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Sincerely, Harriet
Harriet Flores struggles with boredom and an unrequited crush while learning to manage her chronic illness through a long, hot, 1990s summer in Chicago. She uses her imagination to cope, which sometimes gets her into trouble, as she makes up fantastical fibs and wonders if there are ghosts upstairs. One neighbor, Pearl, encourages Harriet to read and write, leading Harriet to have a breakthrough and discover the power of storytelling.
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
23 people are currently reading
951 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Winifred Searle
45 books221 followersSarah hails from spooky New England but has since moved to sunny Perth, Australia. She writes and draws comics inspired by history, feelings, and intimacy of all sorts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
June 28, 2022
"I'm sorry." -- teenage protagonist Harriet Alejandra Flores
"Don't be sorry. Be better." -- Harriet's mom, on page 35
Okay, so it's a bit of a cheap shot, but I'd give the YA graphic novel Sincerely, Harriet the same sort of admonishment as the title character's mother in the above quote. While story had a lot of good intentions - loner Harriet is a young teenager afflicted by multiple sclerosis, who was just uprooted from suburban Indiana to Chicago in July 1996 (this time period setting is somewhat important here, because it takes easily accessible e-mail accounts, texting, and other now-standard technology out of the plot) and she misses her annual reunion of sorts with her two summer camp friends - it remained sort of meandering and ultimately did not coalesce into a strong narrative. But the one brief segment that DID work was when Harriet - who was gently shown to have a hesitant and unrequited crush on one of her female camp friends - was cruelly / callously cut off and shut down by the other friend in a final handwritten letter that accurately depicts how easily teenagers (hell, just people in general) can wound with just their words. However, this book was a disappointment, and even more so after especially enjoying Searle's Patience & Esther earlier this month.
"Don't be sorry. Be better." -- Harriet's mom, on page 35
Okay, so it's a bit of a cheap shot, but I'd give the YA graphic novel Sincerely, Harriet the same sort of admonishment as the title character's mother in the above quote. While story had a lot of good intentions - loner Harriet is a young teenager afflicted by multiple sclerosis, who was just uprooted from suburban Indiana to Chicago in July 1996 (this time period setting is somewhat important here, because it takes easily accessible e-mail accounts, texting, and other now-standard technology out of the plot) and she misses her annual reunion of sorts with her two summer camp friends - it remained sort of meandering and ultimately did not coalesce into a strong narrative. But the one brief segment that DID work was when Harriet - who was gently shown to have a hesitant and unrequited crush on one of her female camp friends - was cruelly / callously cut off and shut down by the other friend in a final handwritten letter that accurately depicts how easily teenagers (hell, just people in general) can wound with just their words. However, this book was a disappointment, and even more so after especially enjoying Searle's Patience & Esther earlier this month.
November 24, 2018
Mini review:
Trigger warning: None that I can think off. If any come to mind please leave it in the comments.
This was read for The Dream Thieves: Badass Broads.
I received this E-ARC via Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sincerely Harriet was recommended to me on Netgalley based on my previous requests. I didn't know much about it. It looked nice so I requested it. I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Sincerely Harriet addresses MS and polio while taking place in the 1990's. Harriet is struggling with her families move to Chicago. It's still summer so she hasn't had a chance to make any friends. Whilst her old friends are back home. Upon the advice of Pearl, Harriet began's writing her experience's.
This was so cute! I loved all the issues it tackled in a graphic novel format! Harriet was a joy to read about as were the other characters. I also loved how classic's such as The Secret Garden were integrated. There is also a large focus on family which was done so well.
I highly recommend everyone read this!
Trigger warning: None that I can think off. If any come to mind please leave it in the comments.
This was read for The Dream Thieves: Badass Broads.
I received this E-ARC via Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sincerely Harriet was recommended to me on Netgalley based on my previous requests. I didn't know much about it. It looked nice so I requested it. I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Sincerely Harriet addresses MS and polio while taking place in the 1990's. Harriet is struggling with her families move to Chicago. It's still summer so she hasn't had a chance to make any friends. Whilst her old friends are back home. Upon the advice of Pearl, Harriet began's writing her experience's.
This was so cute! I loved all the issues it tackled in a graphic novel format! Harriet was a joy to read about as were the other characters. I also loved how classic's such as The Secret Garden were integrated. There is also a large focus on family which was done so well.
I highly recommend everyone read this!
March 26, 2019
If this book had actually been about what the synopsis said it was about, I might've liked it more. Unfortunately, the chronic illness angle was overshadowed by the rather glaring personality disorder of the main character that was never addressed.
