, ludicrous yet common situations and reactions and with silly covers that I don't dare to show in public are also a part of me. They mend what other things have broken. They make reality taste like fiction for a while. This year I spent time on situations that, in the end, didn’t deserve my attention and a million chances. I can search for my lost time but will never get it back. Still, despite giving too much and receiving über-nothing at times, I would like to end this year with a smile. Perhaps, what I consider a flaw is precisely why I should be smiling.

This charming book won Best Graphic Novels & Comics. I thought of giving a little speech but, you know.




Besides, giving speeches usually precedes a simple meal or large quantities of food and...





...let’s just not tempt fate. So I wrote this nonsense instead, as I also tell you this: Sarah and I will be back in a few days. For now, I’ll keep reading my books and enjoying one of my valid hobbies.






Dec 12, 16
* Also on my blog.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can this thing be anymore relatable?

[Aneela ♒the_mystique_reader♒ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 5 blazing stars!




This is the first graphic novel I have ever read. I have always thought comics and graphic novels are for kids - with all the pictures and just one to two sentences and bubble texts. How wrong I was! (Yeah yeah, I accept. Don't give me those nasty looks).

And I am glad that "Adulthood is a Myth" is the one I read as my first ever graphic novel to remember it as an enjoyable experience.

Sarah Andersen is hilarious. She has created amazing cartoons illustrating the problems faced by adults in such a funny way. I laughed whole-heartedly as I can relate to most of them.







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I would recommend this comic to everyone whether you like graphic novels or not. You won't regret reading it.

[Warda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting these scribbles to be as funny and as relatable as they were. Did anyone else read this and reinforce in themselves the notion that it is okay to still be childish? Adulthood really is a myth.

I don't know why as kids we bought into the idea that being an adult is cool. Did we have this false sense of delusion that it would come with freedom and we could escape our nagging parents? Why weren't we threatened with the fact that we will be shackled to work and bills and work so we can keep paying our bills?

All the fun scribbles hit a bit too close to home and I loved that. We're all in this together, people.

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

یکی از بهترین کمیک هایی بود که توی عمرم دیدم و خوندمش ^_^ فوق العلاده با نمک خصوصا جاها��ی که تفاوت بین یک دختر نوجوون با جوون رو نشون میده ولی جالبش اینجاست که همیشه یه چیزی هست که یک دختر توی هر سنی بهش اهمیت بده و به اصطلاح سوزنش روش گیر کنه :))
سوزن شخصیت کارتنی این کتاب روی چیزهای مشترکی که باهاش دارم حسابی گیر کرده بود و برای همینه که عاشقش شدم مثل :

من نمیخوام بزرگ شم ! مامان جان گفتن اینکه همه ی دوستام الان دوتا بچه دارن رو متوقف کن ! پیلیز ! :)) :|



آدمی که حالا هستم ...



حس من وقتی توی اینستاگرام عکس میذارم :))



من , وقتی توی کلاس نقاشی یکی به جز استاد از کارم ایراد میگیره :|



حسی که موقع سرچ توی اینترنت دارم :|



این آرزوی قلبی منه که وقتی نزدیک ترین دوستم داره از دوست پسرش بد میگه خفه اش کنم ! :))



من فکر میکنم یکی از دلایلی که تقریبا بیشتر آقایون در گودریدز کمتر از خانم ها این کمیک رو دوست داشتن اینه که صرفا زندگی یک دختر رو نشون میداد و خب کاملا طبیعی هست که حسش نکنن و ارتباطی با شخصیت دخترونه ی کتاب برقرار نکنن ..
خیلی جالبه که حدود 87% شوخی های با مزه ی توی کتاب , در مورد من یکی که کاملا صدق میکرد و کلی لذت بردم از این همه همدلی و اشتراک بین دخترها :)

[jv poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another succulent plum plucked straight from the students' Want-to-Read shelves. Reading this made me feel like I had brand new friend, can't wait to donate it to my favorite classroom library.

[Andy Marr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very relatable and, occasionally, very funny.

[Mohadese · Rating 5 out of 5]

خیلی خیلی خیلی قشنگ بود :)))
احساس می کنم هرچی بگم اسپویلش میکنم کتابیه که باید بخونیدش و بخندید
چون خیلی باهاش همذات پنداری می کردم و خیلی جاها درکش میکردم
واقعا طنز بود، هم اجتماعی هم خنده دار
بعدن نوشت: از خوندن این کتاب بسیار ذوق زده ام.

[Theresa Ijachi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-reading this just made me realise just how much I love this book, forever one of my favourites. I don't know how it's possible but I got a whole new experience reading this, even if I've read it before.

This was so fun and like so relatable. It felt like i was reading the story of my life.

You should read this book if you're a;

1. An introvert

2. A book lover

3. A human being

Needless to say, I think everyone should read this. It's fun, fast, entertaining and most importantly relatable.

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never have I related to a book so strongly!

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and relatable. Exactly what I need from a good book!

Thank you to my library for making my day :-)

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

Does the following image remind you of yourself????



If so, this is probably a book for you. While I’m 1,000 maybe not exactly the target demographic for the Sarah’s Scribbles collection, I still found Adulthood is a Myth to be nearly completely relatable and maybe that I should get a restraining order against the author because it seems like she might be stalking me.

I mean, this little diddy covered everything from my laundry habits . . .



To my daily experiences on Goodreads . . .



To what a telephone conversation between Shelby and myself sounds like . . .



It even covered my fear of what will happen if I discover there really is a heaven . . .




