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Life on Earth #1
Losing the Girl: Book 1
Claudia Jones is missing. Her classmates are thinking the worst . . . or at least the weirdest. It couldn't be an alien abduction, right?
None of Claudia's classmates at Blithedale High know why she vanished—and they're dealing with their own issues. Emily's trying to handle a life-changing surprise. Paula's hoping to step out of Emily's shadow. Nigel just wants to meet a girl who will laugh at his jokes. And Brett hardly lets himself get close to anybody.
In Losing the Girl, the first book in the Life on Earth trilogy, Eisner-nominated cartoonist MariNaomi looks at life through the eyes of four suburban teenagers: early romance, fraying friendships, and the traces of a mysterious—maybe otherworldly—disappearance. Different chapters focus on different characters, each with a unique visual approach.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
11 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
MariNaomi
35 books439 followersMariNaomi (they/them) is the SPACE award-winning, Eisner-nominated author and illustrator of Kiss & Tell: A Romantic Resume, Ages 0 to 22 (Harper Perennial, 2011), Dragon’s Breath and Other True Stories (2dcloud/Uncivilized Books, 2014), Turning Japanese (2dcloud, 2016, Oni Press 2023), I Thought YOU Hated ME (Retrofit Comics, 2016), the Life on Earth trilogy (Graphic Universe, 2018-2020), Dirty Produce (Workman Publishing, 2021), and the collage-comics memoir I Thought You Loved Me (Fieldmouse Press, 2023). Their work has appeared in over a hundred print publications and has been featured on websites such as The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, The Washington Post, LA Times, The Rumpus, LA Review of Books, Midnight Breakfast and BuzzFeed. Their comics have been translated into French (Devenir Japonaise, Editions IMHO, 2021), German, and Russian.
MariNaomi’s comics and paintings have been featured in the Smithsonian, the de Young Museum, the Cartoon Art Museum, the Asian Art Museum, and the Japanese American Museum.
In 2011 and 2018, Mari toured with the literary roadshow Sister Spit. They are the founder and administrator of the Cartoonists of Color Database, the Queer Cartoonists Database, and the Disabled Cartoonists Database. They have taught classes for the California College of the Arts Comics MFA program, and was guest editor for PEN Illustrated. They were cohost of the Ask Bi Grlz podcast with author Myriam Gurba, and the California Leader of Authors Against Book Bans.
MariNaomi lives in Northern California with their spouse and a menagerie of beloved rescue animals.
MariNaomi’s comics and paintings have been featured in the Smithsonian, the de Young Museum, the Cartoon Art Museum, the Asian Art Museum, and the Japanese American Museum.
In 2011 and 2018, Mari toured with the literary roadshow Sister Spit. They are the founder and administrator of the Cartoonists of Color Database, the Queer Cartoonists Database, and the Disabled Cartoonists Database. They have taught classes for the California College of the Arts Comics MFA program, and was guest editor for PEN Illustrated. They were cohost of the Ask Bi Grlz podcast with author Myriam Gurba, and the California Leader of Authors Against Book Bans.
MariNaomi lives in Northern California with their spouse and a menagerie of beloved rescue animals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
September 23, 2018
A bunch of unlikable teens deal with typical coming of age stuff while vague supernatural elements sort of intrude around the edges of the story. Each chapter switches perspective and, in an interesting choice, comes with a change of art style by the creator.
I wanted to like this, but the characters and their actions just really irked me. Probably because they were fairly accurate depictions of teens, and I'm a cranky old man who more than anything just wants them to stay off my lawn.
I wanted to like this, but the characters and their actions just really irked me. Probably because they were fairly accurate depictions of teens, and I'm a cranky old man who more than anything just wants them to stay off my lawn.
November 28, 2017
Hi! I wrote and illustrated this book, and I give it two thumbs up!
