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Constellations
A raw graphic novel debut about a queer teen living in the margins who is determined to find their way ahead.
Are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?
It's a question that follows Claire everywhere. Inescapable on the street, in school, and even at home. A black hole forever trying to pull them in. But as long as they have ride-or-die best friend Greg at their side and a drink in their hand, everything will be okay. Right?
Except, Claire can never have just one drink. And when harassment at school reaches a fever pitch, Claire begins a spiral that ends in court-ordered rehab. Feeling completely lost, Claire is soon surrounded by a group of new friends and, with the help of a patient counselor, finds a space to unpack all the bad they've experienced. But as Claire’s release gets closer so does the question: Can Claire stay sober and true in a world seemingly never made for them?
Set in 1980s Troy, New York, Constellations is a portrait of a queer teen living in the margins but determined to find their way ahead. Done in watercolor and ink, debut author-artist Kate Glasheen has created a world where strong lines meet soft color, and raw emotions meet deep thought in this story of hope, humor, and survival.
“A unique journey that doesn’t turn away from hard truths; courageously honest and vulnerable.”—Iasmin Omar Ata, the Ignatz Award winning creator of Mis(h)adra
Are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?
It's a question that follows Claire everywhere. Inescapable on the street, in school, and even at home. A black hole forever trying to pull them in. But as long as they have ride-or-die best friend Greg at their side and a drink in their hand, everything will be okay. Right?
Except, Claire can never have just one drink. And when harassment at school reaches a fever pitch, Claire begins a spiral that ends in court-ordered rehab. Feeling completely lost, Claire is soon surrounded by a group of new friends and, with the help of a patient counselor, finds a space to unpack all the bad they've experienced. But as Claire’s release gets closer so does the question: Can Claire stay sober and true in a world seemingly never made for them?
Set in 1980s Troy, New York, Constellations is a portrait of a queer teen living in the margins but determined to find their way ahead. Done in watercolor and ink, debut author-artist Kate Glasheen has created a world where strong lines meet soft color, and raw emotions meet deep thought in this story of hope, humor, and survival.
“A unique journey that doesn’t turn away from hard truths; courageously honest and vulnerable.”—Iasmin Omar Ata, the Ignatz Award winning creator of Mis(h)adra
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
June 22, 2023
Picked it up for the exploration of nonbinary identity in the 80s and ended up really liking the way it handled the topic of addiction and rehab!
April 20, 2023
Constellations
Written and illustrated by Kate Glasheen
Edition: Ebook, 221 pages, on sale 23 May 2023, Graphic Novel
Disclaimer: I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity.
The debut graphic novel is emotionally very powerful.
Set in New Yoork in the 1980 Claire feels like something is wrong. People keep asking about Claire's gender and only drinking alcohol can keep away the nagging feelings. Claire's family is oblivious to the struggles or plain ignores them, depending on the family member because they are not able to accept that Claire might not be "a normal girl". One day Claire has a biking accident while being drunk and is sent to a court ordered rehab. There Claire finds some friends who are also struggling with substance abuse due to their individual problems. Claire lerns more about gender identity and that there is more than just being cis. The kids are having great supporters in themselves but whiteness failures again and again. Claire decides to stay sober but it is very hard if the people around you won't change.
This powerful graphic novel is fully coloured and impressed me with strong characters and a even stronger story. My heart broke for Claire and all the other kids.
Fighting addiction is a fight for life and this book clearly shows it.
This is not a happy book, but it is a realistic one.
Written and illustrated by Kate Glasheen
Edition: Ebook, 221 pages, on sale 23 May 2023, Graphic Novel
Disclaimer: I got this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity.
The debut graphic novel is emotionally very powerful.
Set in New Yoork in the 1980 Claire feels like something is wrong. People keep asking about Claire's gender and only drinking alcohol can keep away the nagging feelings. Claire's family is oblivious to the struggles or plain ignores them, depending on the family member because they are not able to accept that Claire might not be "a normal girl". One day Claire has a biking accident while being drunk and is sent to a court ordered rehab. There Claire finds some friends who are also struggling with substance abuse due to their individual problems. Claire lerns more about gender identity and that there is more than just being cis. The kids are having great supporters in themselves but whiteness failures again and again. Claire decides to stay sober but it is very hard if the people around you won't change.
This powerful graphic novel is fully coloured and impressed me with strong characters and a even stronger story. My heart broke for Claire and all the other kids.
Fighting addiction is a fight for life and this book clearly shows it.
This is not a happy book, but it is a realistic one.
May 12, 2023
God, this was heartbreaking and hopeful in equal parts. I loved the illustrations in this story, they felt more raw and realistic than other illustrations. I hope that others who have struggled will find this book and find some comfort in reading it, I know I did.
March 21, 2023
(I received a free digital copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my rating or opinions of the book.)
A graphic novel about a trans teen struggling with addiction with found family tropes and wholesome messages? This book was supposed to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, it just fell flat.
I was SUPER confused for the first, like, 20% of the book as to what is going on with Claire’s gender identity. All it says is that she is a girl who looks like a boy, but doesn’t go into detail beyond that. I was having a hard time understanding if Claire was supposed to be trans or not. Based on the “girl who looks like a boy” description, I actually thought that she was a trans girl at first. If it explained in the beginning that Claire was assigned female at birth but enjoyed dressing more “like a boy”, then the book would have been much easier to understand.
