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Quarantine Comix: A Memoir of Life in Lockdown
Written and drawn every day during the 2020 lockdown and shared online with #QuarantineComix, 2020 Rachael Smith’s delightful comics helped isolated people all over the world feel connected.
At times laugh-out-loud funny, at others bitter-sweet, philosophical, or downright silly, this collection of 200 drawings tells the story of one woman overcoming loneliness and self-doubt with exquisite, wry humour and raw honesty. During a time when many feel anxious and apart from loved ones, Quarantine Comix offers relief in shared experiences.
At times laugh-out-loud funny, at others bitter-sweet, philosophical, or downright silly, this collection of 200 drawings tells the story of one woman overcoming loneliness and self-doubt with exquisite, wry humour and raw honesty. During a time when many feel anxious and apart from loved ones, Quarantine Comix offers relief in shared experiences.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2021
3 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 25, 2021
Rachael Smith began documenting her quarantine experience shortly after the first lockdown began in the UK in 2020, and Quarantine Comix is the end result: a collection of one-page black and white diary strips with the occasional full colour splash page thrown in.
It was a pretty decent book that I’m sure many readers will relate to - I know I did. The strangeness of being locked down in your home, particularly that first time in March 2020, figuring out a new daily routine, trying not to let the news drive you crazy (but being unable to stop consuming it), adjusting to the new world order of webcam meetings/calls in lieu of then-ordinary face-to-face interaction - all of us experienced a version of this last year (and, of course, continuing into this year).
The quar affected people with mental health issues more than most and Smith is one of many who suffer from depression. A lot of the strips here deal with trying to maintain a healthy mindset, mostly through humour - she represents her depression as a black dog called Barky (the creature on the cover) and her optimism as a white dog called Friendly and has dialogues with both, which, while still serious, were amusing.
Some of the strips have fairly banal messaging - “Less thinking, more drinking” and “My body has gotten bigger during lockdown… but it’s ok… because I think my heart has gotten bigger too…” - and I’m so over cartoonists doing strips about their cats. We get it, cats are cute! And some of the material feels repetitive: trying to be productive but failing and being lazy, missing her beau Rob, etc. and mostly isn’t very funny.
But it’s an accurate snapshot of how the quar was for people. The bizarre run on toilet paper in the early days, the feeling of the days blurring together into one, of time passing both slow and fast, and the juxtaposition of being both neurotic about being close to people in public spaces while also experiencing the loneliness that comes from lack of physical contact with others. I also really liked the full colour splash pages - maybe they seemed more vivid following pages of black and white strips but they were gorgeously coloured.
The quality is a mixed bag but I found Rachael Smith’s Quarantine Comix more charming and enjoyable than not, even while the pandemic continues unabated (for now).
It was a pretty decent book that I’m sure many readers will relate to - I know I did. The strangeness of being locked down in your home, particularly that first time in March 2020, figuring out a new daily routine, trying not to let the news drive you crazy (but being unable to stop consuming it), adjusting to the new world order of webcam meetings/calls in lieu of then-ordinary face-to-face interaction - all of us experienced a version of this last year (and, of course, continuing into this year).
The quar affected people with mental health issues more than most and Smith is one of many who suffer from depression. A lot of the strips here deal with trying to maintain a healthy mindset, mostly through humour - she represents her depression as a black dog called Barky (the creature on the cover) and her optimism as a white dog called Friendly and has dialogues with both, which, while still serious, were amusing.
Some of the strips have fairly banal messaging - “Less thinking, more drinking” and “My body has gotten bigger during lockdown… but it’s ok… because I think my heart has gotten bigger too…” - and I’m so over cartoonists doing strips about their cats. We get it, cats are cute! And some of the material feels repetitive: trying to be productive but failing and being lazy, missing her beau Rob, etc. and mostly isn’t very funny.