February 25, 2018
Marinaomi’s work I know mainly from her four graphic memoirs (Kiss and Tell, Dragon’s Breath, Turning Japanese), an artist who creates a very memorable voice. This is her first graphic novel, a teen story, her most narrative effort, and I like it a lot. It features four different linked stories, from the perspective of each character, Nigel Jones (a black boy crushing on Asian Emily); Emily, who is crushing on (and more than crushing on, later) Brett, and Paula.
A Missing Person Poster for Claudia Jones appears throughout; a homeless woman named CJ (Claudia Jones??!) appears throughout, too; there’s a mean bully boy, Darren. These images/characters stay in the background, in a way, but as they are present in the different stories they kind of anchor them, and wed them together, giving them some coherence. As do the shifting teen relations between the characters—who is kissing [or more!] whom?! There’s also some joking around about whether it might be the case the missing Claudia Jones has actually been abducted by aliens, and cell phones don’t seem to work in certain areas, so that’s an interesting part of the mix.
A consensual sexual act more than kissing (okay, they have sex!) happens here, with consequences, and these are early teens, I think, so that may be a consideration in your having a young teen read it, but this feels like tweens can read it. I will suggest my tweens read it. It’s not “graphic” in any way, and is mostly thoughtful.
Marinaomi’s drawing is sort of minimalistic, and has a different vibe in each section, which is interesting. And then, though it is mostly black and white, dabs of color come in, slowly, near the end. Pay attention, they tell us! This is the best comics storytelling I think Marinaomi has done so far (or do I rally mean it is the most conventional storytelling? I dunno, but I like this comic and think already I will use it this coming summer in my YA GN class! This is just the first volume of many, I hope!
A Missing Person Poster for Claudia Jones appears throughout; a homeless woman named CJ (Claudia Jones??!) appears throughout, too; there’s a mean bully boy, Darren. These images/characters stay in the background, in a way, but as they are present in the different stories they kind of anchor them, and wed them together, giving them some coherence. As do the shifting teen relations between the characters—who is kissing [or more!] whom?! There’s also some joking around about whether it might be the case the missing Claudia Jones has actually been abducted by aliens, and cell phones don’t seem to work in certain areas, so that’s an interesting part of the mix.
A consensual sexual act more than kissing (okay, they have sex!) happens here, with consequences, and these are early teens, I think, so that may be a consideration in your having a young teen read it, but this feels like tweens can read it. I will suggest my tweens read it. It’s not “graphic” in any way, and is mostly thoughtful.
Marinaomi’s drawing is sort of minimalistic, and has a different vibe in each section, which is interesting. And then, though it is mostly black and white, dabs of color come in, slowly, near the end. Pay attention, they tell us! This is the best comics storytelling I think Marinaomi has done so far (or do I rally mean it is the most conventional storytelling? I dunno, but I like this comic and think already I will use it this coming summer in my YA GN class! This is just the first volume of many, I hope!
May 23, 2022
An insipid teenage drama with each section told from the perspective of 4 different teenagers. These kids are all petty and unlikable. Their "drama" is uninteresting and the inner monologues often made me want to scream to each of them to get over it . There's some subplots that keep getting referenced but go absolutely nowhere. I was really annoyed by those.
The art is extremely minimalist, to the point where some pages look like MariNaomi just couldn't be bothered to do more than draw a squiggly outline. It's hard to believe MariNaomi wrote 4 memoirs before this. It feels like something she created in high school and then dusted off when she had to meet a deadline.
The art is extremely minimalist, to the point where some pages look like MariNaomi just couldn't be bothered to do more than draw a squiggly outline. It's hard to believe MariNaomi wrote 4 memoirs before this. It feels like something she created in high school and then dusted off when she had to meet a deadline.
July 27, 2018
I think there was supposed to be a sci-fi twist to this, but it didn't really show up (I think it'll appear in later volumes). This was really hard to follow, the art was not great, and while I do think it accurately portrays many teen relationships, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of plot or unification.
February 8, 2018
This nails the petty teenage drama of high school, but gives each character a chapter to show what's going on in their heads and their lives so you understand why that seemingly petty stuff means so much to them.