To begin with, I'm confused as to why the author chose to use such an obscure disease for her protagonist. So that we could have something dramatic like a brain biopsy? I don't know. The average person in the US has a 0.1% chance of developing MS. Only 2-5% of those show symptoms before age 18. So the chance of Harriet having MS is super small to begin with... especially given that she's of Hispanic origin (MS is most common in Northern Europeans). Of all the chronic illnesses that kids can suffer from, why pick one so obscure that only an infinitesimal number of readers will be able to directly relate to the condition?
The problem with focusing on the MS, though, is that it overshadows what was really messing with Harriet's life: her lying and near obsession with two girls she met at camp. She basically stalks them from afar and doesn't seem to realize that her behaviour isn't normal or appropriate. (I almost wondered if she was on the autism spectrum, since she didn't seem to "get" people very well and didn't have any friends her own age because kids thought she was "weird".) She makes up hurtful stories about the people around her (the mailman is evil, the landlady is a murderer, etc.) for no reason that I could see. I think the author was trying to show that she was creative, but she came across more mentally ill than anything. Addressing these problems would've been far more interesting than forcing the parallels between Harriet's MS and the landlady's son's polio, especially since we never get to meet said son.
I don't know what the unrequited-crush business that was mentioned in the synopsis was all about. Was it the celebrity heartthrob she read about? One of the girls she stalked after camp? Or her landlady's grown son? I couldn't really tell. It wasn't important to the plot, in any case.
The pictures are simple and clear, but I didn't really like them. The story's supposed to take place in the 1990s, which makes Harriet around my age (or at least in my generation). I can tell you that we did not wear our nighties out and about like clothing. I don't know what that was all about; it just seemed odd.
I was hoping for a graphic novel with a good story that addressed living with a chronic illness. I guess the book sort of succeeded on that level, though the chronic illness that grabbed my attention was not the one that was advertised. If the story had focused on Harriet's obvious mental issues, rather than her extremely rare neurological condition, I might've liked it more. As it is, I feel like I didn't get what I was promised.
Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for providing a digital ARC.
To begin with, I'm confused as to why the author chose to use such an obscure disease for her protagonist. So that we could have something dramatic like a brain biopsy? I don't know. The average person in the US has a 0.1% chance of developing MS. Only 2-5% of those show symptoms before age 18. So the chance of Harriet having MS is super small to begin with... especially given that she's of Hispanic origin (MS is most common in Northern Europeans). Of all the chronic illnesses that kids can suffer from, why pick one so obscure that only an infinitesimal number of readers will be able to directly relate to the condition?
The problem with focusing on the MS, though, is that it overshadows what was really messing with Harriet's life: her lying and near obsession with two girls she met at camp. She basically stalks them from afar and doesn't seem to realize that her behaviour isn't normal or appropriate. (I almost wondered if she was on the autism spectrum, since she didn't seem to "get" people very well and didn't have any friends her own age because kids thought she was "weird".) She makes up hurtful stories about the people around her (the mailman is evil, the landlady is a murderer, etc.) for no reason that I could see. I think the author was trying to show that she was creative, but she came across more mentally ill than anything. Addressing these problems would've been far more interesting than forcing the parallels between Harriet's MS and the landlady's son's polio, especially since we never get to meet said son.
I don't know what the unrequited-crush business that was mentioned in the synopsis was all about. Was it the celebrity heartthrob she read about? One of the girls she stalked after camp? Or her landlady's grown son? I couldn't really tell. It wasn't important to the plot, in any case.
The pictures are simple and clear, but I didn't really like them. The story's supposed to take place in the 1990s, which makes Harriet around my age (or at least in my generation). I can tell you that we did not wear our nighties out and about like clothing. I don't know what that was all about; it just seemed odd.
I was hoping for a graphic novel with a good story that addressed living with a chronic illness. I guess the book sort of succeeded on that level, though the chronic illness that grabbed my attention was not the one that was advertised. If the story had focused on Harriet's obvious mental issues, rather than her extremely rare neurological condition, I might've liked it more. As it is, I feel like I didn't get what I was promised.
Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for providing a digital ARC.
November 9, 2018
3.5 stars
Sincerely, Harriet follows Harriet, a young Latinx girl who has found herself bored and lonely after moving to a new place. Not only does she not know anyone in her new town, but her parents both have to work overtime or multiple jobs, and her friends from summer camp aren't even taking the time to write her back.
We quickly learn that her loneliness has caused her to become this habitual liar with a poor attitude, so she isn't the most likable protagonist, but there's definitely some growth to be had as she explores her own feelings and fears regarding her recent MS diagnosis. She befriends the elderly woman downstairs who teaches her about her oldest son's experience with polio in the 50s, and begins to find an outlet for her imagination as well as her loneliness. She's also forced to come to terms with feelings she seems to have for a girl from her summer camp the year before, which is a little painful to watch, but I appreciated what felt to me like a subtle tell of some sort of queer representation.
The artwork is cute, and I liked the representation a lot, but the plot itself doesn't have much to offer, so I have a hard time deciding when I would or would not recommend Sincerely, Harriet.
