Goblin Girl
Goblin Girl
By Moa Romanova. Translated by Melissa Bowers. Published by Fantagraphics.
Hardcover, 184 pages, Colour, 2020.
A dating site match goes really wrong in this troubling, funny graphic memoir.
Things seem to be looking up when Moa Romanova — broke, depressed, and living in a squat above an old store — matches with a very famous celebrity on a popular hook-up site. Not only does the 53-year-old man like Moa — he also immediately validates and motivates her in a way that not even her therapist does, even offering to help financially support her artistic ambitions. However, Moa soon discovers that there are strings attached. Drawn in a style that's de Chirico by way of the '80s, Romanova's relatable graphic memoir is a thought-provoking debut.
"Romanova’s disarming debut graphic memoir grapples with gender, power, and bad Tinder dates. ... As she learns to heal and understand herself, readers who have dealt with mental health struggles or unequal power dynamics in relationships will recognize and sympathize with her regenerative conclusion." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A powerful commentary on our obsession with celebrity, the way we approach dating and technology, and the constant struggle to take mental health seriously. Romanova is a great artist and writer, and one to watch." — Broken Frontier
"I love Romanova's comics. I'm a big fan and incredibly impressed." — Liv Strömquist (Fruit of Knowledge)
"Romanova’s style is distinct, with distorted cartoony figures conveying both her sly humor and a palpable sense of unease." — Booklist
"Goblin Girl includes probably the best description of depression I've ever read." — PopMatters