October 5, 2021
I like the idea of this YA graphic novel. Different sections, each focusing on an individual with a dedicated drawing style. I lost the thread in the final section, though, and so didn’t quite “get” the ending. I enjoyed the ride anyway.
September 14, 2020
[This is for the first two books in the series]
I read these right after the other, so it would be hard to talk about one without talking about the other. So far, this is a masterpiece. I love the different art styles used for the different characters, I love the very realistic relationship drama, I love that we are getting an incomplete picture with each individual narrator that becomes more complete when they perspectives are combined (hmm, something worth noting for real life, perhaps). I love that there's a sci-fi/fantasy element that is oh-so-gradually woven in to the story and I'm VERY curious to see how it all plays out in the final book (which is out now but NOT available in my library system! Boo hoo!)- Marinaomi's gambling a bit given her setup so far. How is she possibly going to bring this to a resolution?
I read these right after the other, so it would be hard to talk about one without talking about the other. So far, this is a masterpiece. I love the different art styles used for the different characters, I love the very realistic relationship drama, I love that we are getting an incomplete picture with each individual narrator that becomes more complete when they perspectives are combined (hmm, something worth noting for real life, perhaps). I love that there's a sci-fi/fantasy element that is oh-so-gradually woven in to the story and I'm VERY curious to see how it all plays out in the final book (which is out now but NOT available in my library system! Boo hoo!)- Marinaomi's gambling a bit given her setup so far. How is she possibly going to bring this to a resolution?
January 24, 2018
Really enjoyed this first installment of a new YA graphic novel trilogy by MariNaomi. Losing the Girl focuses on four teenagers, with their intertwining friendships, romances, jealousies, and painful conflicts. You know, pretty much typical life for teenagers. Looming behind all of their interpersonal drama is a missing classmate named Claudia Jones-and there are some rumors floating around that she may have been abducted by aliens. Throughout there are small, tell-tale hints of possible strange phenomenon afoot. But what could it really be? MariNaomi draws it all with her trademark visual whimsy, employing all kinds of interesting touches and minimalistic magic. Each chapter is devoted to a different character's viewpoint and as such each is drawn in a different style (though all her visual designs coalesce beautifully). The story is insightful about teenagers and altogether irresistible - and I'm really looking forward to the second installment next year! BTW, I would guess this would be best for ages 14 and above. Five out of five.
January 7, 2019
I read this in one sitting. It's funny and serious, realistic and weird. When I finished reading, I felt like gushing about it. I love that each character got a chance to tell the story, and I love their complicated, confusing emotions. The experience feels genuine. The art style is simple but enjoyable. The story about the missing girl seemed incomplete, but I'm assuming that will develop more in the next book.
I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley.
I received a free digital copy of this book via NetGalley.
August 8, 2018
MariNaomi is so unequivocally herself all the time that she's almost always a joy to read, and this is no exception. Raw and emotional while also cool and reasonably pissed off, and also WEIRD and a little random in the right ways, I enjoyed the beginning of this teen-focused but not teen-stupidified story and I look forward to more.
January 4, 2019
This was a little weird for my liking. The story was okay, just lacking. But the art and the stilted dialogue was what made it weird. I enjoyed that each chapter was narrated by a different character and that each story was interwoven, but it was still a little hard to follow and just generally awkward.
I didn't care enough about this to continue the series.
I didn't care enough about this to continue the series.
February 25, 2022
Good lord, am I glad I am not in high school anymore.
A bit confusing, but I'm cutting it a little slack because it is not a standalone, but part of a series. I can see the potential to really take the storyline to some interesting places, even if it it all a little jumbled right now.
A bit confusing, but I'm cutting it a little slack because it is not a standalone, but part of a series. I can see the potential to really take the storyline to some interesting places, even if it it all a little jumbled right now.
