Lights, Planets, People!

by Molly Naylor, Lizzy Stewart

Renowned astronomer Maggie Hill is giving a lecture about her career, to inspire young women to work in science. She's also attending her first ever therapy session, in order to overcome some debilitating anxiety. Both events force Maggie to examine her greatest achievements and biggest regrets. A new comic about legacy, loss, human curiosity and the economics of failure - adapted by illustrator Lizzy Stewart and writer Molly Naylor from Naylor's play of the same name.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, LGBT, Queer, Mental Health, Fiction, Feminism

130 pages, Hardcover

First published September 23, 2021

Reviews

[Romie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely story about women in science, learning to open yourself to your loved ones, and accepting failure and not being perfect (3.89)

[fer · Rating 5 out of 5]

QUE AMORZINHO DE GRAPHIC NOVEL!!!! Marejou o meu olho no final

[Rahel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very lovely - I remember when I saw this book being announced on Twitter and I immediately hit "preorder" on the Avery Hill website. I've been a big fan of this publisher for a while now, and this story only strengthened that love. It's not every day you see older queer women portrayed in media, and when they are, it is often through a very rose-colored lens. Molly Naylor and Lizzy Stewart show that sapphic relationships can be messy too, especially when lack of work-life-balance and mental illness come into play.

I would love to see the play this was adapted from, as I found myself wanting more from the story than what I saw within the book. More scenes of Maggie and Jane, more scenes from Maggie's work, or even just more beautiful drawings. The art was most definitely my highlight of this book - Lizzy Stewart's art perfectly captured the feeling of awe you feel when thinking about the size of space, the twinkling stars, the far-off planets, the satellites and landers traversing unfathomable distances... Just like you can get lost in these thoughts, it's easy to get lost in Stewart's art.

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is a quick read, but oh, how impactful.

maggie is a renowed astronomer, and she is asked to give an "inspiring lecture for young women", which causes her a great deal of anxiety. moreover, she lost contact with her partner, and doesn't know what to do next. she also has a secret - she is bipolar.

the plot is divided into two (technically, three) events, told alternately, which keeps the reader curious. the first event is the lecture. the second event is a therapy session.

the art style (and writing) convey the maggie's narrative so well, i could feel what she felt at the time. it is sad, it includes depressive episodes (represented very relatably and accurately imo), but it is ultimately hopeful. it is about our right to fail, and that it doesn't have to dictate the rest of our lives.

if you're looking for a good bipolar representation, a relationship of older queer women, a scientific viewpoint on reality, an interest in space exploration, simple but beautiful illustrations, and an imperfect character - you found the right book.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very lovely graphic novel. Lizzy Stewart’s art is gorgeous, as always, and the storyline is well paced and touching. A graphic novel that does what I love most about graphic novels - it shines the light on people who aren’t often highlighted in the media - queer older women, people with bipolar, and women in science - and isn’t afraid to show the messiness of life or end in a non-stereotypical way. Now I wish I could go see the play!

[m · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Well, sometimes… when we… strive for perfection, we relinquish our humanity.”

the art was so beautiful!

[jasminks · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was so much to this book. Women in science/academia; bipolar disorder/mental health in general; how it, for its part, can have an impact on communication and relationships; environment, space, the future of humankind; therapy; boundaries; misunderstandings, self-isolating before anyone can reject you; immersing yourself in things so thoroughly that nothing else exists for a while; vulnerability, letting yourself be seen, accepting love from others and being there for them yourself, ... how you can build bridges and create connection by sharing of yourself, … personally, I suck at many of these whilst am constantly frustrated and hurt by people not communicating, overthinking myself into indescribable knots (while not communicating this), which made reading this feel raw and emotional. The art was very pleasing. I LOVED the use of colours and how they expressed the subtle meanings and feelings beyond the written, and in doing so added to the already poignant text tremendously. The different fonts were brilliantly chosen, similarly resulting in stylistic yet clarifying effects. The space was excellently utilized, the strips, panels, frames, and full-page images varying masterfully. I even loved the choice of paper and book cover material! A truly impactful package.

[jude · Rating 3 out of 5]

the story is good and it has a nice message, but the protagonist was extremely frustrating to me.

the art is cute. but. it took me literally 40 pages (when a character explicitly says that her 60th birthday is coming up) to realize that the characters are supposed to be older women. they just don't really look that way at all, despite the (what i now realize are meant to be) eye wrinkles. i think the artist needs a little more practice in drawing older people. ....and in drawing black people. it took a full-color spread for me to realize that jane is black. i think part of it is the simplified style of drawing but also it kind of feels like the artist (a white woman) isn't used to drawing black features.