That is more or less a pretty minor issue, and I would have been able to overlook that, but basically every aspect of the book also kind of sucked. The plot was pretty much nonexistent. The majority of the book is just Claire’s therapy sessions, and there are very little character interactions or plot developments outside of that. The whole thing felt very preachy, more like you are reading a self help book than a fictional story. Considering this book promises found family tropes, the lack of character development was extremely disappointing.
Finally, the art style. It is… weird at best. The way that characters are shaded makes them look really off, their expressions are unrealistic and flat out creepy sometimes for no reason, and the added in doodles were often distracting from the storyline. Not to mention the fact that most of the characters all look the same. I was having a hard time distinguishing Claire, the literal main character, from the other male characters.
Overall, I was super disappointed in this and I don’t think I could recommend it to anyone.
A graphic novel about a trans teen struggling with addiction with found family tropes and wholesome messages? This book was supposed to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, it just fell flat.
I was SUPER confused for the first, like, 20% of the book as to what is going on with Claire’s gender identity. All it says is that she is a girl who looks like a boy, but doesn’t go into detail beyond that. I was having a hard time understanding if Claire was supposed to be trans or not. Based on the “girl who looks like a boy” description, I actually thought that she was a trans girl at first. If it explained in the beginning that Claire was assigned female at birth but enjoyed dressing more “like a boy”, then the book would have been much easier to understand.
That is more or less a pretty minor issue, and I would have been able to overlook that, but basically every aspect of the book also kind of sucked. The plot was pretty much nonexistent. The majority of the book is just Claire’s therapy sessions, and there are very little character interactions or plot developments outside of that. The whole thing felt very preachy, more like you are reading a self help book than a fictional story. Considering this book promises found family tropes, the lack of character development was extremely disappointing.
Finally, the art style. It is… weird at best. The way that characters are shaded makes them look really off, their expressions are unrealistic and flat out creepy sometimes for no reason, and the added in doodles were often distracting from the storyline. Not to mention the fact that most of the characters all look the same. I was having a hard time distinguishing Claire, the literal main character, from the other male characters.
Overall, I was super disappointed in this and I don’t think I could recommend it to anyone.
May 14, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley and Holiday House Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
3.3 ⭐
This is a truly heartbreaking story that covers multiple meaningful topics such as substance abuse, gender identity, dealing with trauma, and the perks of being a teenager. I didn't relate to the story because I haven't gone through anything similar before but that didn't stop me from relishing the experience of reading about Claire's journey.
I must warn you that this is not a happy book, and that's probably the best part. It doesn't have a HEA at the end, but it still gives you an optimistic feeling that things can be alright in the future.
I enjoyed this (painfully) real book and would like to recommend this read to everyone who needs it. Regardless, there were a few details that made it hard for me to rate it higher. For example, the inner monologues were too poetic for my taste. It didn't match the realistic setting. The pacing of the story bothered me a little bit too. There's also the art. It was beautiful yet, I found it chaotic at times. It was difficult for me to understand what was going on in some scenes.
Nonetheless, I believe this book will be of great help to young people struggling with their identity or fighting an addiction.
3.3 ⭐
This is a truly heartbreaking story that covers multiple meaningful topics such as substance abuse, gender identity, dealing with trauma, and the perks of being a teenager. I didn't relate to the story because I haven't gone through anything similar before but that didn't stop me from relishing the experience of reading about Claire's journey.
I must warn you that this is not a happy book, and that's probably the best part. It doesn't have a HEA at the end, but it still gives you an optimistic feeling that things can be alright in the future.
I enjoyed this (painfully) real book and would like to recommend this read to everyone who needs it. Regardless, there were a few details that made it hard for me to rate it higher. For example, the inner monologues were too poetic for my taste. It didn't match the realistic setting. The pacing of the story bothered me a little bit too. There's also the art. It was beautiful yet, I found it chaotic at times. It was difficult for me to understand what was going on in some scenes.
Nonetheless, I believe this book will be of great help to young people struggling with their identity or fighting an addiction.
October 11, 2023
this was easily the best graphic novel i've read this year and by god it was a BRUTAL read. a really really raw look at growing up queer and catholic in the 80s in a hostile environment where the most easily available coping mechanism is alcohol. it follows claire's tumultuous high school days as they struggle with burgeoning queer desires, unsupportive family, and already fully-fledged alcoholism, which leads to them being sent to a rehab center. there they befriend their fellow 'troubled teens' and grapple with harsh truths, both about themselves and the world they live in. ultimately this was a really bleak book, lit with bright moments of hope and human connection. although the ending wasn't exactly happy, i thought it was perfect for the story, and i appreciated the author's willingness to let the reader sit with the messy and real uncertainty of it. really really beautiful and i would absolutely recommend it
April 23, 2023
3.5 stars. I can’t speak on the addiction or rehab part of the story, as I have never experienced either. The not knowing if you are a boy or girl (or neither or both) is something I know all too well though. It’s something that I am still trying to figure out, even as a 27 (almost 28) year old. I think this graphic novel is important for anyone to read if they are struggling, regardless of what it is.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
May 27, 2024
Much more in depth than I was expecting!! I loooved the gender play of this and the ambiguity! I love a story and character that doesn’t have an articulated gender identity / expression / understanding because it’s a constantly moving target of growing and understanding. And the counseling storyline was just great! It was happy and sad and goofy and great!
