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Lost at Sea
Raleigh doesn't have a soul. A cat stole it – at least that's what she tells people – at least that's what she would tell people if she told people anything. But that would mean talking to people, and the mere thought of social interaction is terrifying. How did such a shy teenage girl end up in a car with three of her hooligan classmates on a cross-country road trip? Being forced to interact with kids her own age is a new and alarming proposition for Raleigh, but maybe it's just what she needs – or maybe it can help her find what she needs – or maybe it can help her to realize that what she needs has been with her all along.
162 pages, Paperback
First published December 22, 2003
199 people are currently reading
13871 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Lee O'Malley
61 books4,412 followersBryan Lee O'Malley is a Canadian cartoonist. His first original graphic novel was Lost at Sea (2003), and he is best-known for the six-volume Scott Pilgrim series (2004 to 2010). All of his Scott Pilgrim graphic novels were published by Portland, Oregon-based Oni Press. In July 2014 his graphic novel Seconds was released by Ballantine Books. He is also a songwriter and musician (as Kupek and formerly in several short-lived Toronto bands).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,478 reviews
July 12, 2022
Cross On the Road with The Stranger and The Catcher in the Rye - great GN that follows a young girl on a journey (external/internal) that is going to change her forever. Sometimes we are transformed the most while in transit - going from point A to B - and we only realise we have changed once the point is passed. Maybe that is why we never seem to get to where we think we want to be.
August 2, 2012
It's been awhile. Ten years, give or take. I first read Lost at Sea in 2002, or thereabouts. I was, what, twenty-eight? Twenty-nine? Maybe I was in its target demographic or maybe I was just at that right crossroads of life experiences, dashed hopes, fear of future, and qualified loneliness that Bryan Lee O'Malley's little book hit me just right. After all, it was one of my favourite comics at the time. I... I really liked it.
Of course, a decade has intervened and O'Malley's world has exploded into a torrent of Scott Pilgrim-related hootenanny. And due the ubiquity of the internet and the fact that everyone now has a voice with the advent and proliferation of blogs, livejournals, facebooks, tumblrs, ad nauseum, it's very easy to get a sense of what the vocal world out there thinks of Lost at Sea. "Emo bullshit" seems to be the lowest common denominator. There is a wave of unhappiness directed at this slender day-in-the-life recountment of a teenage girl's struggle to grasp the cruelness of a world she is yet to be prepared to understand. People don't like it and are happy to talk about how little they care for O'Malley's artistic vision in this case.
I generally like to reread books I've enjoyed every several years or so. (It's easier with comics than with prose fiction, obviously.) But with buckets of Lost-at-Sea-related negativity sloshing viscerally from one end of the internet to the other, my anticipation for the book began to wane. I chalked it up to my having first read the book in a vulnerable emotional state—despite not actually remembering what state I had been in when I had read Lost at Sea (but I mean, I had to be in some sort of unreasonable condition to have enjoyed so much a book that everyone seems to hate). I put off reading O'Malley's earlier work and contented myself with perusing the gradual release of new volumes of Scott Pilgrim. After a while, I wasn't even sure whether I had liked the book in the first place. Maybe I hadn't? Stupid book. Why did I even spend the money on it? So embarrassed that it was even taking up space on my shelf.
(I'm not usually one to be driven by the opinion of others. Look, I still don't think Watchmen is among the greatest comics of all time.1 I read superhero books, manga, independents, and books from Europe. I'm not usually the kind to allow my enjoyment of a book to be coloured by any hue developed by someone else's tastes. But the lesson here is that even those vigilant against ad-populum persuasion will occasionally fall to the pressure of peers.)
So here, thinking I needed to review something less than grand in order to keep up the illusion that I don't only review books that I think are good, I thought I'd reread Lost at Sea and garner myself a nice one- or two-star review—the better to pad those woefully2 slim segments of the site. And here, in the reading of Lost at Sea is where my plan fell apart completely.
Because this is a good book.