Thank you so much to Graphic Universe for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Sincerely, Harriet follows Harriet, a young Latinx girl who has found herself bored and lonely after moving to a new place. Not only does she not know anyone in her new town, but her parents both have to work overtime or multiple jobs, and her friends from summer camp aren't even taking the time to write her back.
We quickly learn that her loneliness has caused her to become this habitual liar with a poor attitude, so she isn't the most likable protagonist, but there's definitely some growth to be had as she explores her own feelings and fears regarding her recent MS diagnosis. She befriends the elderly woman downstairs who teaches her about her oldest son's experience with polio in the 50s, and begins to find an outlet for her imagination as well as her loneliness. She's also forced to come to terms with feelings she seems to have for a girl from her summer camp the year before, which is a little painful to watch, but I appreciated what felt to me like a subtle tell of some sort of queer representation.
The artwork is cute, and I liked the representation a lot, but the plot itself doesn't have much to offer, so I have a hard time deciding when I would or would not recommend Sincerely, Harriet.
Thank you so much to Graphic Universe for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 3, 2019
I'd love to thank NetGalley and Graphic Universe for this book.
This book was cute, but I hardly understood at first what was going on. The plot wasn't clear. It skipped at times, and when Harriet went to the doctor, the dialogue bubbles were empty, and I didn't knew what she had.
In the end, the author explained some things and then I really understood.
I didn't really liked Harriet. She was so grumpy at times (most of the times, actually). But I know that I sometimes had the same moody attitude and I couldn't blame her.
The story was okay and easy to read. Sad at times. Beautiful at others.
2 stars.
This book was cute, but I hardly understood at first what was going on. The plot wasn't clear. It skipped at times, and when Harriet went to the doctor, the dialogue bubbles were empty, and I didn't knew what she had.
In the end, the author explained some things and then I really understood.
I didn't really liked Harriet. She was so grumpy at times (most of the times, actually). But I know that I sometimes had the same moody attitude and I couldn't blame her.
The story was okay and easy to read. Sad at times. Beautiful at others.
2 stars.
January 2, 2019
My 2nd read of 2019 was this short and simple graphic novel which I immediately fell in love with. A strange protagonist, Harriet has been writing letters to her friends and the camp and wonders why they haven't replied. Her mind is full of strange ideas, of the house being haunted and the lady downstairs being a murderer. When she befriends Pearl (the old lady she presumed to be a murderer) her life begins achieving some clarity, she begins finding happiness in her isolation - and the book ends on a positive note. The author attempts to portray the dissociation of a person from their disabilities, without being very vocal about it. Despite not being a brilliant work, a one time read of this lovely novel will be soothing. Thanks to NetGalley for an e-copy to review.
November 1, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
Sincerely, Harriet is the sweet story of a girl who moves to Chicago with her family. I loved how curious and creative Harriet was. The representation in this book was great, Harriet has MS and I think it was well portrayed in the story. I also appreciated the teenage struggles the author decided to include in the book, like for example Harriet having difficulties making friends.
Pearl and Harriet's friendship was just the cherry on top, I enjoyed reading their conversations and their talks about books and the past.
I highly recommend this graphic novel.
Sincerely, Harriet is the sweet story of a girl who moves to Chicago with her family. I loved how curious and creative Harriet was. The representation in this book was great, Harriet has MS and I think it was well portrayed in the story. I also appreciated the teenage struggles the author decided to include in the book, like for example Harriet having difficulties making friends.
Pearl and Harriet's friendship was just the cherry on top, I enjoyed reading their conversations and their talks about books and the past.
I highly recommend this graphic novel.
February 9, 2020
This was a fairly quiet book. Although not much appears to happen event-wise, Harriet does undergo a mental journey.
Harriet and her folks are recent arrivals in Chicago, renting an apartment on the second floor of an old three story house. Harriet is feeling uprooted, missing the summer camp that she went to the previous year, and wondering about the mysterious sounds she occasionally hears from the third floor. She wonders if the house might be haunted? The book is largely about her adjusting and coming to terms with her new surroundings.
This was a pleasant read. I liked Harriet and her family. The artwork is clean and simple with a quiet polish.
“Quiet” is pretty much the theme of the book. There are no big emotional outbursts. Sure, Harriet is feeling homesick and lost, but she doesn't whine about it. The cast is nicely diverse, but their diversity isn't the focus. As the Author’s Note at the end points out, there are some messages about living with disabilities as well, but the book definitely doesn't hit you over the head with them. There's a lot more here than it may seem at first glance, but it's all very low key and smooth. As I said: quiet.
Not flashy, sure, but definitely good enough to be worth reading. Recommended!