I do think it was a liiiiitttllleee too perfect life for what was really going on. Our MC making bffs so quickly wherever the go and being so open about their identity struggles in the 80s seems a bit far fetched, but who doesn’t like to dream? The art style was fine for me, except I oftentimes forgot who was the MC because the drawings of other characters looked so similar that it was hard for me to keep track!
Definitely recommend! A queer GN? Yes please!
I do think it was a liiiiitttllleee too perfect life for what was really going on. Our MC making bffs so quickly wherever the go and being so open about their identity struggles in the 80s seems a bit far fetched, but who doesn’t like to dream? The art style was fine for me, except I oftentimes forgot who was the MC because the drawings of other characters looked so similar that it was hard for me to keep track!
Definitely recommend! A queer GN? Yes please!
August 31, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up
August 24, 2023
I read the print version of this book, and there is a very serious misprint after page 192, where the pages afterward are upside down, and out of sequence. For about 20 pages of the story I had to hold the book upside-down and pay attention to the page numbers to find where to read next.
March 31, 2023
2.5/5
- Thank you to the author and the publisher for putting this title as a "read now" on NetGalley. -
After reading the author's notes I have to say this was not an easy book to review.
Here are my thoughts.
I found the story touching and the finale really hit me hard but I had major issues with the overall book experience.
First of all this took me forever to read because I just couldn't get past the 50 pages mark.
After that, it started to take off and I started to enjoy it more.
Then I had a super hard time sometimes to distinguish the characters.
And with this it comes another point: I didn't like the art in general (except for the coloring). I found it very hard "to read" and confusing.
I didn't feel that spark while reading this graphic novel and had to push myself to continue reading it more than once. Unfortunately for me this was a sort of a miss.
- Thank you to the author and the publisher for putting this title as a "read now" on NetGalley. -
After reading the author's notes I have to say this was not an easy book to review.
Here are my thoughts.
I found the story touching and the finale really hit me hard but I had major issues with the overall book experience.
First of all this took me forever to read because I just couldn't get past the 50 pages mark.
After that, it started to take off and I started to enjoy it more.
Then I had a super hard time sometimes to distinguish the characters.
And with this it comes another point: I didn't like the art in general (except for the coloring). I found it very hard "to read" and confusing.
I didn't feel that spark while reading this graphic novel and had to push myself to continue reading it more than once. Unfortunately for me this was a sort of a miss.
January 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!
Themes: Trauma, gender identity, addiction, abuse
Representation: Nonbinary, addiction
Content Warning: SA, alcohol, homophobia, bullying, abuse
Premise: A graphic novel about a teen who isn’t sure of their gender identity and their struggle and journey with addiction
Characters
Claire
They are the main character of the book and the book follows through their journey.
I think the author did a good job conveying their character specifically towards how they felt when they get asked “are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?” I liked Claire’s backstory and what contributed to their trauma and addiction was revealed in flashbacks. I also liked how Claire’s feelings towards other things such as their town, their friends and their parents are shown in the book and it doesn't just focus on their trauma since it shows that they are a person who thinks of a ton of things, making them a “good” character. Their interactions and thoughts towards the other characters such as their hatred towards those who have wronged them and their love to their friends are shown in their personal narration.
One thing I wish there could have been more of was their interactions with their parents and family and how it contributed to their addiction. I know the author briefly mentions it and talks about how their parents pick on them but I wish that could have been more of a focus since they talk about how it is a fairly big deal and yet it isn’t mentioned much
Erica
I have mixed feelings about Erica as a character.
On one hand I get that the author was using her character to show that people deal with addictions differently since Erica was more shy and didn’t share in group as much as some of the other characters. I also get that they were there so that Claire could have a big breakthrough about their gender identity.
On the other hand, I wish Erica’s trauma was stated more rather than implied. I also wished that Erica didn’t try to Which, again, I get that the author was trying to use that so that Claire could have a breakthrough about their identity. However, I think the author could’ve written her interaction with them differently and still yield the same results.
Pete
I like Pete. Pete was cool. I liked how he stood up for Claire and taught Claire how to stand up for themselves. I liked how the author uses Pete’s story to explore yet another side of addiction and trauma that was different from Claire and Erica’s.
Unfortunately, and even though it was sad it does accurately reflect real life situations and abuse.
Tonya
Tonya was sort of annoying. But I think her character serves a purpose to show that someone who is annoying might just be hiding something such as trauma and abuse.
Counsellor
Loved the counsellor. I forgot his name because it was only mentioned once. A lot of what he said is pretty valid about trauma, addiction and abuse and I loved how supportive he was towards Claire. His words accurately reflect how hard it is to heal from addiction and I wish everyone has someone like him that they can turn to.
However, I feel like some of his dialogue was kind of stereotypical of a counsellor.
Claire’s Family
Their one brother was nice. The other brother was not as kind. Would’ve liked to see more interactions between the family and Claire.
Rating: 3.4/5
Plot
Exposition
The book starts off with Claire talking about their town. It was kind of awkward since the rant about the town was kind of long and though being in the town may have contributed to Claire’s trauma, I thought a lot of it was unnecessary. I would’ve preferred it if Claire talked more about their childhood instead.
Rising Action
The rising action starts when Claire I was surprised by what happened in the rising action since I thought the book would focus more on Claire’s identity and it would be about that rather than addiction.
