The much-awarded graphic novel by Craig Thompson was released in 2003, but I just read it 20 years later. The book was very long on my bucket list, but last year I eventually bought it, and I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The autobiographical story is about coming of age, first love, and coming out to the parents about no longer being a Christian. Thompson’s art of cartooning is an ingenious mix of blending words and pictures into artworks and a heartwarming story. Moreover, it’s an interesting insight into growing up in a Christian home with religious parents, and I sometimes saw parallels to my history.

If a story gets you by your melancholic balls like this, it’s hard not to like it.

For an in-depth analysis and a look into the book, check out the following video.