Harriet and her folks are recent arrivals in Chicago, renting an apartment on the second floor of an old three story house. Harriet is feeling uprooted, missing the summer camp that she went to the previous year, and wondering about the mysterious sounds she occasionally hears from the third floor. She wonders if the house might be haunted? The book is largely about her adjusting and coming to terms with her new surroundings.
This was a pleasant read. I liked Harriet and her family. The artwork is clean and simple with a quiet polish.
“Quiet” is pretty much the theme of the book. There are no big emotional outbursts. Sure, Harriet is feeling homesick and lost, but she doesn't whine about it. The cast is nicely diverse, but their diversity isn't the focus. As the Author’s Note at the end points out, there are some messages about living with disabilities as well, but the book definitely doesn't hit you over the head with them. There's a lot more here than it may seem at first glance, but it's all very low key and smooth. As I said: quiet.
Not flashy, sure, but definitely good enough to be worth reading. Recommended!
November 2, 2018
The idea behind this graphic novel, to highlight life as a teen with a chronic illness, is a noble one. However, the format is odd, the main character doesn’t get to explain her feelings enough, and the cliches are heavy. Furthermore, the books given to the main character to read each hint at what she might be going through, but she never reads most of them and as the graphic novel is written for teens if they haven’t read these classics they won’t understand the connections. If the characters were more developed, the art style more consistent with fuller pictures of many of the scenes, and the story more fleshed out, it would be a winner.
Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2023
This is a very quiet and soft story of a girl struggling with an invisible chronic illness, and the resulting isolation and loneliness. Harriet and her parents recently moved to Chicago (to be closer to hospitals and specialists) and she doesn't know anyone in her neighborhood yet except the older woman, Pearl, who lives on a lower floor. Harriet misses friends she made at a summer camp and sends them postcards, lying about her new busy and fun social life. Pearl lends Harriet a series classic of books to try and gently nudge the girl out of her shell. But Harriet struggles to focus on them, instead wondering about a possible ghost living in the attic. There are other emotional struggles hinted at, but they are very subtle and a lot is left to the reader's imagination. The lineart is very careful and lovely.
February 20, 2022
2.5 stars
Eh. I wanted to love this more than I actually did. Read via library.
Eh. I wanted to love this more than I actually did. Read via library.
December 25, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for providing me with a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
Sincerely, Harriet is the story of a young girl in the 1990s who has just moved to Chicago in the heat of the summer, but is stuck at home while her parents work not knowing anyone. She is incredibly lonely and the two friends she is writing from her summer camp are not responding to any of her postcards. She also has an active imagination creating stories for the world around her yet having a hard time differentiating fact from fiction. She starts a relationship with Pearl, the older woman who lives downstairs, and is told of Pearl's son Nick who had been quarantined in the house during an outbreak of Polio in the 1950s. We also learn that Harriet suffers from MS.
I had a difficult time with this book. The fact that Harriet deals with a chronic illness drew me to the book, but it wasn't even mentioned until half-way through and she doesn't seem to be dealing with it very well. The "unrequited crush" is barely even touched upon as it appears that she had a crush on one of the two girls from camp who won't write her back. I was shocked at how little time her parents spent with her, how little they knew her, and how they really didn't seem to take the time to help her figure out what was going on. Pearl was an interesting character who kept recommending various books to Harriet to perhaps help her with her situation, but Harriet only actually read one of them. Great concept, but it simply fell flat.
Sincerely, Harriet is the story of a young girl in the 1990s who has just moved to Chicago in the heat of the summer, but is stuck at home while her parents work not knowing anyone. She is incredibly lonely and the two friends she is writing from her summer camp are not responding to any of her postcards. She also has an active imagination creating stories for the world around her yet having a hard time differentiating fact from fiction. She starts a relationship with Pearl, the older woman who lives downstairs, and is told of Pearl's son Nick who had been quarantined in the house during an outbreak of Polio in the 1950s. We also learn that Harriet suffers from MS.
I had a difficult time with this book. The fact that Harriet deals with a chronic illness drew me to the book, but it wasn't even mentioned until half-way through and she doesn't seem to be dealing with it very well. The "unrequited crush" is barely even touched upon as it appears that she had a crush on one of the two girls from camp who won't write her back. I was shocked at how little time her parents spent with her, how little they knew her, and how they really didn't seem to take the time to help her figure out what was going on. Pearl was an interesting character who kept recommending various books to Harriet to perhaps help her with her situation, but Harriet only actually read one of them. Great concept, but it simply fell flat.
July 6, 2021
I feel like absolutely nothing happened in this book and was genuinely shocked when I clicked to see how many pages were left and realized I was at the end. It was a short read, yes, but lacked anything else. I guess Harriet is sapphic but it’s so vague and unclear (especially with how a crush was mentioned in the blurb. Who was it? The celebrity from the magazine?) until the final panel that I initially couldn’t tell.