However, once I read on, I decided that it was a pleasant surprise. A lot of what happens in the rising action is what you’d expect. Claire settles into their new environment, they meet new people, and they face some conflicts with those new people as well as their addiction. They try to heal.
Climax
I’d consider the climax of the story to be around the time when Claire is about to return home. That entails I thought the former was appropriate to the theme and plot of the book, I thought that the latter, although it had a lot of plot tension and was a contribution to the plot, was unnecessary and could have been replaced with something else.
Falling Action
I think the falling action occurs when Claire returns home. They with their brother’s in tow. I feel fairly neutral about the falling action as it starts to resolve some of the problems of the book appropriately.
However, I wish there could have been more interaction with the parents as to how they reacted when Claire returned home. I think that was only shown in one frame. As well as a more direct addressing on what went down with Erica. Though it was implied, it was not stated directly.
Denouement
This occurs in the last section of the book. It talks about how Claire is many years after their journey. I think it was nice as it gave the reader a look into how Claire is managing after being discharged.
However, it was also sad which makes a ton of sense since addiction is something that can kill.
Other
Much of the plot of the story is influenced by events that occurred in the author’s life. I think this is cool and definitely helps make the story and characters more realistic. Since the author is able to write what they wish they could have seen when they were going through the same journey as Claire. It also helps to shed a light on addiction.
With that I want to compliment the author for being able to write this. It was probably challenging as addiction is something that isn’t discussed much and when it is it is discussed negatively. And also, gender is more complicated than the standard “boy” and “girl” labels forced by society. I know that this will help a lot of young folks out there facing these issues.
Rating: 3.8/5
Style
Art
I liked the art. Although it wasn’t my preferred art style nor was it a style I see frequently in graphic novels (it is mostly digital drawings), I think it fits the book. It is simple and it makes it easy to see what is being portrayed in each frame.
It’s also really cool that it was done in marker!
Diction
Even though the diction (a.k.a. phrasing) was awkward at first, with Claire’s long spiel about their town, it ended up being fairly nice. It fits the story as it accurately describes the inside of a teenager’s minds and their interactions in the modern world without it feeling too “old” or “awkward” or like the author is “trying too hard to be relatable.”
Formatting
I think the formatting was nice as well. I liked how the book was sectioned into six chapters, each one describing what stage Claire was at with their journey.
Rating: 4.3/5
Final Rating
Characters: 3.4/5
Plot: 3.8/5
Formatting: 4.3/5
Final Rating: 3.7/5 (round to 4/5)
Personal Rating: 3.3/5
Date Read: March 31st, 2023
Date Reviewed: March 31sr, 2023
Themes: Trauma, gender identity, addiction, abuse
Representation: Nonbinary, addiction
Content Warning: SA, alcohol, homophobia, bullying, abuse
Premise: A graphic novel about a teen who isn’t sure of their gender identity and their struggle and journey with addiction
Characters
Claire
They are the main character of the book and the book follows through their journey.
I think the author did a good job conveying their character specifically towards how they felt when they get asked “are you supposed to be a boy or a girl?” I liked Claire’s backstory and what contributed to their trauma and addiction was revealed in flashbacks. I also liked how Claire’s feelings towards other things such as their town, their friends and their parents are shown in the book and it doesn't just focus on their trauma since it shows that they are a person who thinks of a ton of things, making them a “good” character. Their interactions and thoughts towards the other characters such as their hatred towards those who have wronged them and their love to their friends are shown in their personal narration.
One thing I wish there could have been more of was their interactions with their parents and family and how it contributed to their addiction. I know the author briefly mentions it and talks about how their parents pick on them but I wish that could have been more of a focus since they talk about how it is a fairly big deal and yet it isn’t mentioned much
Erica
I have mixed feelings about Erica as a character.
On one hand I get that the author was using her character to show that people deal with addictions differently since Erica was more shy and didn’t share in group as much as some of the other characters. I also get that they were there so that Claire could have a big breakthrough about their gender identity.
On the other hand, I wish Erica’s trauma was stated more rather than implied. I also wished that Erica didn’t try to Which, again, I get that the author was trying to use that so that Claire could have a breakthrough about their identity. However, I think the author could’ve written her interaction with them differently and still yield the same results.
Pete
I like Pete. Pete was cool. I liked how he stood up for Claire and taught Claire how to stand up for themselves. I liked how the author uses Pete’s story to explore yet another side of addiction and trauma that was different from Claire and Erica’s.
Unfortunately, and even though it was sad it does accurately reflect real life situations and abuse.
Tonya
Tonya was sort of annoying. But I think her character serves a purpose to show that someone who is annoying might just be hiding something such as trauma and abuse.
Counsellor
Loved the counsellor. I forgot his name because it was only mentioned once. A lot of what he said is pretty valid about trauma, addiction and abuse and I loved how supportive he was towards Claire. His words accurately reflect how hard it is to heal from addiction and I wish everyone has someone like him that they can turn to.
However, I feel like some of his dialogue was kind of stereotypical of a counsellor.
Claire’s Family
Their one brother was nice. The other brother was not as kind. Would’ve liked to see more interactions between the family and Claire.
Rating: 3.4/5
Plot
Exposition
The book starts off with Claire talking about their town. It was kind of awkward since the rant about the town was kind of long and though being in the town may have contributed to Claire’s trauma, I thought a lot of it was unnecessary. I would’ve preferred it if Claire talked more about their childhood instead.