January 8, 2019
I’ve loved all of Marinaomi’s previous books, but they’re all memoirs. I’ve enjoyed those memoirs very much because the content is always so honest and it feels like she’s never afraid or embarrassed on what the reader will think and doesn’t hold back. That being said, in those memoirs she also does such a brilliant job balancing the humor and seriousness of situations so I was very curious to see how this fictional endeavor would be.
Well...right at “part one” I immediately began smiling. Next few pages I found myself chuckling and smiling. In this first chapter there is also a serious situation that had me invested in the character. I’m pleased to share that this is how I felt while reading the rest of the book.
Even though this isn’t a memoir, I definitely knew I was reading a Marinaomi story. She’s like the literary equivalent to the films of Wes Anderson as they both have such a distinctive style and unique personality to their work. All these characters all feel SO real and all but one in my opinion are flawed. I appreciate this because it is very rare to not be flawed. These kids actually talk and behave like flawed teenagers really do. Also, this story is very much like my sophomore year of high school so there were characters and situations I totally related to. I’m curious and excited to read how the characters progress in book two.
Besides how she writes the story and delivers dialogue I’m truly infatuated by her drawing style, how she letters the dialogue, and how the page is actually setup. Just looking at the pages makes me smile! That’s definitely a reason this book took a couple days to finish. I frequently found myself taking my time taking in the illustrations and going back to certain pages to look at the illustrations again.
Bonus thought
I also support the author on Patreon. At the moment she currently produces a daily comic which always makes me smile due to her way of delivering dialogue, finding humor in her daily life, and her drawing style. Highly recommend!
Well...right at “part one” I immediately began smiling. Next few pages I found myself chuckling and smiling. In this first chapter there is also a serious situation that had me invested in the character. I’m pleased to share that this is how I felt while reading the rest of the book.
Even though this isn’t a memoir, I definitely knew I was reading a Marinaomi story. She’s like the literary equivalent to the films of Wes Anderson as they both have such a distinctive style and unique personality to their work. All these characters all feel SO real and all but one in my opinion are flawed. I appreciate this because it is very rare to not be flawed. These kids actually talk and behave like flawed teenagers really do. Also, this story is very much like my sophomore year of high school so there were characters and situations I totally related to. I’m curious and excited to read how the characters progress in book two.
Besides how she writes the story and delivers dialogue I’m truly infatuated by her drawing style, how she letters the dialogue, and how the page is actually setup. Just looking at the pages makes me smile! That’s definitely a reason this book took a couple days to finish. I frequently found myself taking my time taking in the illustrations and going back to certain pages to look at the illustrations again.
Bonus thought
I also support the author on Patreon. At the moment she currently produces a daily comic which always makes me smile due to her way of delivering dialogue, finding humor in her daily life, and her drawing style. Highly recommend!
May 1, 2018
Ugh, so good. My favorite part was how the characters think like real people, with the little asides and exaggerations that we all do (right?!?) shown in the illustrations, which vary wildly in style depending upon whose eyes we’re looking through and what's going down in the moment. It’s deceptively detailed—no lines are wasted, and everything, from layout to lettering, contributes to how these people move through their world. Well done. Can’t wait for book 2.
July 16, 2018
2.5
I wasn't completely captured by the story. I got some of the people confused during the art style changes and I dont think it's a realistic portrayal of teens and the tough things they were going through. It was also very vague about what they were actually going through. I would've appreciated more frankness but maybe the vagueness will make sense in the next volume? I liked it juuuust enough to read the second one to see if certain things come to light.
I wasn't completely captured by the story. I got some of the people confused during the art style changes and I dont think it's a realistic portrayal of teens and the tough things they were going through. It was also very vague about what they were actually going through. I would've appreciated more frankness but maybe the vagueness will make sense in the next volume? I liked it juuuust enough to read the second one to see if certain things come to light.
February 14, 2022
I didn't like this book at all.
I will admit, some of the artistic choices were interesting. Some of them. Not all of them. A lot of the simplistic nature in some scenes really bugged me, honestly.
