GNW: Drinking at the Movies by Julia Wertz

In this gritty and honest graphic novel by Julia Wertz, readers get the chance to follow the adventures (and misadventures) of the author as she recounts her somewhat rash move to New York in her mid-twenties. Written as an autobiographical work, Drinking at the Movies is a collection of events in the life of Wertz. It follows the chaotic movements of her life and times as a new inhabitant of New York City.

Dealing with everything from a brother that slips in and out of rehab like a favorite pair of shoes, to her own inability to hold a job or keep herself from visiting the liquor store every other day, Wertz tells her story from the perspective of someone who knows how insane and unfair life can be. She tells her story with startling honesty and a hilarity that keeps you turning the pages long after you promised yourself you would stop.

I'm not sure I've ever read an autobiographical graphic novel before, but I can definitely say I'm a fan after reading this one. The art brings that much more reality to the story and keeps the reader engaged at every level.

Wertz spares us no detail or embarrassing point of view. She doesn't sugarcoat or whitewash anything, instead telling the story of her struggles and triumphs through the lens of someone who knows what it's like to battle uncertainty and fight to keep going, even while constantly asking herself whether or not she's lost her mind.

If you're looking for something real, filled with adult humor and uncomfortable truths, this is definitely the novel for you. I know I'll be revisiting this graphic novel more than once in the near future. Maybe you ought to do the same.