June 17, 2021
The art is gorgeous and the story feels "real". Harriet has MS, has moved to a new city, and hasn't quite found her people up to this point in her life. The struggles are real and heartfelt. I do have to say that Harriet's parents seem pretty badass and I would love to read their story.
November 23, 2021
Cute! I'll take a book with a Harriet and a dumbwaiter in it any day.
December 30, 2018
Sincerely, Harriet is a heartwarming graphic novel about a girl suffering from a chronic illness, and the boredom she experiences as she's stuck in the apartment all summer.
I enjoyed the story a great deal. Harriet is a compelling protagonist, acting as normally as she can at her age, and the situations she gets herself into seem familiarly realistic. The story is presented well, with an art style and color scheme that beautifully captures both the melancholy of a bored teen, and the time period the story is set in. But entire time I was reading, I felt as though something was missing - I feel as though there is need for another layer to the story that would better capture Harriet's feelings.
Overall, it's a fast read with a sweet story and great artwork.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 4/5 stars
I enjoyed the story a great deal. Harriet is a compelling protagonist, acting as normally as she can at her age, and the situations she gets herself into seem familiarly realistic. The story is presented well, with an art style and color scheme that beautifully captures both the melancholy of a bored teen, and the time period the story is set in. But entire time I was reading, I felt as though something was missing - I feel as though there is need for another layer to the story that would better capture Harriet's feelings.
Overall, it's a fast read with a sweet story and great artwork.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 4/5 stars
December 30, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoy the book, it's very sensitive, I don't know why some people found it incomplete or it could connect, I cried a lot with the book, it's really nice.
I really enjoy the book, it's very sensitive, I don't know why some people found it incomplete or it could connect, I cried a lot with the book, it's really nice.
March 2, 2019
Full review on: Flipping Through the Pages
I had some high expectations from Sincerely, Harriet considering the synopsis. But unfortunately, the actual book is quite different from what the synopsis talks about. The chronic illness angle was overshadowed by the personality disorder of the main character and that too was never addressed properly.
Sincerely, Harriet is the story of Harriet, a young Latinx girl who has recently shifted to a new city and found herself bored and lonely there. She does not know anyone in her new town and also her parents have to work overtime. Her friends from summer camp also weren’t responding to her postcards. She has an active imagination creating stories for the world around her but it was hard for her to differentiate the fact from fiction. She starts a relationship with Pearl, the older woman who lives downstairs. Pearl gave her different books to read to overcome her loneliness. She also talks about her son Nick who had been quarantined in the house during an outbreak of Polio in the 1950s. Soon we learn that Harriet suffers from MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
I loved the idea behind this graphic novel. The idea was to highlight the life of a teen with a chronic illness, but it wasn’t mentioned until half-way through the book. Also, I didn’t like the protagonist, Harriet. Her loneliness makes her a habitual liar with the poor attitude, so she’s not a likeable protagonist. But after she meets Pearl, we get to see some improvement in her attitude. She starts writing about her own experiences after she comes to know about Pearl’s son who experienced Polio.
But the format of the story itself is quite odd. Harriet doesn’t get to explain her feelings enough. Her inner feelings are often overshadowed with the other aspects of the story. Pearl gave different books to Harriet but it wasn’t clear what’s the purpose of each of the book and why those were specifically chosen for her. She doesn’t even read most of the books and we are in dark about her connection to those novels. I wish Harriet’s character was more developed. Also, I felt that the story could have been drawn out better. It ended rather abruptly, according to me.
The synopsis also hints about an “unrequited crush” but it barely showed in the story. This side was totally neglected. Harriet relationship with her parents was something I was looking forward too but I was surprised to see how it was handled. Given that Harriet had MS, her parents should have been more careful about her and should have shared a more close relationship. But they barely spent time with her. I know they had multiple jobs to do, but still having a child with the medical condition needs special attention.
The highlight of this graphic novel was definitely the art. The style was quite unique and I loved the color palette the artist has used. It perfectly sets with the sad tone of the story. It captures the various mood of the characters perfectly.
Overall, I feel that the story definitely had a great concept but the execution felt rather flat to me. If you are looking for something light to read, you can definitely pick it up and you might end up enjoying it more than me 🙂
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I had some high expectations from Sincerely, Harriet considering the synopsis. But unfortunately, the actual book is quite different from what the synopsis talks about. The chronic illness angle was overshadowed by the personality disorder of the main character and that too was never addressed properly.