Rising Action
The rising action starts when Claire I was surprised by what happened in the rising action since I thought the book would focus more on Claire’s identity and it would be about that rather than addiction.
However, once I read on, I decided that it was a pleasant surprise. A lot of what happens in the rising action is what you’d expect. Claire settles into their new environment, they meet new people, and they face some conflicts with those new people as well as their addiction. They try to heal.
Climax
I’d consider the climax of the story to be around the time when Claire is about to return home. That entails I thought the former was appropriate to the theme and plot of the book, I thought that the latter, although it had a lot of plot tension and was a contribution to the plot, was unnecessary and could have been replaced with something else.
Falling Action
I think the falling action occurs when Claire returns home. They with their brother’s in tow. I feel fairly neutral about the falling action as it starts to resolve some of the problems of the book appropriately.
However, I wish there could have been more interaction with the parents as to how they reacted when Claire returned home. I think that was only shown in one frame. As well as a more direct addressing on what went down with Erica. Though it was implied, it was not stated directly.
Denouement
This occurs in the last section of the book. It talks about how Claire is many years after their journey. I think it was nice as it gave the reader a look into how Claire is managing after being discharged.
However, it was also sad which makes a ton of sense since addiction is something that can kill.
Other
Much of the plot of the story is influenced by events that occurred in the author’s life. I think this is cool and definitely helps make the story and characters more realistic. Since the author is able to write what they wish they could have seen when they were going through the same journey as Claire. It also helps to shed a light on addiction.
With that I want to compliment the author for being able to write this. It was probably challenging as addiction is something that isn’t discussed much and when it is it is discussed negatively. And also, gender is more complicated than the standard “boy” and “girl” labels forced by society. I know that this will help a lot of young folks out there facing these issues.
Rating: 3.8/5
Style
Art
I liked the art. Although it wasn’t my preferred art style nor was it a style I see frequently in graphic novels (it is mostly digital drawings), I think it fits the book. It is simple and it makes it easy to see what is being portrayed in each frame.
It’s also really cool that it was done in marker!
Diction
Even though the diction (a.k.a. phrasing) was awkward at first, with Claire’s long spiel about their town, it ended up being fairly nice. It fits the story as it accurately describes the inside of a teenager’s minds and their interactions in the modern world without it feeling too “old” or “awkward” or like the author is “trying too hard to be relatable.”
Formatting
I think the formatting was nice as well. I liked how the book was sectioned into six chapters, each one describing what stage Claire was at with their journey.
Rating: 4.3/5
Final Rating
Characters: 3.4/5
Plot: 3.8/5
Formatting: 4.3/5
Final Rating: 3.7/5 (round to 4/5)
Personal Rating: 3.3/5
Date Read: March 31st, 2023
Date Reviewed: March 31sr, 2023
March 15, 2023
This work was made available to me through NetGalley, Thank you.
The story is set in the 80’s in the state of New York. The main character that we follow is Claire.
Claire is queer, doesn't entirely have the words to describe themselves and is coping with life by partying and drinking with their best friend.
Claire’s use of alcohol spirals and they end up in court mandated rehab.
Before I go into the actual story, let me just say that the artstyle in this one really worked for me, it has the feeling of a sketchbook in some ways and the colors feel slightly muted even when they are in their more colorful parts (I’m not an art critic, can you tell?).
This is a graphic novel divided into six major chapters that give you a strong idea of the content in all of them.
The chapter titles are:
Denial
Acceptance
Boundaries
Relapse
Homecoming
Commencement
Personally I thought that the first and last chapters were not as strong as the middle four.
I have so many quotes that I’ve written down from this work.
I love when a book helps me with putting words to thoughts and feelings that I’ve had and this certainly did that.
I feel like when I read about the book, I expected more of Claire’s friendship with Greg to be on the page but as the majority of the book takes place in rehab that is not the case.
Instead Claire gets put in a space where they are allowed to both make genuine friendships in a less judgemental environment, figuring out their identity, learning to stand up for themselves, and figuring out life.
Seeing the journey was interesting, and I was invested in the other people Claire meets in rehab.
There are a lot of moments where Claire is questioning themselves and where they reflect on their relationships and past of bullying from both teachers, peers and family.
I think for me, the thing I found the most interesting was trying to figure out your queerness without many role models, without the language that many (but not all) have access to now.
I would have loved for this to be slightly longer and gone deeper in some areas, the ending in particular felt a bit rushed and unfinished to me.
I don’t share all of Claire’s experiences so I cannot speak for how well the non-binary representation or rehab was handled. But I got the impression that it was done well.
So overall. This is a strong 4 stars for me.
CW: Transphobia, bullying, addiction, abuse, drug use, death
The story is set in the 80’s in the state of New York. The main character that we follow is Claire.
Claire is queer, doesn't entirely have the words to describe themselves and is coping with life by partying and drinking with their best friend.
Claire’s use of alcohol spirals and they end up in court mandated rehab.
Before I go into the actual story, let me just say that the artstyle in this one really worked for me, it has the feeling of a sketchbook in some ways and the colors feel slightly muted even when they are in their more colorful parts (I’m not an art critic, can you tell?).
This is a graphic novel divided into six major chapters that give you a strong idea of the content in all of them.
The chapter titles are:
Denial
Acceptance
Boundaries
Relapse
Homecoming
Commencement
Personally I thought that the first and last chapters were not as strong as the middle four.