Lost at Sea covers the space of three days and three nights—long enough to be stuck either in the belly of a whale or in the heart of the earth. Or in Raleigh's case, stuck in a car with three near-strangers, some kids from her high school whom she knew of but didn't quite know. She's just left the love of her young, young life3 behind in California where she was visiting him for the first time. (Internet relationships, ho!) She hugged him and left to go back home and then found a letter in her duffle and just fell apart. The pregnant potential of that letter sends Raleigh into a spiral of despair and doubt and questioning life and its meaning and everything.
And then she ends up, insanely enough, in the car of some road-tripping kids from her hometown in Canada. The reason for this is thin and stretched and implausible and exactly the way these things sometimes happen. At the end of the day, whether you call Lost at Sea a road-trip story or a coming-of-age/bildungsroman or something else—at its most basic and pared-down, Lost at Sea is a book about going home.
I can't begin to suspect why those who write the book off as "emo bullshit" do so, nor would it be very much a fruitful endeavor to try. Everyone's got their reasons, their biases, their preconceived notions. Maybe mine are why I enjoyed the book.
At any rate, the four kids dialogue in a cadence unknown in everyday teen conversation. While they speak in that arbitrary selection of rejoinders that don't really say much but fill up space nicely (though not unique to teens, this repartee was certainly a large part of my own teen years), their speech flits back and forth with a fluidity possible only by following a practiced script. It's fun, winsome, entertaining, and not remotely realistic. Lost at Sea, in this way, seems to have been the proving ground for Scott Pilgrim's later enjoyment of the dialogical style.
At the other end of the spectrum, Raleigh's narration is hyper-uncomical and over-earnest—and for that reason really does seem like it could be the work of a genuine teenager (who journals!). She says things like "Soon we'll be home. We'll be home sweet home sweet home sweet home. And now I want to cry again." And "I get thoughts like: I look in the mirror and I don't belong there. I see myself and I look all wrong. Stephanie looks bold and bouncy and fresh and normal, and I look like something else. Too long, too stringy, too pasty, too squarish, kind of inhuman." All that sounds dead-on like something a kid in high school might write if he or she were of the particular kind of disposition possessed by Raleigh.
From that I guess you might be able to see where the "too dang emo" criticism comes from. From another perspective, however, we have Blankets' Craig Thompson saying that Lost at Sea "captures the clumsiness, isolation, and aimlessness of adolescence." So, whiny emo whininess or accurate portrayal of the teenage experience. Choose your own adventure.
I enjoyed Lost at Sea for what I perceived to be a kind of fantastic (as in fantasy) verisimilitude, a portrait of what young life and young love look like. Even if Lost at Sea's version of those things is too magical to ever actually exist, the tone rings true. Raleigh's friends were my friends or maybe idealized versions of my friends. Their problems and reactions may be heightened, but the kernels are the same as mine were; the seeds from which their apocalypsis germinates are probably common to us all. Lost at Sea isn't as madcap as Scott Pilgrim. It's got its own rhythm—and taken from the right vantage and in the right mood, Raleigh's three-day pericope in the tapestry of life can spur a kind of thoughtfulness on which solid self-reflection might stand.
Plus, if you like cats, Lost at Sea has tons. Like, at least twenty cats.
Notes
1. Truth is, I think Watchmen is expertly crafted so far as formalism is concerned, but the book strikes me as ultimately soulless. Additionally, Alan Moore is often praised for applying a quasi-realistic (or at least a pessimistic) lens to the question of the superhero story. I will grant that he was one of the first to do so, but I'm not sure how novel the idea was—seeing as how the same framework had developed decades earlier in every other narrative medium. It's nice that someone finally thought to expand the scope of the genre, but the idea stopped being fresh by the 1950s at least, as the noir cinema drew its curtain closed.
2. It’s actually ludicrous for me to say “woefully” here. In my opinion, the more three-star reviews I can give, the better. I like comics to be good; I don’t like them to be bad. I’m happy to be able to recommend a book as Good if it really is good. And I’m glad that there exist as many worthwhile books as I’ve been so far able to catalogue on this site.