Sincerely, Harriet is the story of Harriet, a young Latinx girl who has recently shifted to a new city and found herself bored and lonely there. She does not know anyone in her new town and also her parents have to work overtime. Her friends from summer camp also weren’t responding to her postcards. She has an active imagination creating stories for the world around her but it was hard for her to differentiate the fact from fiction. She starts a relationship with Pearl, the older woman who lives downstairs. Pearl gave her different books to read to overcome her loneliness. She also talks about her son Nick who had been quarantined in the house during an outbreak of Polio in the 1950s. Soon we learn that Harriet suffers from MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
I loved the idea behind this graphic novel. The idea was to highlight the life of a teen with a chronic illness, but it wasn’t mentioned until half-way through the book. Also, I didn’t like the protagonist, Harriet. Her loneliness makes her a habitual liar with the poor attitude, so she’s not a likeable protagonist. But after she meets Pearl, we get to see some improvement in her attitude. She starts writing about her own experiences after she comes to know about Pearl’s son who experienced Polio.
But the format of the story itself is quite odd. Harriet doesn’t get to explain her feelings enough. Her inner feelings are often overshadowed with the other aspects of the story. Pearl gave different books to Harriet but it wasn’t clear what’s the purpose of each of the book and why those were specifically chosen for her. She doesn’t even read most of the books and we are in dark about her connection to those novels. I wish Harriet’s character was more developed. Also, I felt that the story could have been drawn out better. It ended rather abruptly, according to me.
The synopsis also hints about an “unrequited crush” but it barely showed in the story. This side was totally neglected. Harriet relationship with her parents was something I was looking forward too but I was surprised to see how it was handled. Given that Harriet had MS, her parents should have been more careful about her and should have shared a more close relationship. But they barely spent time with her. I know they had multiple jobs to do, but still having a child with the medical condition needs special attention.
The highlight of this graphic novel was definitely the art. The style was quite unique and I loved the color palette the artist has used. It perfectly sets with the sad tone of the story. It captures the various mood of the characters perfectly.
Overall, I feel that the story definitely had a great concept but the execution felt rather flat to me. If you are looking for something light to read, you can definitely pick it up and you might end up enjoying it more than me 🙂
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November 11, 2018
Moving away from home and starting a new school are big enough events, but Harriet also has something else to contend with: a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Dealing with her chronic illness, a scorching hot summer in Chicago, and longing for her friends from summer camp, there's a lot to discover for the titular character of Sincerely, Harriet.
Harriet's summer has been trying, what with moving to a new state, figuring out her feelings regarding her M.S. diagnosis and the symptoms, plus being mostly alone all day as her parents work hard at difficult and/or multiple jobs. Her imagination runs wild at times, making up stories about the mailman, the landlady/neighbor downstairs, and the possibilities of a haunted third floor.
Telling tall tales is something that might be familiar to middle grade readers. Harriet shares this trait with another Harriet in literature (Harriet the Spy). Fans of Louise Fitzhugh's novel may well find themselves entertained with this graphic novel. Harriet of Sincerely also finds comfort in writing, although her attempts are in postcards that include a fantasy life in Chicago and letters to a fictional version of her landlady Pearl's son, Nicholas.
The letters to Nicholas, Harriet's exploration of the third floor (where Nicholas stayed while ill and in quarantine), and some panels along the way help to tell a story of chronic illness across not only generations, but across race lines as well. Harriet is a young Latinx girl whose parents are taking her to the best doctors they can find. Nicholas is an African-American boy who grew up in the 1950's and contracted polio. There's more about what that might have been like, such as segregated medical care, in the author's note, but in the text itself there are glimpses of what Harriet and Nicholas have in common, such as the use of a wheelchair as necessary and isolation from friends/potential friends.
Reading the book was very pleasant. The writing flowed very well and kept my interest along the way. The emotional moments were conveyed, at times, fairly quickly and without as much discussion as I'd have liked, but they were still strong. Art wise, the look of the graphic novel was skillful and suited nicely to the narrative, although I thought that there were some issues pertaining to details that looked a bit off.
I'd recommend this book for people looking for stories about dealing with chronic illnesses as well as good stories involving figuring out one's place in a new neighborhood. Harriet had her difficulties, but I liked her, even when those around her were criticizing her exaggerations. Figuring out her feelings regarding her M.S., figuring out how to deal with friends that aren't replying to postcards, all of this figuring was intense, but her strength showed through. She's a good heroine that should have her story shared and enjoyed, hopefully by many age groups (it's that good).
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes included are from an advanced reader copy and may not reflect the finalized copy.
Harriet's summer has been trying, what with moving to a new state, figuring out her feelings regarding her M.S. diagnosis and the symptoms, plus being mostly alone all day as her parents work hard at difficult and/or multiple jobs. Her imagination runs wild at times, making up stories about the mailman, the landlady/neighbor downstairs, and the possibilities of a haunted third floor.
Telling tall tales is something that might be familiar to middle grade readers. Harriet shares this trait with another Harriet in literature (Harriet the Spy). Fans of Louise Fitzhugh's novel may well find themselves entertained with this graphic novel. Harriet of Sincerely also finds comfort in writing, although her attempts are in postcards that include a fantasy life in Chicago and letters to a fictional version of her landlady Pearl's son, Nicholas.