But it’s an accurate snapshot of how the quar was for people. The bizarre run on toilet paper in the early days, the feeling of the days blurring together into one, of time passing both slow and fast, and the juxtaposition of being both neurotic about being close to people in public spaces while also experiencing the loneliness that comes from lack of physical contact with others. I also really liked the full colour splash pages - maybe they seemed more vivid following pages of black and white strips but they were gorgeously coloured.
The quality is a mixed bag but I found Rachael Smith’s Quarantine Comix more charming and enjoyable than not, even while the pandemic continues unabated (for now).
August 21, 2021
4.5 stars! I looooooved this! such a relatable, heartwarming graphic novel looking at life in lockdown!
February 23, 2025
It was so bizarre to be reading this almost 4 years on and it still be so familiar. Feels like it was just yesterday. Very relatable, very well done.
April 16, 2022
A collection of cartoons Rachael Smith published online daily during the COVID-19 lockdowns in England. They are mostly humorous, reminding me of Cathy Guisewite's Scenes from Isolation that I read a few months back, but this takes darker turns as Smith struggles with the isolation and the forced separation from her boyfriend. The battle between her negative and positive thoughts are embodied by a couple imaginary dogs who float around the pages voicing her fears and hopes. Fortunately, she has a supportive housemate and friend to help her through the roughest parts, though there is a tendency to let alcohol carry some of the weight also.
I could see a lot of people wanting to skip this right now as they're trying to put the masks and isolation behind them with a fragile and nervous optimism about moving on (fingers crossed, knock wood).
I could see a lot of people wanting to skip this right now as they're trying to put the masks and isolation behind them with a fragile and nervous optimism about moving on (fingers crossed, knock wood).
December 28, 2021
These were cute and candid snapshots of pandemic times, but all things considered, they didn't do as much for me as expected/hoped.
Despite being a globally shared event, it's pretty astonishing how little of this book reflected my own experiences during lockdown, so the whole reason why I was drawn to this collection in the first place—relatability—kind of fell flat for me. I suppose I expected the comics to be more general, but they are very much scenes and dialogues taken directly from the author's life, basically like a diary (I suppose that's on me, the "memoir" bit on the cover should've given it away). Of course the bulk of them deal with themes of loneliness and mental health struggles that I think are pretty universal at this point, but it was obvious to me that this project started as a coping mechanism for the artist herself, and then sort of took on a life of its own.
The illustrations are minimalistic and sweet (think Sarah Andersen, but a little less cartoonish, and there are also colored full-page scenes interspersed throughout), the cat is absolutely adorable, the concept of Barky and Friendly to represent her pessimism and optimism worked well, and the characters were easy enough to tell apart (which begs the question why she felt the need to point out Heather by name in every strip she appeared in, while not doing the same for, say, her housemate).
Even though I didn't see much of myself in these, flicking through them was somewhat reassuring and comforting, and I guess that was the whole point of these strips—to make people feel connected, despite their differing experiences. We're not all in the same boat, but we are weathering the same storm.
—————
Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Despite being a globally shared event, it's pretty astonishing how little of this book reflected my own experiences during lockdown, so the whole reason why I was drawn to this collection in the first place—relatability—kind of fell flat for me. I suppose I expected the comics to be more general, but they are very much scenes and dialogues taken directly from the author's life, basically like a diary (I suppose that's on me, the "memoir" bit on the cover should've given it away). Of course the bulk of them deal with themes of loneliness and mental health struggles that I think are pretty universal at this point, but it was obvious to me that this project started as a coping mechanism for the artist herself, and then sort of took on a life of its own.
The illustrations are minimalistic and sweet (think Sarah Andersen, but a little less cartoonish, and there are also colored full-page scenes interspersed throughout), the cat is absolutely adorable, the concept of Barky and Friendly to represent her pessimism and optimism worked well, and the characters were easy enough to tell apart (which begs the question why she felt the need to point out Heather by name in every strip she appeared in, while not doing the same for, say, her housemate).