But the story is far worse. I don't know why someone would get to the end of this book and be like "yes, let me do the next part". Holy crap, very little happened. Why did this book get banned? Was it because of a character having to get an abortion?
I will admit, some of the artistic choices were interesting. Some of them. Not all of them. A lot of the simplistic nature in some scenes really bugged me, honestly.
But the story is far worse. I don't know why someone would get to the end of this book and be like "yes, let me do the next part". Holy crap, very little happened. Why did this book get banned? Was it because of a character having to get an abortion?
November 12, 2018
MariNaomi plays with style and font to tell the story of four teens navigating friendship, dating, violence, abortion, and possible alien abduction. MariNaomi handles the nuances of teen emotion deftly, depicting how frequently kids feel like aliens, ghosts, or snapping crabs. The first book in a series, Losing the Girl threads a missing-girl caper through the narrative but doesn't do much with it yet. I'll be staying tuned.
April 3, 2018
In this graphic novel, MariNaomi explores the inner lives of 4 teenagers with classic romantic drama. I love MariNaomi's artistic style and how each of the 4 main characters had their own designated style. However, as each character was stripped down to their secrets, they became silhouettes expressing their raw emotions. I'm excited to read the next novel in this series!
February 17, 2020
Weird book that didn’t really have a large plot at all. I think there wasn’t even really a plot at all. It seemed like it was supposed to be character driven but none of the characters stood out or were memorable, I don’t think it was well executed but maybe it gets better throughout the series. But I did finish it in less than an hour
January 23, 2018
MariNaomi's work is like having a conversation with a great friend about all the stuff you have in common. She feels the world like no-one else I know.
Losing the Girl was her first foray into graphic fiction and I loved it. Previously all of he work was graphic memoir.
Losing the Girl is a great story of a group of teenagers, each chapter from their own point of view. What I love most, which I haven't seen in other graphic works, is that MariNaomi changes her art style with purpose. In this book, each character's point of view is drawn (or painted, or otherwise) in a different style and medium. She also tends to change the style for the character(s) express different emotions.
The story is about the struggles each kid is going through, while they wonder where one of their peers, Claudia Jones, has disappeared to. Alien Abduction (or some other alien involvement...) is alluded to, or rumored by the students, but it seems like there may be more to the story. The mystery is not solved in book one, but it definitely gets you on board for the next book in the series. Claudia appears (or does she?) throughout each character's chapters, but the book never reveals her own. We are without Claudia's chapter in the world and I hope she gets her own in a future book. I just know her story is going to reveal something important to the world.
Losing the Girl was her first foray into graphic fiction and I loved it. Previously all of he work was graphic memoir.
Losing the Girl is a great story of a group of teenagers, each chapter from their own point of view. What I love most, which I haven't seen in other graphic works, is that MariNaomi changes her art style with purpose. In this book, each character's point of view is drawn (or painted, or otherwise) in a different style and medium. She also tends to change the style for the character(s) express different emotions.
The story is about the struggles each kid is going through, while they wonder where one of their peers, Claudia Jones, has disappeared to. Alien Abduction (or some other alien involvement...) is alluded to, or rumored by the students, but it seems like there may be more to the story. The mystery is not solved in book one, but it definitely gets you on board for the next book in the series. Claudia appears (or does she?) throughout each character's chapters, but the book never reveals her own. We are without Claudia's chapter in the world and I hope she gets her own in a future book. I just know her story is going to reveal something important to the world.
February 3, 2018
Really not for me. I didn't like the art, and I didn't like the standard teen angst.
August 10, 2018
Ugh why can’t it be 2019 yet?? I can’t wait to read volume 2!
October 19, 2018
Interesting! Covering an array of teenly life issues, this story zigs and zags to tease and captivate. I liked it, but need to see where it's going to make a full judgement.
