Dear Mini: A Graphic Memoir, Book One

by Natalie Norris

A vivid debut graphic memoir of adolescent resiliency. This debut graphic memoir (the first of two books, with Book Two coming in 2025) is a bittersweet coming of age story that chronicles the author’s teenage experiences with sexual assault, PTSD, and resiliency. Dear Mini is not a cautionary tale; rather, it is a vivid (at turns hilariously and uncomfortably so) depiction of adolescent agency in the face of trauma, tracing Norris’s journey from wayward wild-child to resilient adult who has harnessed her voice after almost a decade of silence. Told in the form of an illustrated letter to an old friend, Dear Mini recounts the author’s experience going abroad to attend a language immersion program in France after her sophomore year of high school. She meets Mini, an Austrian student who shares her predilection for illicit adventure, and the two quickly form a bond that they expect to last well after they go their separate ways. But when Natalie visits Mini ten months after their last face-to-face, something has changed. Their nocturnal exploits veer head-on into disaster. Norris’s spirited and free-flowing page designs and full color cartooning bring her frank voice and personality to life, making Dear Mini one of the most compelling graphic memoir debuts of 2023. Full-color illustrations throughout

Genres: Graphic Novels, Memoir, Comics, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Biography, Mental Health

218 pages, Hardcover

First published June 27, 2023

Reviews

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning cover + artwork. Such a dark, depressing story, though. Check TWs.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been meaning to read this for a bit now and went into it very blind. Had stumbled into a bookstore and picked it up mainly due to the fact that the cover is eye-catching. It’s very different then most other books you see. Glad I did because the story being told by Natalie based on her life is so very compelling and powerful.

The way this was set up was so different then other graphic novels I’ve read. The layout particularly how the writing was placed contributed to the absolute dread that you felt as the reader. & it most definitely emphasized the absolute chaos that Natalie was feeling and going through at this tumultuous time in her life. The illustrations were so well done and really made all the difference. So essential to see on paper how absolutely heart wrenching these type of situations are and the effects they bring with them.

Rape culture (which brings along with it, victim blaming amongst other things) is such a huge problem in our society and this book absolutely brings that to light. As women we grow up hearing about and like Natalie states some of us almost expect it to happen like its some inevitable fact of life. & then when it does we’re scared to tell somebody about it because as a result of rape culture we think that we deserved it because of what we wore etc. My heart breaks that Natalie went through this at such a young age and for the millions of other females that have also been raped and sexually assaulted.

This is a must read in my opinion and such a great conversation starter

[Kricket · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this somewhat difficult to read due to a) the content and b) the cursive handwriting meandering throughout, which was very lovely, but my brain struggled with what order to read the cursive thoughts in with the other dialogue bubbles, if that makes sense? Natalie's experience is very thought-provoking and reminded me of an interview I recently heard with Chanel Miller, who talks about how she is constantly evaluating situations to see, if she were to be sexually assaulted again, if she would look like a "good victim" to a jury. Thanks, patriarchy! I may have also enjoyed this more if I hadn't recently finished "This is the last day of the rest of your life" by Ulli Lust AND "Ducks" by Kate Beaton. I think these are all important books, but for me personally it was a lot of repeating themes in a short amount of time. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the aforementioned and were looking for more gns about sexual assault.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked up at Mocca 2025. A beautiful but difficult read about how when we're transitioning into adulthood we're driven to have as many "experiences" as possible to shake off the naivete of youth. This can be a fun experience, but for so many women there are predators waiting in the wings, turning what should be a fun experience into a terrifying one.

I definitely need to read something lighter after this, but I'm so glad I took a chance on this book.

[r. fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

put a cigarette out on my heart 🥲💔 ouch, sssssss. required reading for SV survivors<3

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir about sexual trauma is darkly compelling and of course brutal to read at times. Love Norris’s swirly art throughout.

[Ro Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult content but great read

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clueless and innocent is no way to go through life as is proven in this debut graphic memoir. The art is loose and loopy…much like the main character. Will you feel bad for her and the situations she gets herself into? Maybe not so much, and maybe we oughta…..? But above all, this book is raw and authentic as it gets. As they say, you can’t make this $% up. NSFW.