Even though I didn't see much of myself in these, flicking through them was somewhat reassuring and comforting, and I guess that was the whole point of these strips—to make people feel connected, despite their differing experiences. We're not all in the same boat, but we are weathering the same storm.
—————
Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2021
Depression and a pandemic might not seem like promising fodder for a comic, but Quarantine Comix captures the daily challenges of the creative life during the Covid-19 lockdown in the UK in an inviting, self-deprecating way. It’s a lighthearted graphic memoir about ordinary mental health struggles during an extraordinary time.
See my full review at Foreword.
See my full review at Foreword.
May 19, 2021
Thank you so much to Icon Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This comic completely reflected my experience of the pandemic. Not being able to see my partner, having my black cat as my constant companion, the worrying and insecurity about the pandemic and the future. I related to this so much, I even sometimes laughed out loud, which I don't do often! I also adored the illustration style and the few colored pages in it. Highly recommend!
This comic completely reflected my experience of the pandemic. Not being able to see my partner, having my black cat as my constant companion, the worrying and insecurity about the pandemic and the future. I related to this so much, I even sometimes laughed out loud, which I don't do often! I also adored the illustration style and the few colored pages in it. Highly recommend!
October 25, 2022
Love these type of comics
I adore comics like this. The whole snug/herding cats non-fiction comics. They are usually my comfort reads. This one will not be a comfort read due to its nature and some annoying things that put me off but this was still a great read and I'll be reading all of her other works in the near future.
I adore comics like this. The whole snug/herding cats non-fiction comics. They are usually my comfort reads. This one will not be a comfort read due to its nature and some annoying things that put me off but this was still a great read and I'll be reading all of her other works in the near future.
April 21, 2021
I am still not sure what is the best time to read a comic book about the pandemic.
While we are still in the middle of the pandemic, danger is that readers will be triggered by the heavy subject and it will make the real life situation even harder. But it might also help to be reminded that every single one of us had bad phases in this experience and find comfort in that?
And when it is all over, we might not want to be reminded of this hellish time period. But we might also be more able to look at the subject from a distance and even laugh about the weirdness of it all?
But anyways, here we are - with me, reading this while living this.
This is a book of comics illustrating the authors/artists journey in lockdown for the covid19 pandemic.
And there are also her talking cat and two imaginary dogs that represent her depression and her positivity.
Some comic strips are silly and weird, some are heartfelt and full of new perspectives, and some are also sad and depressing.
Most of the regulations and events discussed will work for the majority of us stuck in this global pandemic, while some are specific to how the situation developed in the UK.
I certainly couldn't relate to all of the comics, but not everyone can have the exact same experience after all.
And I probably wouldn't suggest to read the book at the night while already being vulnerable and stuck in lockdown for too long.
But ultimately, I enjoyed the comics and want to pick it up again in a few years and see how I feel about them then.
While we are still in the middle of the pandemic, danger is that readers will be triggered by the heavy subject and it will make the real life situation even harder. But it might also help to be reminded that every single one of us had bad phases in this experience and find comfort in that?
And when it is all over, we might not want to be reminded of this hellish time period. But we might also be more able to look at the subject from a distance and even laugh about the weirdness of it all?
But anyways, here we are - with me, reading this while living this.
This is a book of comics illustrating the authors/artists journey in lockdown for the covid19 pandemic.
And there are also her talking cat and two imaginary dogs that represent her depression and her positivity.
Some comic strips are silly and weird, some are heartfelt and full of new perspectives, and some are also sad and depressing.
Most of the regulations and events discussed will work for the majority of us stuck in this global pandemic, while some are specific to how the situation developed in the UK.
I certainly couldn't relate to all of the comics, but not everyone can have the exact same experience after all.
And I probably wouldn't suggest to read the book at the night while already being vulnerable and stuck in lockdown for too long.
But ultimately, I enjoyed the comics and want to pick it up again in a few years and see how I feel about them then.