The letters to Nicholas, Harriet's exploration of the third floor (where Nicholas stayed while ill and in quarantine), and some panels along the way help to tell a story of chronic illness across not only generations, but across race lines as well. Harriet is a young Latinx girl whose parents are taking her to the best doctors they can find. Nicholas is an African-American boy who grew up in the 1950's and contracted polio. There's more about what that might have been like, such as segregated medical care, in the author's note, but in the text itself there are glimpses of what Harriet and Nicholas have in common, such as the use of a wheelchair as necessary and isolation from friends/potential friends.
Reading the book was very pleasant. The writing flowed very well and kept my interest along the way. The emotional moments were conveyed, at times, fairly quickly and without as much discussion as I'd have liked, but they were still strong. Art wise, the look of the graphic novel was skillful and suited nicely to the narrative, although I thought that there were some issues pertaining to details that looked a bit off.
I'd recommend this book for people looking for stories about dealing with chronic illnesses as well as good stories involving figuring out one's place in a new neighborhood. Harriet had her difficulties, but I liked her, even when those around her were criticizing her exaggerations. Figuring out her feelings regarding her M.S., figuring out how to deal with friends that aren't replying to postcards, all of this figuring was intense, but her strength showed through. She's a good heroine that should have her story shared and enjoyed, hopefully by many age groups (it's that good).
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes included are from an advanced reader copy and may not reflect the finalized copy.
June 28, 2022
Sincerely, Harriet is a quiet story, sometimes compelling, though it badly buries the lede about the main character's illness and the family's struggles. For half the book, Harriet just seems like your typical bored teen, lonely and trapped inside during a hot summer. It's not until the last handful of pages that we finally learn Harriet has MS and that some of her dark moments in the book are related to that diagnosis and not just to typical teenage angst.
It's an interesting revelation and something that's well worth exploring in a YA setting, but it comes a bit too late to really grasp. The rest of Sincerely, Harriet is an adequate slice of life, so the book isn't a total loss. It goes down fast and easy. I will say, though, that Searle's artwork at first reminded me of the blank mannequin people in airplane safety manuals. The eyes are just...odd.
Also, why was the book randomly set in 1995? And is the dad transgender male? And did Harriet have romantic feelings for Ashley or was she just looking for a friend? Now that I think about it, Sincerely, Harriet had a lot of unexplored plotlines.
It's an interesting revelation and something that's well worth exploring in a YA setting, but it comes a bit too late to really grasp. The rest of Sincerely, Harriet is an adequate slice of life, so the book isn't a total loss. It goes down fast and easy. I will say, though, that Searle's artwork at first reminded me of the blank mannequin people in airplane safety manuals. The eyes are just...odd.
Also, why was the book randomly set in 1995? And is the dad transgender male? And did Harriet have romantic feelings for Ashley or was she just looking for a friend? Now that I think about it, Sincerely, Harriet had a lot of unexplored plotlines.
May 30, 2019
The book had a great premise but fell flat because of the execution. I wasn't able to care about the main character, whom I found annoying and whiny, especially since we don't find out about her illness until very late in the book. I got quickly bored reading about her letters to friends who don't write back, which is more of an obsession really, since she didn't really know them as well. I wish the book focused more on Harriet's personality disorders (she is constantly lying, making up stories about the people around her) or at least the chronic illness aspect.
The one thing I enjoyed was the character Pearl, an elderly woman who lives downstairs, who is trying to connect to Harriet and keeps recommending books that might help her, even though she doesn't really even bother to read them.
The artwork was ok, but nothing particularly notable about it.
The one thing I enjoyed was the character Pearl, an elderly woman who lives downstairs, who is trying to connect to Harriet and keeps recommending books that might help her, even though she doesn't really even bother to read them.
The artwork was ok, but nothing particularly notable about it.
July 19, 2019
I enjoyed this story, but for a kid's book it almost has too much stuff going on. Harriet is a lonely only child whose family has just moved to a new city where she is spending the summer trudging through a school reading list that does not excite her, writing postcards to distant friends, investigating the mysteries of the structure of the building where she lives (ghosts? secret rooms?), learning about the kindly old woman who lives downstairs, all while trying to get a little attention from her busy, absent parents. Searle manages to pull it all together in the end, but the road is a little bumpy.
January 3, 2019
Sincerely, Harriet is a story about a young teenage girl who is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and recently shifts to a new city so her parents can get help from better doctors. The primary plot focuses on the loneliness that Harriet deals with as she leaves behind her friends (who don’t reply to her postcards) and due to her parents usually working overtime.