3. I know what you’re thinking, because I thought it too. Or at least I thought I should think it, which may be the same thing. Come on, Raleigh. You’re what, eighteen? It’s not like this is the end of the world. There are a million trillion fish in the sea and this guy was probably not even all that great. And what do you know about love and heartbreak anyway? You’re just a kid! And maybe we’re right to think that, but maybe we’re wrong too. After all, what the hell do we know about someone else’s heart? Maybe they’re different than we are and experience things differently than we do? After all, I can bet almost anything that I experience things differently than you do, so maybe I (and we) should just give poor Raleigh the benefit of the doubt and at least recognize that hurt is hurt is hurt, no matter how “real” that hurt is.
_____________________
[Review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
Of course, a decade has intervened and O'Malley's world has exploded into a torrent of Scott Pilgrim-related hootenanny. And due the ubiquity of the internet and the fact that everyone now has a voice with the advent and proliferation of blogs, livejournals, facebooks, tumblrs, ad nauseum, it's very easy to get a sense of what the vocal world out there thinks of Lost at Sea. "Emo bullshit" seems to be the lowest common denominator. There is a wave of unhappiness directed at this slender day-in-the-life recountment of a teenage girl's struggle to grasp the cruelness of a world she is yet to be prepared to understand. People don't like it and are happy to talk about how little they care for O'Malley's artistic vision in this case.
I generally like to reread books I've enjoyed every several years or so. (It's easier with comics than with prose fiction, obviously.) But with buckets of Lost-at-Sea-related negativity sloshing viscerally from one end of the internet to the other, my anticipation for the book began to wane. I chalked it up to my having first read the book in a vulnerable emotional state—despite not actually remembering what state I had been in when I had read Lost at Sea (but I mean, I had to be in some sort of unreasonable condition to have enjoyed so much a book that everyone seems to hate). I put off reading O'Malley's earlier work and contented myself with perusing the gradual release of new volumes of Scott Pilgrim. After a while, I wasn't even sure whether I had liked the book in the first place. Maybe I hadn't? Stupid book. Why did I even spend the money on it? So embarrassed that it was even taking up space on my shelf.
(I'm not usually one to be driven by the opinion of others. Look, I still don't think Watchmen is among the greatest comics of all time.1 I read superhero books, manga, independents, and books from Europe. I'm not usually the kind to allow my enjoyment of a book to be coloured by any hue developed by someone else's tastes. But the lesson here is that even those vigilant against ad-populum persuasion will occasionally fall to the pressure of peers.)
So here, thinking I needed to review something less than grand in order to keep up the illusion that I don't only review books that I think are good, I thought I'd reread Lost at Sea and garner myself a nice one- or two-star review—the better to pad those woefully2 slim segments of the site. And here, in the reading of Lost at Sea is where my plan fell apart completely.
Because this is a good book.
Lost at Sea covers the space of three days and three nights—long enough to be stuck either in the belly of a whale or in the heart of the earth. Or in Raleigh's case, stuck in a car with three near-strangers, some kids from her high school whom she knew of but didn't quite know. She's just left the love of her young, young life3 behind in California where she was visiting him for the first time. (Internet relationships, ho!) She hugged him and left to go back home and then found a letter in her duffle and just fell apart. The pregnant potential of that letter sends Raleigh into a spiral of despair and doubt and questioning life and its meaning and everything.
And then she ends up, insanely enough, in the car of some road-tripping kids from her hometown in Canada. The reason for this is thin and stretched and implausible and exactly the way these things sometimes happen. At the end of the day, whether you call Lost at Sea a road-trip story or a coming-of-age/bildungsroman or something else—at its most basic and pared-down, Lost at Sea is a book about going home.
I can't begin to suspect why those who write the book off as "emo bullshit" do so, nor would it be very much a fruitful endeavor to try. Everyone's got their reasons, their biases, their preconceived notions. Maybe mine are why I enjoyed the book.