September 30, 2021
I’m actually interviewing Rachael about this on Saturday so felt I needed to brush up on the book! It’s weird reading them together - I saw them as they were produced, day by day - as it’s like a parallel universe version of my own experiences of lockdown: I, very guiltily, really enjoyed lockdown as I’m basically a hermit anyway and loved an excuse to just stay in my house with my cats and my wife - my existential panic has kicked in big time now the world is returning to a normal that completely ignores every lesson learned from the last eighteen months. It’s like I’m doing the suffering and worry everybody else was at the moment and it’s a very weird experience
If you’re coming to this book for catharsis or for big statements on the virus, you’re not the reader for that. I suspect a bigger, angrier polemic will be inevitable at some point from a comics creator, but this is really a far richer and emotionally rewarding experience because it’s fragments of daily survival in a sleepy little West Yorkshire town (the next one along from my own) and far more interested in the personal impact and toll this stuff takes on you. And honestly that might be more important than polemics - because it’s the Mass Observation during the war approach: small reports from a world gone a bit mad which paint a far more recognisable portrait of what actually happened
In many ways it’s a follow up to Rachael’s depression comics - Wired Up Wrong and Stand In Your Power - which I liked so much I wrote my own depression comic in response to them (and shamelessly stole the idea of talking to my cats about my mental health as the framework - sorry Rachael). It’s far looser and more spontaneous and builds on a rich seam of comics as personal means of expression (Jeffrey Brown, John Kochalka, Lynda Barry, Julie Doucet and the author I’m guessing is particularly Rachael’s favourite here, Kate Beaton). Comics are a perfect medium for this sort of self reflection because it’s all about refining your emotions into one succinct page. There is a formal limit to how you talk about these things and it thusly demands you in some way have a dialogue with the emotions you’re trying to express. It’s a knack I’ve not developed as I tend towards fussy verbosity a lot of the time, but Rachael has it down to a fine art here. I also particularly like how she sometimes feels like she’s dodging the toughest questions on a day to day basis until it suddenly becomes too much and she has a burst of real pain and panic about it. There’s a tension built up in that honesty that reflects how it actually feels to deal with dodgy mental health on a daily basis
It’s also incredibly weird recognising the world of the comic - Hebden is Todmorden’s fancier neighbour, and has a very different psychological mix to Tod. It’s like seeing how a town very close to us dealt with events which we, isolated in our own corner of the valley, never quite got to see. As such there’s a personal appeal to this, like a report from the regions we knew were still there but didn’t actually see for months. It’s a very strange experience
If you’re coming to this book for catharsis or for big statements on the virus, you’re not the reader for that. I suspect a bigger, angrier polemic will be inevitable at some point from a comics creator, but this is really a far richer and emotionally rewarding experience because it’s fragments of daily survival in a sleepy little West Yorkshire town (the next one along from my own) and far more interested in the personal impact and toll this stuff takes on you. And honestly that might be more important than polemics - because it’s the Mass Observation during the war approach: small reports from a world gone a bit mad which paint a far more recognisable portrait of what actually happened
In many ways it’s a follow up to Rachael’s depression comics - Wired Up Wrong and Stand In Your Power - which I liked so much I wrote my own depression comic in response to them (and shamelessly stole the idea of talking to my cats about my mental health as the framework - sorry Rachael). It’s far looser and more spontaneous and builds on a rich seam of comics as personal means of expression (Jeffrey Brown, John Kochalka, Lynda Barry, Julie Doucet and the author I’m guessing is particularly Rachael’s favourite here, Kate Beaton). Comics are a perfect medium for this sort of self reflection because it’s all about refining your emotions into one succinct page. There is a formal limit to how you talk about these things and it thusly demands you in some way have a dialogue with the emotions you’re trying to express. It’s a knack I’ve not developed as I tend towards fussy verbosity a lot of the time, but Rachael has it down to a fine art here. I also particularly like how she sometimes feels like she’s dodging the toughest questions on a day to day basis until it suddenly becomes too much and she has a burst of real pain and panic about it. There’s a tension built up in that honesty that reflects how it actually feels to deal with dodgy mental health on a daily basis
It’s also incredibly weird recognising the world of the comic - Hebden is Todmorden’s fancier neighbour, and has a very different psychological mix to Tod. It’s like seeing how a town very close to us dealt with events which we, isolated in our own corner of the valley, never quite got to see. As such there’s a personal appeal to this, like a report from the regions we knew were still there but didn’t actually see for months. It’s a very strange experience
May 7, 2022
This is a heartfelt graphic memoir and comics collection about life in lockdown, from the little joys to the bleaker side of things. It's bittersweet, poignant, funny, uplifting and honest all at once.