I have so many quotes that I’ve written down from this work.
I love when a book helps me with putting words to thoughts and feelings that I’ve had and this certainly did that.
I feel like when I read about the book, I expected more of Claire’s friendship with Greg to be on the page but as the majority of the book takes place in rehab that is not the case.
Instead Claire gets put in a space where they are allowed to both make genuine friendships in a less judgemental environment, figuring out their identity, learning to stand up for themselves, and figuring out life.
Seeing the journey was interesting, and I was invested in the other people Claire meets in rehab.
There are a lot of moments where Claire is questioning themselves and where they reflect on their relationships and past of bullying from both teachers, peers and family.
I think for me, the thing I found the most interesting was trying to figure out your queerness without many role models, without the language that many (but not all) have access to now.
I would have loved for this to be slightly longer and gone deeper in some areas, the ending in particular felt a bit rushed and unfinished to me.
I don’t share all of Claire’s experiences so I cannot speak for how well the non-binary representation or rehab was handled. But I got the impression that it was done well.
So overall. This is a strong 4 stars for me.
CW: Transphobia, bullying, addiction, abuse, drug use, death
March 23, 2023
Constellations is an eye opening graphic novel that is set in the 80's and tells us the story of a queer teenager Claire, who is sick of people trying to put them in one box so they turn to drinking and partying to cope with their emotions. This spirals out of control and they end up in court ordered rehab to break their addiction and learn some more positive coping strategies.
I really enjoyed this read as I haven't seen many novels or graphic novels centred around teenage addiction or gender identify set in the 80's, The artwork was a bit different from my usual style of graphic novel and used water colour styling and colour schemes throughout the book.
Some of the characters were a little hard to tell apart and the start of the story was a little hard to follow, but overall I enjoyed learning about the characters journey , especially as the author explained in their note that their own struggles with addiction, rehab and gender inspired Claire's.
Thank you so much to Holiday House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-ARC and the opportunity to read it before it's publish date on the 23rd May 2023.
I post about diverse & queer novels @niksreadss on Instagram
I really enjoyed this read as I haven't seen many novels or graphic novels centred around teenage addiction or gender identify set in the 80's, The artwork was a bit different from my usual style of graphic novel and used water colour styling and colour schemes throughout the book.
Some of the characters were a little hard to tell apart and the start of the story was a little hard to follow, but overall I enjoyed learning about the characters journey , especially as the author explained in their note that their own struggles with addiction, rehab and gender inspired Claire's.
Thank you so much to Holiday House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-ARC and the opportunity to read it before it's publish date on the 23rd May 2023.
I post about diverse & queer novels @niksreadss on Instagram
May 15, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley and Holiday House, Peachtree, and Pixel+Ink for providing me with an eARC of Constellations in exchange for my honest thoughts!
I'm seeing this graphic novel garner some lukewarm reception, but I thought it did a pretty damn good job at presenting a heartbreaking addiction tale that doesn't sugarcoat things and weaves in a realistically messy journey of queer self-navigation. This is much more character-driven than it is plot-driven, so I did have to prepare myself for that type of storytelling as it dives into Claire's life and their relationships with numerous other people. Now, I'll admit that I have issues with the illustration style—specifically, the way that it makes a few of the characters look too similar to each other and repeatedly confuses me as to which people they are. But otherwise, I found the watercolor-and-ink art to be charming.
Overall, I'm officially rating Constellations 4 out of 5 stars. I hope this is able to receive more praise once it's published.
I'm seeing this graphic novel garner some lukewarm reception, but I thought it did a pretty damn good job at presenting a heartbreaking addiction tale that doesn't sugarcoat things and weaves in a realistically messy journey of queer self-navigation. This is much more character-driven than it is plot-driven, so I did have to prepare myself for that type of storytelling as it dives into Claire's life and their relationships with numerous other people. Now, I'll admit that I have issues with the illustration style—specifically, the way that it makes a few of the characters look too similar to each other and repeatedly confuses me as to which people they are. But otherwise, I found the watercolor-and-ink art to be charming.
Overall, I'm officially rating Constellations 4 out of 5 stars. I hope this is able to receive more praise once it's published.
April 2, 2023
I was not a fan of this book. I liked the basic idea but I couldn’t connect with the characters. The art style was not one of my favorites either. I do recommend this book however because I feel like there is an audience out there for this, I’m just not that audience.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a copy of this book.
March 25, 2023
This was incredible. It really shines a light on the complexities of being brought up in a specific background, but also having to navigate gender identity within not only that background, but also society as a whole. It also tackles youth addiction really well. I think, at least for me, I haven’t read a whole lot of books that center on teen addiction that also finds itself in recovery like this. As well as the hardships afterward. I think that’s really important to focus on.
The illustrations weren’t my favorite, but the story was fantastic.
The illustrations weren’t my favorite, but the story was fantastic.
May 20, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
3.5 rounded up.
"Constellations" is an intimate, semi-autobiographical graphic novel about addiction, recovery, and identity, set in the 80s. It was cool to read about a gender nonconforming person from the more recent past, and I appreciate how honest the text was about the internal and external struggles of understanding oneself and maintaining sobriety in a world that doesn't love you. It was definitely an affecting read.
My criticisms are structural. I felt there was often a lot of content per page in a way that could be overwhelming and confusing. I also am not a fan of lots of monologuing. Those issues aside, though, I'd definitely recommend this for high school students who are interested in issues of substance abuse, gender identity, and/or overcoming trauma.
