Blankets

Craig Thompson’s autobiographical graphic novel chronicles his upbringing within a strict Evangelical household in the rural Midwest. The narrative centers on his childhood relationship with his younger brother, Phil, and his first romance with a girl named Raina during a winter church camp. Thompson uses sprawling ink illustrations to document his struggle with religious guilt, the physical reality of his family’s poverty, and the sensory experience of a Wisconsin winter. The story follows his attempt to reconcile his artistic identity and physical desires with his church’s doctrine, eventually resulting in the loss of his Christian faith.

This memoir serves readers interested in the intersections of fundamentalist religion and the transition into adulthood. Those who study the visual language of comics will find significant value in Thompson's use of negative space and fluid linework to depict internal emotional states. Readers walk away with a specific look at how childhood spiritual constructs disintegrate under the pressure of mature experience. It provides a detailed account of the isolation found in small-town religious communities and the difficult process of outgrowing one’s upbringing while maintaining affection for family.

Inward-looking and contemplative; an easy read.

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