I really appreciate the author opening up about her mental health struggles (especially how the positive and negative voices in her head are characterised and named here). The anxiety, isolation and loneliness that she experienced are all too familiar and relatable.
It's hard to give this book a fair rating because on one hand, I really enjoyed it and loved getting to know all the characters. Rachael's relationship with Rob is such a sweet and enviable one! The author also had a wonderful support system in spite of the pandemic. Rufus the cat is my favourite, of course.
On the other hand, the book feels like it was written from a place of privilege even though it's essentially a memoir that the author worked on and put together as a coping mechanism during a difficult time.
The author is a freelance creative who's able to work at home, has a housemate that she clicks with, lives in a seemingly spacious home (based on her own illustrations), and has a large backyard garden that allows her to invite friends over to mingle with. Which is far better than what a lot of people have...
I suppose everyone's experiences with the pandemic and lockdown life differs individually, as would their connection with this book. Personally, I'm in the middle — it's a good read, but not something I'm fully on board with.
I really appreciate the author opening up about her mental health struggles (especially how the positive and negative voices in her head are characterised and named here). The anxiety, isolation and loneliness that she experienced are all too familiar and relatable.
It's hard to give this book a fair rating because on one hand, I really enjoyed it and loved getting to know all the characters. Rachael's relationship with Rob is such a sweet and enviable one! The author also had a wonderful support system in spite of the pandemic. Rufus the cat is my favourite, of course.
On the other hand, the book feels like it was written from a place of privilege even though it's essentially a memoir that the author worked on and put together as a coping mechanism during a difficult time.
The author is a freelance creative who's able to work at home, has a housemate that she clicks with, lives in a seemingly spacious home (based on her own illustrations), and has a large backyard garden that allows her to invite friends over to mingle with. Which is far better than what a lot of people have...
I suppose everyone's experiences with the pandemic and lockdown life differs individually, as would their connection with this book. Personally, I'm in the middle — it's a good read, but not something I'm fully on board with.
February 25, 2021
I loved this quarantine comic and Rachel really hit the nail on the head with pretty much everything! I think everyone has had their different inner thought processes going through multiple lockdowns and facing their own daily struggles and I can guarantee everyone will find something to relate to in this funny, raw and truthful book. Whether it’s the darker voice in your head telling you you’re a waste of space and that you’re not valid in some ways or another, or the struggles with mental health and not being able to see loved ones. I could really sympathise with not being able to see a significant other and you can’t help but feel really represented and understood reading this book!
It has a perfect balance between comedy and raw honesty when it comes to mental health and I seriously adore everything the author did in this comic. You can’t help but leave with a smile and a sense of kinship that other people are going through the same thing too. I only wish I had the authors adorable cat!!
Seriously fab book and everyone should read this. It doesn’t take too long to flick through and the illustrations are just absolutely amazing!
It has a perfect balance between comedy and raw honesty when it comes to mental health and I seriously adore everything the author did in this comic. You can’t help but leave with a smile and a sense of kinship that other people are going through the same thing too. I only wish I had the authors adorable cat!!