3.5 rounded up.
"Constellations" is an intimate, semi-autobiographical graphic novel about addiction, recovery, and identity, set in the 80s. It was cool to read about a gender nonconforming person from the more recent past, and I appreciate how honest the text was about the internal and external struggles of understanding oneself and maintaining sobriety in a world that doesn't love you. It was definitely an affecting read.
My criticisms are structural. I felt there was often a lot of content per page in a way that could be overwhelming and confusing. I also am not a fan of lots of monologuing. Those issues aside, though, I'd definitely recommend this for high school students who are interested in issues of substance abuse, gender identity, and/or overcoming trauma.
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November 4, 2023I feel like I can’t give this a rating because of how personal and intense this book was. I think I expected this to be a little more uplifting or hopeful, and it was in some ways, but it was really heavy as well. I really liked the illustrations and the way the pages really captured emotions.
February 10, 2024
The prose was a bit Holden Caulfeild at times, but I enjoyed the chaotic, sketchbook nature of the art. An important story to be told, even as I was left wanting a bit more... something.
September 20, 2024
I don't particularly care for the art style, but it was an interesting choice for the story. This book is heartbreaking, but it's also hopeful.
May 10, 2025
Fantastic book. It’s so painful but so beautifully written.
March 8, 2025
currently typing this with tears in my eyes. i want to give claire a hug and tell them everything will be okay. this book makes me want to hug my friends a little tighter
June 4, 2024
Follows the alcohol abuse and rehab experience of a butch teen raised in a small dying factory town. Fictionalized account written from lived experience. Depictions of gender expression-based harassment, assault, among other things. Most of the pages focus on group therapy/support sessions in the rehab center.
Glasheen's illustrations are distinctive and are consistent with the cover - full-color, with a chaotic watercolor effect. Lined notepaper-like fragments show up throughout, which implies the vibes of a daily journal/processing tool. Their figures have notably angry eyebrows almost all the time. Glasheen is a tattoo artist in PA, alongside their authorship.
Glasheen's illustrations are distinctive and are consistent with the cover - full-color, with a chaotic watercolor effect. Lined notepaper-like fragments show up throughout, which implies the vibes of a daily journal/processing tool. Their figures have notably angry eyebrows almost all the time. Glasheen is a tattoo artist in PA, alongside their authorship.
May 5, 2023
ARC from NetGalley
Constellations is a graphic novel about Claire, who struggles with their gender, having been assigned female at birth but not feeling as though it fits. To cope with the abuse from others about how they look and questions about if they are a girl or a boy, they drink. This leads to an accident that ends up in a rehab facility for youth. Through their time there, Claire learns about addiction and the world at large, and how they live with life and trauma.
This was an interesting story about one’s journey with gender, addiction, and trauma. The story was very
cohesive and told in a way that let the reader into Claire's world. In some places the story did feel rushed, especially the end, and could have used a little more time on page. To this effect, some of the relationships could have been flushed out better, especially in the beginning of the relationship, such as
with Erica.
Though I didn't care for the illustrations at first, by the end I think they really went well with the story and added a certain tone. The style of writing was interesting as well. Almost poetic in some spots, it added a dimension of seriousness to the story.
Constellations is a graphic novel about Claire, who struggles with their gender, having been assigned female at birth but not feeling as though it fits. To cope with the abuse from others about how they look and questions about if they are a girl or a boy, they drink. This leads to an accident that ends up in a rehab facility for youth. Through their time there, Claire learns about addiction and the world at large, and how they live with life and trauma.
This was an interesting story about one’s journey with gender, addiction, and trauma. The story was very
cohesive and told in a way that let the reader into Claire's world. In some places the story did feel rushed, especially the end, and could have used a little more time on page. To this effect, some of the relationships could have been flushed out better, especially in the beginning of the relationship, such as
with Erica.
Though I didn't care for the illustrations at first, by the end I think they really went well with the story and added a certain tone. The style of writing was interesting as well. Almost poetic in some spots, it added a dimension of seriousness to the story.
August 15, 2025
Oh, ouch. This was a tough read - not because it was badly written or poorly illustrated or offensive, but because it's raw. It's real. And reality is hard to swallow.
This is one of the better depictions of mental health, psychotherapy and counseling, the struggles of overcoming addiction and why it happens, and of the confusion of not fitting into a pre-selected box that I've ever seen. Addiction is a process that never ends, and sobriety often has less to do with moral integrity and more to do with our circumstances. That was shown so beautifully here and with surprisingly poignant & poetic prose. I'm glad I read it.
Tldr; It broke my heart but concluded with enough hope to heal it again.
Quick edit- I read some reviews and wanna add this: if you are looking for plot driven story, typical character arcs, or a box to put Claire in, you will not like this. If you like biographies and introspective slice-of-life, check it out!
MINOR SPOILERS BELOW:
Claire is never given a gender or sexuality label because 1) its set in the 80s and, lets be honest, there was a lot less awarness about being "in between" back then, and 2) they found themselves happier without one. Which is kind of the point of the book - be yourself without worrying how others think you should be.
This is also one of those stories that takes a magnifying glass to a specific person and scrutinized their life and their universe. There is a lot of introspection and a lot of sitting and feeling in this book. If that's not your cup of tea, totally fine! But you might not like this one. I, however, really enjoyed it because it's just the kind of thing I like. This is more of a "biography in the form of a fictional retelling" than a classic fiction narrative.