[Lindsey Lawntea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was an extremely difficult read. There are multiple on page graphic depictions of sexual assault, so be aware it’s pretty triggering. There were too many rape jokes in the beginning (as in the kids telling each other they’re going to be raped). It’s so sad to find parts of this relatable, but it is the sad truth that many teen girls experienced similar predatory behavior from adult men and were unintentionally left behind by the other women in the situation. I liked the discussion she provided about how trying to suppress her trauma and protect herself with promiscuity impacted her. It feels like it ends a little abruptly, which it is supposed to be Book One, but I would have preferred it end with her present relationship with Mini. I also wish there could have been more about her relationship with Mini than just constant hookups and trauma. I can’t judge her for how she wants to tell her story but I did find the dynamic odd. This is a letter to an estranged best friend, so in a way it sometimes feels like some of the sections would be weird to depict so much to your best friend. Why does she love Mini so much outside of their partying, we very rarely see them do anything else? Why is it important for her to write this letter to Mini after all this time? Is it just to help her process it or is it because there’s something she needs Mini to know about it? When did Mini find out the truth? Is it just now as we the reader are finding out too? If not, how did she react? Of course, this may be discussed in Book Two but I really would have liked to see some of that in Book One.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first volume of a coming-of-age memoir Natalie Morris ostensibly pens to her friend Mini (and shares with us, too) with whom she traveled a couple wild years in Europe as a teen. Sex positive, we'd--maybe--say she was now, but Norris makes it clear she was lost in drunken revelry, with not a clue what do about the attentions of men, boys, or sex except to have fun and explore experiences. And when she was raped, she was unable to tell anyone about it until now, ten years later, in the form of this comics letter, which reads a bit like a journal, personal, intimate (in numerous ways, graphically depicted at times), ruthlessly honest (mostly about herself, actually, with regrets), not at all blaming the more cautionary Mini for anything.

Dear Mini is not a moral condemnation of her former self, but more a psychological portrait of the girl she was. We see the boys and men swirling around her, eager for "experience," as she was in a somewhat different way. It's not a story of shame, or confession, exactly; she does of course blame the guy who did this, but she makes it clear, too, that in retrospect she put herself in danger with many men and boys, over that time period. and then trauma happens out of it, self-denial, that over time becomes a part of her personality. What I liked about it was the honesty, and the occasion it affords for a conversation about safety, life and learning.

There are other books this can be read against: Ducks by Kate Beaton (the misogynistic environs of a tar sands job); Milkman by Anna Burns (many men encroaching on the mc's life); Commute: An Illustrated Memoir of Female Shame; Someone Please Have Sex With me by Gina Wynbrandt (funny book about desire!); Take it as a Compliment by Maria Stoian; Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Lili Lust (who traveled dangerously with bands and drug dealers across Europe as a teen and survived to tell the tale). Oh, and so many more stories, across a range of experience and attitudes. And right, so many misogynistic boy road trip tales, some of them misogynistic, of course. I could imagine a whole course (preferably taught by a woman, not me mansplaining female sexuality/assault, of course) with just graphic memoirs.

[Squirrel]

I don't quite know what I think about this book. I hope this made the author feel better about how she was raped. But the format, with repeated images of the author in various states of undress and having sex of varying levels of consent, makes me feel kludgy for looking at it. The whole thing feels really exhibitionist, but not in a way that is enjoyable for me the reader.
I don't think the author really knows why she acts the way she does in this book. Everything seems done to her or really superficial. I don't understand how growing up with both chronic physical and mental pain got her to this point. Or ultimately why she wants us to see what happened.
It's all done in a very girly style that belies the seriousness of the subject matter.
And I can't deny feeling a certain kind of resentment towards the author, who is the thin and pretty and sufficiently pliant kind of girl who can capture the eye of any guy she wants and how this feels like she's flaunting this ability.
But what I ultimately get out of this is Jesus Christ there are a lot of shitty, shitty men happy to take advantage of women. So many men happy to get what they can from a woman they don't respect and see as disposable. The author would not have gotten into many of the situations in this book if so many men hadn't deliberately worked to ensure that she was too intoxicated or too isolated to easily leave.
I also don't know what I think about Mini and her choices to leave the author stranded or in awkward spots, especially as she is only 17. But maybe that's my adult self coming out, knowing how vulnerable that age is, even as 17 year olds think they know everything.
I don't know. It's a weird graphic novel and I can't say that I enjoyed it.