Carol was the Goodreads’ friend who got me to request this one from the library after she said it was for fans of Allie Brosch. Pretty much introverts the world over who hate all other humans should enjoy this one just a little. Added bonus for all the ladies in the house who experience the joy of Aunt Flo’s visit every month . . . .


(She also has a hilarious one about reaching in your purse when someone asks if you have [insert whatever random item] and 582 tampons come flying out.)

If you’re a dude, you may not be able to fully relate, but it’ll shine some light on why your wife hates you more than usual a couple days a month.

While this little book was by no stretch of the imagination a huge life changer, it was certainly amusing and I would definitely recommend it.

[Agir(آگِر) · Rating 2 out of 5]

در اکثر صفحات این کتابِ تازه مشهور شده، بهت زده به این شکلک ها و نوشته ها خیره میشدم و با خودم میگفتم چرا همه لذت بردن و من نه؟
به هر حال سلایق متفاوته...فقط چند صفحشو دوس داشتم و مخصوصا اولی که ماجراش تا سنگ قبر هم ادامه پیدا میکنه
:)
1

2

3

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Because these 2 pages are 100% my life...





This was a lot of fun to read! I enjoyed it. It didn't take long and was free for me on KU, so win win!

[Maede · Rating 4 out of 5]

از لحظه ای که شروعش کردم دائم صفحه هارو نگاه می کردم که فقط تموم نشه! عجیب دوستش داشتم. شخصیت کارتونی به شدت کیوت و هر صفحه ای یه تجربه کوچیک خاص بود که تو ذهنت می گفتی "وای... می دونم چی میگی!" و یه اتفاق یادت می افتاد
قدرت عجیبش برای اینکه با صفحه های کم و سیاه سفیدش لبخند از رو لبم محو نشه باعث شد به سختی بهش پنج رو ندم با اینکه بعضی وقتا وظیفه یک کتاب شاید فقط همین حس خوبه

کتاب تجربه های روزمره و در ظاهر بی اهمیت مشترک بین معمولی های عجیب دنیاست، مخصوصاً دخترها. تجربه "بزرگ" شدنی که انگار هیچوقت نمی رسه
اگر می خواستم تیکه هایی که دوست داشتم رو بزارم باید همش رو می گذاشتم، برای همین کل فایل رو گذاشتم

http://s9.picofile.com/file/827759757...

95.9.17

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute and fun! I read it in one sitting and laughed out loud several times, and I definitely took a picture of a few of these comics to send to friends or post on snapchat. As an anxious bookworm, I really connected with parts of it.

The only thing I'm not fond of is there's a few times that this book falls into the mentality of "I hate people!! I want to be alone all the time because I hate every single person I know!!" and I feel like that's such a Tumblr 2012 mentality that I don't find funny or edgy anymore. Regardless, I definitely invision myself gifting this to another introvert because it's quick and makes you chuckle.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am veeeerry behind on learning about Sarah Andersen's work. I've seen her comics floating around on social media for years, laughed at them, wondered how such simplistic drawings could be so relatable, and then moved on without giving it so much as a second thought.

Then I stumbled upon Adulthood Is A Myth, and now I'm a big fan.

Adulthood Is A Myth isn't so much a comic book in that it doesn't tell a continuous story, but it is a book of comics - they are unrelated but well worth reading at once. I found myself sitting by myself in a room giggling like a crazy person because the comics within this book were so cute and charming. For every little drawing, I felt like Sarah had tapped into my inner thoughts and admitted to the truth of growing up that many of us aim to hide.

If you're looking for something easy to read that will surely bring you joy and more than a few laughs, I cannot recommend this more. I checked this out on Hoopla via my local public library, but would gladly purchase in the future in order to support the author and encourage her to continue creating such adorable art.

What did I think?: I'm a big comic book fan, and while this isn't necessarily telling a story it is cute and fun which is exactly what I was looking for.

Who should read it?: EVERYONE, but especially the women who are realizing that the older we get, the more we embrace comfort.



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[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadly, happily and annoyingly relatably, this one has been written for me. The connection is real. I don't need an ET from another planet. Sarah is my person. This made me cringe-laugh and made me snort like a pig for every damn page! 🤭

[carol. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judging by the reviews, many, many readers see themselves in Sarah’s work. I completely understand, because I do too.



After seeing a friend’s glowing review (thanks, Amy[Other Amy]!), I had to give this a try. As a lifelong bookworm and introvert, I recognized many of my experiences put into cute visuals.


I was well-known among high school friends for my mispronunciations of words I had only read, although I never managed the ability to walk while reading without tripping over myself.

The artistic style is similar to that of Allie Brosch, creator of Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, a very clean line style of drawing that has its focus on the character with environment or props only if they are germane to the story. Nothing is extraneous. The semi-stick figure shapes have giant eyes with dilating pupils to demonstrate extreme emotion.

The observations are familiar to those of us who read, who worry about being a dork in public, and who endlessly replay awkward moments wishing they could go back and change. Many of the observations seem twenty-something-ish; the first time holding hands with a new boyfriend, the embarrassment of tampons falling out of one’s purse at inconvenient moments, short versus long haircuts, running into people from high school. Still, I enjoyed them and their sense of gentle camaraderie, although some of the moments felt a little farther away in my past. For instance, I no longer do this–or at least as often.




However, some things remain relevant, particularly those days I don’t want to Adult.


An entertaining volume albeit somewhat lightweight, both physically and emotionally. While it made me smile and chuckle, it lacked the emotional punch of Brosh’s work to push it to my 5 star level. Still, highly recommended for the bookworm in your life.