This is one of the better depictions of mental health, psychotherapy and counseling, the struggles of overcoming addiction and why it happens, and of the confusion of not fitting into a pre-selected box that I've ever seen. Addiction is a process that never ends, and sobriety often has less to do with moral integrity and more to do with our circumstances. That was shown so beautifully here and with surprisingly poignant & poetic prose. I'm glad I read it.
Tldr; It broke my heart but concluded with enough hope to heal it again.
Quick edit- I read some reviews and wanna add this: if you are looking for plot driven story, typical character arcs, or a box to put Claire in, you will not like this. If you like biographies and introspective slice-of-life, check it out!
MINOR SPOILERS BELOW:
Claire is never given a gender or sexuality label because 1) its set in the 80s and, lets be honest, there was a lot less awarness about being "in between" back then, and 2) they found themselves happier without one. Which is kind of the point of the book - be yourself without worrying how others think you should be.
This is also one of those stories that takes a magnifying glass to a specific person and scrutinized their life and their universe. There is a lot of introspection and a lot of sitting and feeling in this book. If that's not your cup of tea, totally fine! But you might not like this one. I, however, really enjoyed it because it's just the kind of thing I like. This is more of a "biography in the form of a fictional retelling" than a classic fiction narrative.
April 3, 2023
Oof. I genuinely think this could have been good and I liked the concept of a questioning non-binary teenager in the '80s going to rehab but it just did not work for me. I always feel really terrible critiquing art styles for graphic novels. I don't know why it feels more personal to tell someone I don't like their artwork versus writing even though both are forms of art, but the entire art style was just not good. It didn't make sense and most of the time I couldn't even pick out the main character from the others because they all looked so similar. Then there's the fact that there's shading around the character's eyes and in different parts of their faces that makes them look scary. Like I was frightened by some of these pages. And this is not supposed to be a scary book. There were also so many missing plot points. Like it felt as though there was supposed to be this full comic and then we're missing one or two panels but we're supposed to understand the whole thing. There was a lot of interpretation and I just don't jive with that very well. I like things to be spelled out in the art to compliment not have to interpret the art in order to understand the story.
That being said, I really liked the chapters where Claire was at the rehab center and their discussions with the other kids there. I really liked the discussions with Charlie who was the therapist. I really wanted to like it but the art ruined it for me.
That being said, I really liked the chapters where Claire was at the rehab center and their discussions with the other kids there. I really liked the discussions with Charlie who was the therapist. I really wanted to like it but the art ruined it for me.
March 15, 2024
I'm quite torn between 4 & 5 stars. 5 stars for not sugar-coating the appeal of substance abuse as a coping mechanism, and for showing some of the difficult home dynamics that can lead even kids down that path. 4 stars because it needed a better editor (especially the end) to disentangle some mixed metaphors and clarify the final messages, but teen readers won't care about those things.
I wish the book was being marketed as a sobriety story rather than a gender exploration story because truly it has MUCH wider appeal than what you'd expect from the cover description! Moreover, I'm not sure Claire really discovered anything about their gender? Instead they learned how to take concrete steps away from anger and substance abuse and towards honesty, camaraderie, and self-acceptance.
I've never read a book that showed such a big glimpse into youth rehab, and it really worked for this story. The many pages of Charlie, the rehab leader, speaking during group sessions didn't come off as lectures but as answers to the characters' urgent questions, like why not numb myself? How do I protect boundaries that no one in my life respects? And if we get sober, is there any hope for staying that way?
The message to drag secrets into the light & face your demons with honesty is one that will be impactful for any reader.
I wish the book was being marketed as a sobriety story rather than a gender exploration story because truly it has MUCH wider appeal than what you'd expect from the cover description! Moreover, I'm not sure Claire really discovered anything about their gender? Instead they learned how to take concrete steps away from anger and substance abuse and towards honesty, camaraderie, and self-acceptance.
I've never read a book that showed such a big glimpse into youth rehab, and it really worked for this story. The many pages of Charlie, the rehab leader, speaking during group sessions didn't come off as lectures but as answers to the characters' urgent questions, like why not numb myself? How do I protect boundaries that no one in my life respects? And if we get sober, is there any hope for staying that way?
The message to drag secrets into the light & face your demons with honesty is one that will be impactful for any reader.
March 29, 2023
Unfortunately this just wasn't for me. I didn't particularly enjoy the storytelling. It's obviously a very important and heartfelt journey that Claire goes on, and I can see it meant a lot to the author, but the majority of the story is just the therapy sessions. Just lots of flowery words and metaphors. There were some parts I really liked, like when the characters interacted with each other, when you got to see the relationships grow. But most of it just felt lacking.
As for the art, while it's quite a nice style, I had issues with the general layouts of the pages which made it quite difficult to read. Plus, and I don't know if it was just me, but a lot of the facial expressions just didn't fit. Sometimes I couldn't tell when a character was shocked or angry or sad.
Overall this might connect well with some readers, but not for me.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley.
As for the art, while it's quite a nice style, I had issues with the general layouts of the pages which made it quite difficult to read. Plus, and I don't know if it was just me, but a lot of the facial expressions just didn't fit. Sometimes I couldn't tell when a character was shocked or angry or sad.
Overall this might connect well with some readers, but not for me.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley.
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