The instant pull for me was definitely the art--it has a different style from the mainstream comic artworks and the color scene really sets with the subtle, sad tone of the story. The main character, Harriet, is often shown to make up stories and form rude opinions about others, like the mailman who stares at the dogs and the old lady who she thinks is a murderer. Though her personality doesn’t belong to the good-vibes one, I did find her interesting and was happy to see a character development toward the end of the story. The parents were justifiable for working overtime since they had a daughter’s treatment and their own dreams to achieve. Even Pearl, the old lady, plays a strong supporting role in Harriet’s development by propelling her to read books and find something she loves to do.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read that also reflects on the ways that a chronic disease can affect someone’s life and/or personality, especially at an age where the diagnosed person can’t even fathom life itself.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this via Netgalley but that, in no way, influences my rating and/or opinions about it. Thank you, Sarah Winifred Searle and Graphic Universe!
The instant pull for me was definitely the art--it has a different style from the mainstream comic artworks and the color scene really sets with the subtle, sad tone of the story. The main character, Harriet, is often shown to make up stories and form rude opinions about others, like the mailman who stares at the dogs and the old lady who she thinks is a murderer. Though her personality doesn’t belong to the good-vibes one, I did find her interesting and was happy to see a character development toward the end of the story. The parents were justifiable for working overtime since they had a daughter’s treatment and their own dreams to achieve. Even Pearl, the old lady, plays a strong supporting role in Harriet’s development by propelling her to read books and find something she loves to do.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read that also reflects on the ways that a chronic disease can affect someone’s life and/or personality, especially at an age where the diagnosed person can’t even fathom life itself.
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this via Netgalley but that, in no way, influences my rating and/or opinions about it. Thank you, Sarah Winifred Searle and Graphic Universe!
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August 1, 2019
This short graphic novel is the story of a young girl, Harriet,who has just moved to a new apartment in Chicago. It is summer and she has not made any friends yet. Her parents both have to work long hours and sometimes even overtime. She finds herself bored and lonely. She writes letter to her friends from camp last year, but they do not write back.
She befriends Pearl, the elderly woman downstairs, who offers her books to read and talks about about her oldest son's polio illness in the 1950s. Harriet learns that he was quarantined on the 3rd floor that area has been sealed off. She begins writing him letters and imagines what it was like for him. We soon learn that Harriet relates to him because she has MS. Harriet has an active imagination and often makes up stories that aren't true. But you have to feel bad for this girl, who is essentially by herself all day with nothing to do. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the artwork. It was a quick read.
She befriends Pearl, the elderly woman downstairs, who offers her books to read and talks about about her oldest son's polio illness in the 1950s. Harriet learns that he was quarantined on the 3rd floor that area has been sealed off. She begins writing him letters and imagines what it was like for him. We soon learn that Harriet relates to him because she has MS. Harriet has an active imagination and often makes up stories that aren't true. But you have to feel bad for this girl, who is essentially by herself all day with nothing to do. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the artwork. It was a quick read.
July 16, 2021
A quiet book in a lot of regards. There’s really no actual plot, but it is heavily character driven and subtle in its themes and messages. It’s an important message however when it comes to acknowledging our weaknesses or shortcomings and learning to accept the things we can’t change; instead, find your path and move forward. Easier said than done though.
Anyway, this is a gentle book with beautiful art and with a small but varied cast. You learn a lot about Harriet through the subtly of the art, and the art is not a set-dressing, which can sometimes happen with graphic novels. Instead, the art is just as important as the dialogue/internal monologues. Searle does an excellent job conveying Harriet’s loneliness and frustration.r
Anyway, this is a gentle book with beautiful art and with a small but varied cast. You learn a lot about Harriet through the subtly of the art, and the art is not a set-dressing, which can sometimes happen with graphic novels. Instead, the art is just as important as the dialogue/internal monologues. Searle does an excellent job conveying Harriet’s loneliness and frustration.r
December 10, 2018
This was a sweet, yet thought provoking story of a young girl struggling between school, chronic illness, and making friends in a new city. The portrayal of MS came across positively, at least in the eyes of someone who doesn't suffer from it, and I loved the friendship between Harriet and Pearl, the old lady who lives downstairs. This was a very important, touching story.
Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this story to review
Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this story to review
November 17, 2018
A sweet read with lovely illustrations!
July 5, 2019
My 1,000th book read! 🎉
https://ginghampanda.blogspot.com/201...
https://ginghampanda.blogspot.com/201...
July 20, 2022
I did not enjoy this book. I just finished it and have no idea what the point was or could even tell you what happened in the story. It was very disjointed and the art was inconsistent.
July 3, 2021
✨ "Stories are good company, aren’t they? Always there for us when we need them."
This graphic novel follows Harriet, a teenager struggling with chronic illness, social isolation and loneliness, as well as other life changes after having moved cities.
I love how this book highlights invisible disabilities and it did a wonderful job in portraying Harriet’s perspective. However, I wished it was longer and had a deeper exploration into Harriet's story.
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