[Chlöe Mobley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy and relaxing read. Adapted from her play, Molly Naylor, with the assistance of Lizzy Stewarts' artistic interpretation tells a story of both achievement and struggle. With the interweaving narratives of our main character's conversation with her therapist and flashes from her life outside of the office, as readers, we get a perspective of what happens in life and the emotional repercussions of actions. Stewart provides even more insight and context to the story through her use of limited colored panels, expanding the range of color where it counts. It is hard to be emotionally vulnerable and to share your inner workings with others. This is a story that provides camaraderie in that.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when a book is good when you don't want it to end.
I immensely enjoyed every part of this graphic novel!

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

this got me right In feels as women with bipolar I related so hard to mc journey. tragically beautiful.

[BAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is lovely - a worthy exploration of the cosmos around us and in us.

[Moira Macfarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fraai tekenwerk weer van Lizzy Stewart en erg mooie gedachten van Molly Naylor.

Ken je dat gevoel als je vroeger keek door zo'n oranje plastic View-Master, in een knap gemaakte kijkdoos of met je handen aan de zijkant van je hoofd in zo'n heel verfijnd oud poppenhuis kroop met je ogen? Dat is precies het gevoel wat ik heb als ik een fijne beeldroman lees, ik vind dat verslavend om in zo'n verbeelde wereld te verdwijnen. Lizzy Stewarts tekeningen geven me precies dat gevoel van verwondering als je denkt aan de oneindigheid van de ruimte, de fonkelende sterren, de verre planeten, de satellieten en landingsgestellen die onpeilbare afstanden afleggen...

'All knowledge is worthwhile knowledge. And you might get it wrong, and you might not win a prize, because you might be part of something bigger that you couldn't solve in that moment, or in that mission. I don't want you to have to justify your curiosity. And you have to be allowed to fail. Because... when we strive for perfection, we relinquish our humanity.'

Voor een inkijkje: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrYoC9IIwe5/

[Sohan Surag · Rating 4 out of 5]

I shall be honest here and say I found this in the bargain bin and I flipped through and found it mildly interesting. I put it off for a while although I knew in the back of my mind I'd like it. There was something very special about the artwork and the blurb was interesting. Finally got to read it on my commute to work and wow I am so glad I got my hands on this from the store. I loved it from start to end - due to the simplistic art it was easy to follow since you wont be lost in the details and at the same time where the panels changed representing the characters emotions were just gorgeous to look at. Having tackled mental health issues, I could relate to a lot in the book - with relationships and work and how we tackle or find a balance between all of them.

At the end it left me wondering - How did such a gem end up in the bargain bin?!

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art was simply gorgeous, truly a wonder to look at, and the story was for sure captivating and inspiring, mainly dealing with communication and accepting our imperfections, but I personally didn’t feel really emotionally connected to it for some reason unknown to me. it’s a 3.5 stars for me and it feels more leaning on 3 than 4, but I gave it 4 anyway because of how great the representation is (of women in stem, lesbian relationships and trust/communication in relationships in general, accepting failure and imperfections, mental illness) and how important that is.
+ the presence of a lesbian relationship between older women (around 60) and the quotes on the importance of questions in life were some other things I loved in this book :)

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Lights, Planets, People!' is narrated by bipolar astronomer Maggie Hill. She loves her work deeply and has trouble maintaining intimate relationships. She can't understand why until she sees a therapist who helps her uncover that to be vulnerable is to allow others in, and it's not such a bad feeling.

Molly Naylor writes a believable woman struggling with her mental illness and doesn't strive to make her likable. As I read Maggie's interactions with students at her big presentation, I thought, "Wow. What a bitch." 😆 (Side note: Mental illness does not excuse assholery).

Lizzy Stewart's illustrations are beautifuuuuul. Tender moments, rocket launches, outer space.

Also, the pages smell so good! I need to know what type of paper and ink this book was printed on/with.