September 20, 2022
3.5 stars
June 2, 2022
This was interesting but a lot heavier on topics and sad then I anticipated. I flew through this book and really want to read the rest of the trilogy
April 13, 2019
Giving this one a 3.5 rating - mostly for the art. I liked the composition of the chapters and the pacing of the narrative. I also really enjoyed the art style and they way the author utilized multiple drawing styles. However, I wasn't too big on the characters themselves. Very unhealthy relationships and personalities, truly a group of unlikeable characters. Really couldn't stand Nigel's character at all and his blatant creepiness. Reading his perspective was hard to get through without being reminded of the current state of misogyny in the world (all to be called just a guy who's "trying too hard"). All the female archetypes seemed stereotyped and negative - similar to how I really disliked Enid and Rebecca's characters in Ghost World. Unfortunately this narrative was nothing new. I think the only thing that made this interesting was the underlying mystery of Claudia Jones and how it was introduced in a subtle way throughout the book. I'm just hoping these characters get over themselves so that something more meaningful can happen in the next book.
May 23, 2019
I really enjoyed this first entry in Life on Earth series, MariNaomi’s first work of fiction and I’m very interested to see where it goes. Told through the perspectives of four high school students, Nigel, Emily, Paula, and Brett, connected through one or more of the others, each segment uses a different art style in order to highlight the personality and feelings of each. I felt that MariNaomi’s expressive and almost abstract drawings really captured the suburban ennui and feelings of belonging and self-identity of being a teenager.
I liked how each of the characters were both endearing and annoying, each with their own flaws that felt realistic to teenage characters, and the issues they faced felt real, too. At the same time, even as Losing the Girl explores the diversity and ambiguity of life in high school, tackling tough subjects, something weird is going on just beyond everyone’s daily lives. No one’s phone has been working, and a young classmate is missing, with rumors of UFOs and aliens filtering through the group. This tension between the mundane and the supernatural has always appealed to me, and I’m definitely going to check out the next volume as soon as it appears.
I liked how each of the characters were both endearing and annoying, each with their own flaws that felt realistic to teenage characters, and the issues they faced felt real, too. At the same time, even as Losing the Girl explores the diversity and ambiguity of life in high school, tackling tough subjects, something weird is going on just beyond everyone’s daily lives. No one’s phone has been working, and a young classmate is missing, with rumors of UFOs and aliens filtering through the group. This tension between the mundane and the supernatural has always appealed to me, and I’m definitely going to check out the next volume as soon as it appears.
August 5, 2024
Such a bizarre story, can't say that I understand anything other than these kids experience a lot of trauma and no adults to help them sort it out. Mainly because they're all very busy taking care of their addictions and illnesses.
Wonderful series, even if I find it odd. The imagery is a beautiful journey of fine line work, cartoons, and abstracts. Emotional, intelligent, fascinating. And yes, definitely the good weird, insight to some of the big realities kids are dealing with, but not necessarily coping with right now.
I read it backwards first, then all the way thru in chronological order for the second time. Great series, phenomenal art, and superb storytelling from all the various points of views.
Wonderful series, even if I find it odd. The imagery is a beautiful journey of fine line work, cartoons, and abstracts. Emotional, intelligent, fascinating. And yes, definitely the good weird, insight to some of the big realities kids are dealing with, but not necessarily coping with right now.
I read it backwards first, then all the way thru in chronological order for the second time. Great series, phenomenal art, and superb storytelling from all the various points of views.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2023
cw: sex, discussions of abortion, drugs
This comic deals with a lot of teenage drama and while the plot blurb sounds like it will be about a missing girl, it’s not. At least not so far. It’s all drama about teenagers who all like different people and have relationship and friendship drama.
It’s just a lot of drama with meh art. There’s not even shading, which is disappointing. I liked MariNaomi’s Turning Japanese, but this was almost 300 pages of bleh.
This comic deals with a lot of teenage drama and while the plot blurb sounds like it will be about a missing girl, it’s not. At least not so far. It’s all drama about teenagers who all like different people and have relationship and friendship drama.
It’s just a lot of drama with meh art. There’s not even shading, which is disappointing. I liked MariNaomi’s Turning Japanese, but this was almost 300 pages of bleh.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews