I Am Young

by Lee Dean, M. Dean

This story is told in dual perspective by Miriam (a second-generation Iranian immigrant living in Edinburgh with her family) and George (a visitor from Wales). Their relationship throughout the decades mirrors the Beatles’s. In the other stories in this book, thematically bound by relationship flux and the impact of culture, Dean experiments beautifully with style and storytelling devices in each piece.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Music, Historical

108 pages, Hardcover

First published November 20, 2018

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of two people--Miriam, a second-generation Iranian immigrant living in Edinburgh with her family and George, visiting from Wales, who first meet in 1964 at a Beatles concert.

Rare footage of a Beatles concert in Melbourne. As it was then as almost everywhere, there was a lot of screaming, all that emotion, all that great music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntyaj...

The story is told over generations, as their relationship kind of mirrors the relationship The Beatles had with each other, a fast break-up, but always connected over time, and lasting connections, finally. Music--also including The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, among so much other sixties music and beyond. The story is not that engaging, unfortunately, but it is beautifully conveyed through M. Dean's art. I want to see more from of her work.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some lovely comics here! I Am Young is a collection of stories that often feature music as a recurring theme. A young couple meets at a Beatles concert in 1964, and the music of the individual members of the band recurs throughout their lives. The Beach Boys and ELO are the soundtrack to a truly memorable prom. Tom Jones is both a bond of friendship and the first sign of a drift apart.

Also, I’m blown away by the myriad ways in which Dean uses a twelve panel grid layout in the story “Baby Fat.” And notice how it's echoed in the quilts and mirrors? This is some fine, fine work, my friends.

M. Dean is definitely someone to watch. This is an impressive collection. Highly recommended!

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

An on-again, off-again relationship is told over decades using the career of the Beatles and the Edinburgh statue of Greyfriar's Bobby as background. Music plays a big part in the unrelated vignettes of angsty teenage romance and life that separate the chapters of the longer story.

An intellectually interesting collection to read and view, I just didn't find myself caring much about the characters or connecting to more than a few random moments. Definitely a creator whose work I'll seek out in the future though to see where it goes.

[vanessa · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5. Sadly, this did not come together for me (wow I just typed that and did not intend a Beatles pun). I liked how the illustrator experimented with styles and colors, but the different characters/stories didn't seem like they had a reasoning except for the George/Miriam story. Sometimes I found it hard to read some of the lettering, but mostly I was confused by what was happening.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My bad for expecting linear storytelling, but I really liked this. The art is gorgeous, loved the musical references, and the characters are fantastic.

I loved Alvin who loves Chuck Berry. A male classmate asks him if he’s going to the sock hop because he loves the 50’s and Alvin launches into this awesome rhetoric: how can you have so much nostalgia for something you know nothing of and has only been recollected onto you through a lens of blind idealism and the erasure of anything outside of the white heternormative middle class perspective? How can you ask me (a young black man) to go to a ‘sock hop’ and ignore the impact Black communities have on American culture, while simultaneously being systematically barred from its society. With our identities seized and manipulated for the sake of commercial and political gain.” And then when a girl asks him if he’s going he says yes and offers to pick her up.

I was a little confused but still enamored with the reoccurring story of Miriam and George and their love of the Beatles through the decades.

I really enjoyed the story of Kennedy and Rhea who want to be writers.

[m. neral · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I have a strange little relationship with this graphic novel.

I had been drawn to the cover art over and over, and had picked it up once before to read the description- which I did not like.

I had a fling with The Beatles in my younger years, but the idea of a Beatles graphic novel just did not appeal to me.

And then I guess I forgot all about that experience because I grabbed it off the shelf again, entranced by the rainbow flowers, and took it home to read.

Of course I realized it was the same book when I went to open it, and that was off putting, but I tried my very best to read it without being caught up in that little detail (that it sort of revolved around The Beatles).

And I really liked it! The stories and the illustration were beautiful! I thought there was a good amount of soul searching and heartbreak and heartwarming and beauty and observation of the simplicities that can so complicate our lives- which seems to be something I gravitate towards and find inspiring/fulfilling/interesting.

I wish The Beatles weren't involved but I can see how it tied the stories together.

[Andrés Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 The artwork and edition are stunning. The idea is nice, a very sweet set of stories about teenagers and the importance of music in coming of age. However the script and some of the short stories fall a bit flat. Somehow the whole thing does not pull it off.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Other than an emphasis on music, these vignettes about relationships have no direct connection or shared characters except the couple who meet at an early Beatles concert. They make 3 more appearances as they age and their relationship changes. I thought the main character in the first vignette would return or be the overall connection, but nope. Some clever graphical storytelling here but I did have some trouble differentiating characters.

[George Ilsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tried this a couple of times but could not find my way. Had no idea what was going on—just learned more here from other readers than I did from the back cover or my own forays.

Sometimes graphic books make me feel like I’m illiterate or that I don’t know how to read them. This one was beautiful at times but the lettering was often obscured or impenetrable. Maybe I’m just lazy but I gave up.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful!

[Jesse Baggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous and affecting, “I Am Young” is unlike anything I’ve read before. There’s no obvious narrative tension moving things along; only two characters make repeat appearances throughout the story, the rest appear for only a few pages with no apparent relationship to the others. And yet it’s never boring. Each vignette focuses on the characters’ relationship to love and music in quiet, ordinary moments, all in the 20th century. A girl goes through a box of her dead mother’s belongings with her father, who asks, “What will you do with our things when I’m gone?” A young man and woman meet after a Beatles’s concert. Two teenage friends compete to see who is the better novelist. Another teenage girl takes LSD at her prom. Reading this graphic novel was like the experience of mindfulness: accepting each moment in all its mundanity, painfulness, and beauty.

[Ann (Inky Labyrinth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never let myself finish graphic novels in one sitting, but I let myself read this from start to finish this evening and it had me in tears by the end. Each story is so unique: from the color palette to the music that inspired them. This book is a treasure.

[Romany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and music and reflection. Slightly complicated. Take your time with this one.

[Kate Atherton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is INCREDIBLE. This is what I would like to make, and what I would like to see more of in the world of graphic novels. Pared down, perfect stories, illustrated in a smart, consistent style, lush colors, beautifully printed....this book is magic. I appreciate that the continuous theme of classic rock music serves as chapter headings and thus, the FEELING of the next following story and I am relieved to see there aren't just lyrics of songs curving all around every page as some artists do. This book is understated and, therefore has a depth of theme and emotion I have not seen in a very long time. These people in these stories are real, detailed, sullen and romantic, you as the reader care about them. The page lay outs of EVERY page are fresh and new but not overwhelmingly different, they add to the story and the telling of it always, never detract or confuse. When two characters don't see eye to eye they are far apart, when the character is confused the lay out gets more jumbled up....it is basically a master class in visual story telling. Thank you, M.Dean for this gorgeous gift. Though I have jealousy oozing out of my pores that you received the Creators for Creators grant, it is well deserved and I want to see MUCH MORE. My favorite story, perhaps in this anthology is 'Baby Fat' which is the story of a young girl's fake Vegas marriage and trying to make it on her own in LA vs. her attachment to her home life and childhood.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning and inspiring.

This is the best use of color, composition and storytelling in comics I might have ever seen.

There are times, especially near the beginning, where all the characters expressions are exactly the same. So if a character is mad they look :| and if a character is bawling or something, they also look :| - that is my ONLY complaint, and it's not a big one.

Dean hits a stride about half way in and it doesn't let up until the end. The panel layout is amazing.

Looking forward to her future works, if she keeps pumping out books like this she's going to be huge some day.

[Tom Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful and charming book. The primary story is about two teenagers who meet at an early Beatles concert and fall in love. Their love is as simple and naive as, say, "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Their relationship morphs more or less along parallel lines of the Beatles' evolution as a band and its dissolution. Inserted between the "chapters" of this story are other short stories. Though not directly related to the Beatles' story, they are loosely constructed around the theme of being young. The book is infused with nostalgia, maybe not lived nostalgia, but beguiling nonetheless. It's worth checking out.

[Mollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of M. Dean's stuff for a few years now, so I'm always excited to see new stories from her! I'd read a handful of these via her Patreon, but it was fun re-reading and seeing them woven together into a larger narrative quilt.
I'm always impressed by how human and personal the stories she writes feel, and I honestly adore not only her art, but her comicking in specific-- great use of space and paneling.
I'll have to read through this collection again before I worry about deeper insights, but in the meantime, I really enjoyed this.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated and designed collection of short stories with pop music as a unifying theme. The main story concerns Miriam and George, two young Beatles fans who meet at a concert in 1964, and how their relationship unfolds across the years. These comics were the strongest -- bittersweet and poignant. The other stories involve a variety of young people trying to figure out who they are, with music as a backdrop. I agree with other reviewers that the artwork is gorgeous, but the storytelling is lacking.

[Jeff Lewonczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of bittersweet vignettes about growing up, particularly as it relates to our relationships with popular music. Romances bubble up but never cohere, friendships slowly disintegrate, children drift away from their parents, lonely moments of self-discovery percolate across the dance floor... Dean's art is cozy and shaggy without being cloying, and her use of color is wonderful - it really brings the nostalgia and melancholy to vivid life. A light, pleasant read.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I got this because of the Beatles thingy, but that wasn't really worth reading this for. The artwork was cute, and I enjoyed each of the stories enough (even though the first one was kind of a depressing way to start the book) but, like short stories, they left me wanting more. I wanted to know what else was in store for each of the characters. The lettering was kind of hard to read at times. All in all, meh.

[Avvai · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art in this was just stunning. It was so beautiful and changed with each story. I was so impressed with the wide variety of color and style.

Interspersed between the main story line of George and Miriam - two young lovers who meet at a Beatles concert - are short little stories about other young people experiencing adulthood, relationships, and love. The title of the book "I Am Young" and the music of the 60s and 70s really ties all the stories together

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked music as the recurring theme and especially the music she chose to feature (Karen Carpenter’s voice...swoon). There were times where it was really unclear what order to read the speech bubbles in and what direction the comic flowed. That said, there were other times when I thought she did really neat things with the layout. There were also moments in Alvin’s story that felt incredibly relevant to today even though it was set in the 80s.

[Erin Frakes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not a graphic novel person at all, but this was like $1 in my book store so I bought it and read it. Please disregard this review if you enjoy graphic novels, it’s mostly for my records.

The story was pretty bland and standard, nothing really new or insightful if we’re being honest, just a bunch of young adults and their feelings.

The art was nice though, I liked the layouts.

[Tracey · Rating 2 out of 5]

graphic fiction (teen/adult)
I had no idea what was happening most of the time, and it only slightly makes more sense after reading the synopsis. Could have been a much more interesting story, but the way it was told just confused me.

[Linden Seaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed some of the stories in this graphic collection, "baby fat" being my favorite. I dont know if I didnt resonate with some of the others because of my age. Also the style of some made it hard to read. Wouldn't super reccomend but also wouldn't tell people not to read it.

[Isabel clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple & beautiful illustrations / multiple timelines? almost like short stories amongst one longer and more cohesive narrative / tender glimpses into the way albums that we listen to can define chapters of our lives

[Rick Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dean creates a tender space for her characters to love and experience heartbreak in, and manages to do some really complex visual storytelling at the same time. The color work of her graphics is lush and unusual. yum.

[Jake Nap · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a purely formalist perspective, this book is my shit. And for that, you get 5 stars. Love the experimentation and dual narrative. The little interludes also give this book the pacing of a record instead of a graphic novel which fits the musical theme perfectly.

[Amory · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars? Some of the stories in this were touching and beautifully illustrated, but others were either boring or nonsensical with hard to decipher bits of text that blended into the colors on the rest of the page. I would have rather read a shorter collection of just the best works.

[Ian Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 A unique, softly pleasing, short graphic novel about love, fascination, grief, memory and aging. it feels a little like flipping through photographs and music and memories and hearing all the stories that connect them.