[Riikka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uggghhh so good and impactful! This is a short book so the scope of the story is obviously limited, but the authors have done an excellent job of focusing on key moments and dynamics while still leaving room for the story and the art to breathe. I loved the discussions about academic career, mental illness and relationships; I loved that the protagonist is both a seasoned professional in her field and still a little lost with how to handle herself in certain contexts; I loved to see a queer love story between two older women. What pushed it from four stars to five is the art style that is both simple and stunning. I was especially taken by the variety in colouring styles and techniques - so expressive and so pretty to look at!

[Rebecca]

the artwork is absolutely stunning, especially the ones in full colour. the writing is really quite nice, if a bit choppy at times, though that’s likely due to the limited page count. our protagonist is a tricky one, and this is what made assigning a rating so difficult- so difficult i have decided to forego it all together. her struggles with mental health are very real, and it’s nice to see that represented by an older character. the way she dealt with said struggles and the way she treated jane however… i wasn’t a fan of. my thoughts are a bit all over the place with this one. would 100% have some of the art on display in my house though

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I wanted to like this more, but I found myself more frustrated than anything while reading. I kept imagining myself as a student attending Maggie's lecture and it just felt like the lesson was too disjointed and not educational enough to get interested in. Maggie's growth was slow, and with the resolution being her abandoning therapy and leaving a voicemail to her ex that was really not romantic or profound, I was left feeling pretty unsatisfied. The therapist's font was also kind of a struggle to read. I appreciated the pages that were more fleshed out drawings, as these moments were the most poignant of the story - but they were few and far apart.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel isn't particularly long and it's hard to describe why I liked it without spoiling it! Maggie is an older woman in a male-dominated STEM carer struggling with a number of things her life when she's asked to give a presentation to young women in order to inspire them, making her question herself and face up to a number of things. Very well-told and one to re-read. For a spoiler-y list of good things this story includes, a few things : older queer relationship, neurodiversity, STEM vs social sciences, therapy, anxiety, and the importance of communication.

[Barbora Kraml · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the lovely, painterly illustrations, the storyline was too prescriptive and predictable. Crucially, the story is failed by the too illustrative drawings, which, apart from communicating moods and emotional states, add very little value and detail to the narrative. For me, a successful graphic novel needs to use its visuals to add to the text, making you 'read' the illustrations. Lights, Planets, People! provides very little visual material to delve into and can be simply glanced over.

[Travis Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very touching story about mental health and relationships (among other things). Maggie is an astronomer who has been under a lot of pressure and she discovers that maybe she let some issues go unattended for too long. She thinks she knows what is wrong with her but she discovers that maybe she is wrong. The ending is very sweet and heartwarming something that adult graphic novels about mental health don't always have. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

[Alex Maitland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was nice, it gives a glimpse into how mental health really can affect everything in your life and how if you never talk about it with anyone then they can’t help or understand how or why you do certain things. It also shows that sharing things about yourself can be inspiring and help others like you. Also the artwork is beautiful and helps express the feelings that can’t be described by words alone.

[Andrew Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think graphic novels are often wasted on me - I tend to give more attention to the text than the images. But I enjoyed the poignancy of this, looking at the toll taken on relationships by hidden illness. Space, therapy, love - lots of themes I enjoyed, I'm now reflecting on the deeper parallels and imagery that I might have overlooked.

[Ronán Foley]

Beautiful book about an avoidant woman who classically withdraws to avoid being a burden and ends up ruining a wonderful relationship. There's a lovely analogy that runs through the book that helps give a poetic flair to the story. Cute, real and thankfully doesn't have an overly idealistic ending. Quite enjoyed it

[Louise Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really accessible read about following your dreams without shutting yourself of from people. A wonderful piece about women in STEM, mental health, and allowing yourself to show vulnerability. A perfect read for any young woman.

[Hayley Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

A careful, introspective graphic novel that uses astronomy as a backdrop for a doomed relationship. The narrative flows neatly between intimate scenes with a therapist, an anxiety-inducing lecture, a relationship drama, and the quiet mysteries of space.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending made me want to cry and throw up. Powerful.

When I picked this book up off the shelf, I was immediately pulled in by the story's format. Maggie has quite the gravity to her. It's a quick read and definitely worth the time.

[Bella Coulter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations were lovely. Moreover, they displayed feelings that could fully be expressed into words. In addition to this, the storyline flowed well when considering the various situations involved. Therefore, I appreciated how the main character learned on their pain alongside the reader.

[Chloe McGenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, and a very poignant storyline.

Also side note, always good to see queer older characters (the protagonist is in her sixties I believe)