[KT]

have been familiar with Norris's work for a little while (& have read other work of hers, mostly mini-comics!), but every time i checked this out of the library in the past i didn't quite feel like i was in a good state to read it. luckily i was feeling resilient lately, so i checked it out & have actually read it now!

the art is incredible, & framing the memoir as a letter gives it a lot of intimacy that allows us, as readers, to come along as Norris recounts a really traumatic moment in the context of a tumultuous (exciting confusing dizzying etc) time of her life. the illustrations are vivid and gorgeous, & the lettering is so good (huge props to anyone who is consistently using cursive -- i feel like i don't see it in comics often?).

one day perhaps i will finally take the graphic resiliency course she teaches over the summer @ ccs! one day...

[fer_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the art style and the cute, curly font Norris used in her graphic memoir. However, the story and the illustrations made me feel icky. I knew that Norris was going to share her story about being a victim of rape. But, everything she shared was really raw and in-your-face. I wanted to hold her and protect her from the situations she found herself in. I was upset at how she was let down by her “friends” and family- especially the girls in her life (her older sister, and her so-called friend Mimi). I couldn’t understand the adults in her life, either! And, I was disappointed and disgusted by the men that took advantage of her vulnerability and naivety. I hope Norris found healing in writing this book. I pray that anyone who identifies with her experiences (especially young girls!) find the strength and courage to speak up and seek help!

3 ⭐️

[jessica alvarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda cute, just two girls sluttin their way though Europe basically. Art work is 9/10. There is a fine line between romanticizing your pain and trauma and actually calling genuine attention and concern to it. Author is not so much woe-is-me which is refreshing, since this is probably my least favorite topic to read, but then still diminishes her feelings/thoughts about what happened to her, which is sad. The girly moments between Nat and Mini are super cute most definitely relatable. Also I feel like the author is an Fire sign lol.
Honestly really curious to see what Minis response is, can we get a Dear Natalie: Book two?

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although some parts of this book were rightfully hard to stomach (TW: rape), I really liked the book overall. The carelessness portrayed is something I could relate to with my own teenage experience. I found myself reading sentiments that I didn't know I would resonate with so heavily. The way the author reflects on the past is very compassionate, yet it's clear that these memories and emotions are still being processed and may never be "resolved" - I think that perspective was a particularly beautiful component of the book. I loved the way the text and pictures intertwined, it made the story feel like a live recollection of memories past.

[Bella Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This evoked a sense of dread and frustration out of me due to what she experienced as a result of men’s desires. Accordingly, I felt that Mini wasn’t as involved in their relationship as the author perceived, especially after viewing Minis disregard for the authors feelings/fears at the party where the incident occurred to the author.

While this was a bit difficult to stomach, I felt that this novel provided a necessary lesson to those who weren’t aware of how easily a woman could be r*ped. It allowed for me to view the dangers that the world contains outside of what I am well-acquainted with.

[EB Chaffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting, beautiful, I absolutely could not put this book down till I finished devouring it. Natalie Norris tapped into a specific teenage experience in a way that made me feel like she was seeing into my younger soul. I laughed, cried, and healed a little with the characters in this story. I hope in my heart that a young woman picks it up and learns to trust her gut, and that she is valuable with (and sometimes for) her mistakes. I will be reading any other Parts to this series. Also- the art is INCREDIBLE- truly a beautiful graphic memoir. 12/10 would recommend.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: rape, sexual violence, drug and alcohol use.

I read Dear Mini in one sitting because if I put it down, I wouldn't have been able to come back to it. That's not because the story isn't compelling, but more to do with how triggering I found some of the content and its depictions.

I would have liked to have learned about the author's relationship with Mini on a deeper level outside of partying, but maybe that will happen in book two. I appreciated her honesty in terms of exploring her reaction to the trauma and how she processed and is still processing it.