Seriously fab book and everyone should read this. It doesn’t take too long to flick through and the illustrations are just absolutely amazing!
March 2, 2021
I ADORED this book! Quarantine Comix is a series of comics of life in lockdown in the U.K. While everyone will have had different experiences of lockdown and different challenges this is a great summary from the last year. I absolutely loved it for so many reasons. The main reasons though were:
1. The drawings themselves. Rachael is incredibly talented and her artwork is phenomenal. There are some full page drawings which are particularly beautiful.
2. It captured lockdown life so well- the highs, the lows, zoom...
3. It made me laugh a lot. While there is quite a lot of sadness in this there is so much witty humour too.
4. You can’t read it without going “oh, me too” and “I thought that was just me”. It will make you feel less alone.
Thank you so much to Rachael for creating this and NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1. The drawings themselves. Rachael is incredibly talented and her artwork is phenomenal. There are some full page drawings which are particularly beautiful.
2. It captured lockdown life so well- the highs, the lows, zoom...
3. It made me laugh a lot. While there is quite a lot of sadness in this there is so much witty humour too.
4. You can’t read it without going “oh, me too” and “I thought that was just me”. It will make you feel less alone.
Thank you so much to Rachael for creating this and NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2021
British illustrator records her experience throughout lockdown in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Quarantine kitty was such a perfect match for the book, so she was persuaded to model for the #bookstagram. It was a little surreal reading about the pandemic when we are still dealing with it, but it was funny and a little sad and very validating of my own feelings from the early days of everything shutting down.
Quarantine kitty was such a perfect match for the book, so she was persuaded to model for the #bookstagram. It was a little surreal reading about the pandemic when we are still dealing with it, but it was funny and a little sad and very validating of my own feelings from the early days of everything shutting down.
August 24, 2022
Cannot relate to the book as someone who has social anxiety and appreciated the downtime of quarantine, not needing to see anyone (the author here feels differently and obviously loved going out)
For a graphic novel, I would’ve wanted more self-deprecating jokes for the introverts, and not positive vibes about how to stay cheerful during quarantine, a bit too cliche and cheesy.
The book overall has a positive and hopeful vibe which really isn’t my gem. Sorry (drawing is cute though).
For a graphic novel, I would’ve wanted more self-deprecating jokes for the introverts, and not positive vibes about how to stay cheerful during quarantine, a bit too cliche and cheesy.
The book overall has a positive and hopeful vibe which really isn’t my gem. Sorry (drawing is cute though).
May 12, 2021
This is my kind of comics !
I really enjoyed it ! It was so relatable, sometimes I felt like I was reading a comics about myself !
It made me smile, and also a little sad, and it mostly made me feel understood.
I just really really liked it !
I really enjoyed it ! It was so relatable, sometimes I felt like I was reading a comics about myself !
It made me smile, and also a little sad, and it mostly made me feel understood.
I just really really liked it !
Read
April 30, 2023reminded me of what we all went through during the pandemic. it was crazy. it also made me realise that I don't think that people, or at least that I am, fully over its impact. I also don't feel so alone in my experience of depression/anxiety after reading this.
June 4, 2021
Turn to any page of this book and you'll find an accurate representation of 2020. The highs, the (many) lows, the struggles we faced as we lived through a world wide crisis. I look forward to presenting this to my children when they ask 'what was covid 19 like?'
February 16, 2022
This was a kindness I deserved.
December 5, 2023
3.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
June 23, 2022
3.5
A bit repetitive at times, but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless, specially any strip that had Rufus (the cat) in it.
Rachael does a good job on depicting all those feelings that everyone had during lockdown (though I wouldn't agree that was actually a real thing here, in the US), and the difficult process to adapt to both, the isolation and the coming back to the 'new normal'; not to mention when you suffer of mental health issues, like it's her case.
A bit repetitive at times, but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless, specially any strip that had Rufus (the cat) in it.
Rachael does a good job on depicting all those feelings that everyone had during lockdown (though I wouldn't agree that was actually a real thing here, in the US), and the difficult process to adapt to both, the isolation and the coming back to the 'new normal'; not to mention when you suffer of mental health issues, like it's her case.
May 2, 2024
Cute and relatable strips.
May 29, 2021
Reading this felt like sitting in a cosy living room with your best friend - loved it
January 20, 2022
Sweet but slight. I did like the black dog of depression and the white dog of common sense and optimism who appeared sometimes (which didn't come off as racist as this sounds!).
March 9, 2022
a collection of comic strips written during...((yes you guessed it right))...quarantine days 🤧
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. sooooo relatable!!! its like a lil documentation of lockdown life and its what most of us can relate to recently. read this in one sitting and felt that its quite repetitive tho but i really like how its a book that can allow us to look back on covid life in the near future, remembering on the things we went through during these tough times.
i really love how the art reminds me of something thats possibly are actual doodles drawn straight out of the author's diary which makes the stories more personal??? its so engaging and i enjoyed reading this :') the fact that its also something that you can easily relate to at this moment.
recommend if youre looking for a book to read in between breaks bc this is quite a light read - you can literally start reading, end it off at any page & just come back anytime to continue later.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. sooooo relatable!!! its like a lil documentation of lockdown life and its what most of us can relate to recently. read this in one sitting and felt that its quite repetitive tho but i really like how its a book that can allow us to look back on covid life in the near future, remembering on the things we went through during these tough times.
i really love how the art reminds me of something thats possibly are actual doodles drawn straight out of the author's diary which makes the stories more personal??? its so engaging and i enjoyed reading this :') the fact that its also something that you can easily relate to at this moment.
recommend if youre looking for a book to read in between breaks bc this is quite a light read - you can literally start reading, end it off at any page & just come back anytime to continue later.
Read
February 27, 2021Everyone's experience, during the pandemic, may vary, and Rachel’s is interesting because she is close to nature, so some of the things that happen involve spring lambs.
But the main issue, of wanting to be with others, of missing working at, well, work instead of home, they are all there.
Not sure if it is too soon to have comics about this, or if it is just the right time. These were all written as web comics since the beginning of lockdown.
The humor is the sort that makes you nod, and realize that you have the same feelings. As one of her roommates said. “Your comics make me laugh, and then they make me cry.” To which she replies “That kinda of my brand.”
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
But the main issue, of wanting to be with others, of missing working at, well, work instead of home, they are all there.
Not sure if it is too soon to have comics about this, or if it is just the right time. These were all written as web comics since the beginning of lockdown.
The humor is the sort that makes you nod, and realize that you have the same feelings. As one of her roommates said. “Your comics make me laugh, and then they make me cry.” To which she replies “That kinda of my brand.”
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
June 10, 2021
Almost unbearably cute.
I did this a lot https://gph.is/g/ZlYKGPg
And this https://gph.is/g/E0lV0g8
And also this https://gph.is/g/aQN809B
And occasionally this http://gph.is/2xluAwU
Can't really sum it up any better than Chris Addison, who said this is like the hug from a friend you didn't know you needed.
I did this a lot https://gph.is/g/ZlYKGPg
And this https://gph.is/g/E0lV0g8
And also this https://gph.is/g/aQN809B
And occasionally this http://gph.is/2xluAwU
Can't really sum it up any better than Chris Addison, who said this is like the hug from a friend you didn't know you needed.
November 6, 2021
This is an oddly comforting graphic novel on how we all had highs and many, many lows during lockdown. A lot of us try to reassure others by saying we're 'fine' but Rachael Smith has created an honest and raw memoir of lockdown which will resonate with many.
Read
October 17, 20253.5 stars!
March 24, 2021
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)
Whereas some of us adopted a dog or a cat (or a new sourdough starter!), binge-watched every damn thing on Netflix while fusing with our couches, or got really into nature and hiking, artist Rachael Smith decided to bring meaning to her year+ in quarantine by journaling her everyday experiences in comic form. Though the webcomic is still ongoing, much like the coronavirus - just search for #QuarantineComix on twitter - QUARANTINE COMIX: A MEMOIR OF LIFE IN LOCKDOWN gathers the strips from 2020.
The result is bittersweet, funny yet also depressing. The synopsis promises "relief in shared experiences," and this is certainly true: there's a lot to relate to here. Whether it's wearing your sleep clothes all day; suddenly having all the time in the world to conquer your TBR pile, but zero mental energy to do it; or missing even the most mundane social contact, none of us are alone in feeling this way. Even this introvert, who had an easier time with social distancing than most, is starting to lose her shit.
My favorite scenes involve Rufus, Rachael's precocious kitty, as well as the scenes of quietly desperate domesticity.
Smith uses two imaginary dogs, Barky and Friendly, to embody her depression/pessimism and common sense/optimism, respectively; I wish we could've seen more of them. I'm no stranger to anxiety and depression, and the extended isolation has certainly complicated things - for me, and for many others.
Smith lives in the UK - and, while she does briefly reference some of the bonkers lockdown rules across the pond, QUARANTINE COMIX is mostly absent the politicization of public safety measures that we've seen here in the US. Consequently, the collection definitely felt incomplete to me, even if I understand the why of it.
Another quibble: Smith and her bestie Heather - who inspired #QuarantineComix - are really difficult to differentiate, at least in the black and white drawings (Smith has brown hair, while Heather is a blonde, but sans color they look pretty much the same). I was super confused until I figured this out.
If you're not entirely burnt out on pandemic-related content - and I wouldn't blame you if you were! - QUARANTINE COMIX is somewhat cathartic read. Enjoy it with an oversized glass of wine and THAT '70S SHOW blaring in the background (inside joke!).
Whereas some of us adopted a dog or a cat (or a new sourdough starter!), binge-watched every damn thing on Netflix while fusing with our couches, or got really into nature and hiking, artist Rachael Smith decided to bring meaning to her year+ in quarantine by journaling her everyday experiences in comic form. Though the webcomic is still ongoing, much like the coronavirus - just search for #QuarantineComix on twitter - QUARANTINE COMIX: A MEMOIR OF LIFE IN LOCKDOWN gathers the strips from 2020.
The result is bittersweet, funny yet also depressing. The synopsis promises "relief in shared experiences," and this is certainly true: there's a lot to relate to here. Whether it's wearing your sleep clothes all day; suddenly having all the time in the world to conquer your TBR pile, but zero mental energy to do it; or missing even the most mundane social contact, none of us are alone in feeling this way. Even this introvert, who had an easier time with social distancing than most, is starting to lose her shit.
My favorite scenes involve Rufus, Rachael's precocious kitty, as well as the scenes of quietly desperate domesticity.
Smith uses two imaginary dogs, Barky and Friendly, to embody her depression/pessimism and common sense/optimism, respectively; I wish we could've seen more of them. I'm no stranger to anxiety and depression, and the extended isolation has certainly complicated things - for me, and for many others.
Smith lives in the UK - and, while she does briefly reference some of the bonkers lockdown rules across the pond, QUARANTINE COMIX is mostly absent the politicization of public safety measures that we've seen here in the US. Consequently, the collection definitely felt incomplete to me, even if I understand the why of it.
Another quibble: Smith and her bestie Heather - who inspired #QuarantineComix - are really difficult to differentiate, at least in the black and white drawings (Smith has brown hair, while Heather is a blonde, but sans color they look pretty much the same). I was super confused until I figured this out.
If you're not entirely burnt out on pandemic-related content - and I wouldn't blame you if you were! - QUARANTINE COMIX is somewhat cathartic read. Enjoy it with an oversized glass of wine and THAT '70S SHOW blaring in the background (inside joke!).
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