[Karla Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a coming of age story that is also pretty triggering since she is out and about with men that take advantage of her. There are also actual pics of bruises at the end that are pretty graphic compared to the cartoon drawing done for the novel. I would like a sequel of it tho maybe a progress story about how she deals with the trauma now or if she has moved passed it. I think she might regret not enjoying europe more than the boys but tba it seems like a mary kate and ashley eurotrip gone wrong. Like european boys sound fun until you meet the ones she encountered and I was scared for her :(

[Bridget Dahlman-Oeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a graphic memoir and Natalie Norris did an incredible job with gorgeous flowing illustrations and and lettering, and I loved the format of written letters. This book’s content is very intense and Norris does not shy away from detail. I would recommend to take breaks for those who could be triggered by SA and violence.
I ended the book feeling grateful for Norris sharing her experience so that people can feel seen and not feel like they need to hide or shame their experiences. Looking forward to part 2 ❤️

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I relate a great deal to this, and for the sake of my mental health, that is all that I will write about that aspect . Norris’s art is incredible and it flows together so beautifully with her words. I don’t think this memoir would be quite as powerful without the drawings. I’m continuing my way through graphic memoirs and this work just reinforces my developing belief that perhaps this is the best genre through which to share one’s life. I eagerly await volume 2, which I imagine will also destroy me emotionally, but hopefully will provide some catharsis as Natalie and Mini reunite.

[Diana Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

The full-color, full-page art with hand-lettered text and dialog used in Dear Mini was a refreshing change from the standard panel formatting in most graphic novels. Book One introduces readers to the subject of the memoir, Natalie, and her Austrian friend, Mini. Book One ends very abruptly, I almost wondered if I had a full copy of the book, or if I was missing some pages at the end.

Advance copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss.

[lucy black]

Can’t rate personal memoirs.

This is a sad hot girl story of travelling in Europe and being naughty and pretty. I was never a hot girl so this realm of teen life seems fairly alien. Except for the awful predatory men, that’s more familiar. There’s a very graphic and awful depiction of multiple sexual assaults and rape. The illustrations are fluid and flowing, the cursive font spills over the page, it’s almost art nouveau.

[Averil *rat emoji* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever find a price of art that so excruciatingly captures your experience? My teenage hood was plagiarised in this book, The weightloss, the low self esteem, the euro trip, the frequent hook ups that never really meant much to me; but was about gaining “experience”, the cutting, the mistake of desire for respect. Girl phew, this book makes it hard not to hate men ♻️🗑️ “I didn’t know I could be bad at getting raped” so heavy

[Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dear Mini was intimate and raw, but not in a way that made me feel closer to the author. I felt intrusive, as though I'd stumbled into something that wasn't meant for me. That may be due to the deeply personal nature of her story, her struggles and mindset and experiences. I didn't get the resolution I wanted for her, either, but because this is the first book I expect it culminates along the journey as she goes on.

Language: High
Violence: Mild
Drugs: High
Sex: High

[Aaron Mcilhenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly well done – Natalie has the rare gift of making trauma and recovery beautiful, and thus understandable, in ways that provide support and meaning to those with similar experiences while also distilling a complex topic into narratives accessible to the uninitiated. Deeply brave and long overdue.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a TW situation for anyone with sexual assault history or sensitivity. One of the most intense depictions of being a total mess as an adolescent and experiencing sexual trauma. Beautiful art, the story was so raw, made me curious as a therapist what healing work the author had done to be able to revisit that part of herself and that time.

[soap · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really difficult to read not just because of subject matter but also because of the scattered visuals and words. Norris held back none of her punches and each one felt more gut wrenching than the last.

[Ron Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is tough. I appreciate her honesty. But I think it's important to separate regret sex from rape. Her sexual encounters were consensual. To equate drunken hookups with actual sexual assault is very damaging.

[Adara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrowing. Good art, sad story. The cursive was a little jarring to read/ get used to at first. I read that line first and then the little text bubbles. I felt seen. TW Rape TW promiscuity TW general trauma