At any rate, the four kids dialogue in a cadence unknown in everyday teen conversation. While they speak in that arbitrary selection of rejoinders that don't really say much but fill up space nicely (though not unique to teens, this repartee was certainly a large part of my own teen years), their speech flits back and forth with a fluidity possible only by following a practiced script. It's fun, winsome, entertaining, and not remotely realistic. Lost at Sea, in this way, seems to have been the proving ground for Scott Pilgrim's later enjoyment of the dialogical style.
At the other end of the spectrum, Raleigh's narration is hyper-uncomical and over-earnest—and for that reason really does seem like it could be the work of a genuine teenager (who journals!). She says things like "Soon we'll be home. We'll be home sweet home sweet home sweet home. And now I want to cry again." And "I get thoughts like: I look in the mirror and I don't belong there. I see myself and I look all wrong. Stephanie looks bold and bouncy and fresh and normal, and I look like something else. Too long, too stringy, too pasty, too squarish, kind of inhuman." All that sounds dead-on like something a kid in high school might write if he or she were of the particular kind of disposition possessed by Raleigh.
From that I guess you might be able to see where the "too dang emo" criticism comes from. From another perspective, however, we have Blankets' Craig Thompson saying that Lost at Sea "captures the clumsiness, isolation, and aimlessness of adolescence." So, whiny emo whininess or accurate portrayal of the teenage experience. Choose your own adventure.
I enjoyed Lost at Sea for what I perceived to be a kind of fantastic (as in fantasy) verisimilitude, a portrait of what young life and young love look like. Even if Lost at Sea's version of those things is too magical to ever actually exist, the tone rings true. Raleigh's friends were my friends or maybe idealized versions of my friends. Their problems and reactions may be heightened, but the kernels are the same as mine were; the seeds from which their apocalypsis germinates are probably common to us all. Lost at Sea isn't as madcap as Scott Pilgrim. It's got its own rhythm—and taken from the right vantage and in the right mood, Raleigh's three-day pericope in the tapestry of life can spur a kind of thoughtfulness on which solid self-reflection might stand.
Plus, if you like cats, Lost at Sea has tons. Like, at least twenty cats.
Notes
1. Truth is, I think Watchmen is expertly crafted so far as formalism is concerned, but the book strikes me as ultimately soulless. Additionally, Alan Moore is often praised for applying a quasi-realistic (or at least a pessimistic) lens to the question of the superhero story. I will grant that he was one of the first to do so, but I'm not sure how novel the idea was—seeing as how the same framework had developed decades earlier in every other narrative medium. It's nice that someone finally thought to expand the scope of the genre, but the idea stopped being fresh by the 1950s at least, as the noir cinema drew its curtain closed.
2. It’s actually ludicrous for me to say “woefully” here. In my opinion, the more three-star reviews I can give, the better. I like comics to be good; I don’t like them to be bad. I’m happy to be able to recommend a book as Good if it really is good. And I’m glad that there exist as many worthwhile books as I’ve been so far able to catalogue on this site.
3. I know what you’re thinking, because I thought it too. Or at least I thought I should think it, which may be the same thing. Come on, Raleigh. You’re what, eighteen? It’s not like this is the end of the world. There are a million trillion fish in the sea and this guy was probably not even all that great. And what do you know about love and heartbreak anyway? You’re just a kid! And maybe we’re right to think that, but maybe we’re wrong too. After all, what the hell do we know about someone else’s heart? Maybe they’re different than we are and experience things differently than we do? After all, I can bet almost anything that I experience things differently than you do, so maybe I (and we) should just give poor Raleigh the benefit of the doubt and at least recognize that hurt is hurt is hurt, no matter how “real” that hurt is.
_____________________
[Review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
September 1, 2010
I've seemingly forgotten the hair tugging, weeping, Trapper Keeper graffiti, poetry-fueled insomnia associated with the late teen years. Because the last two things I've read have starred shoe-gazing teens, and I'm completely unable to muster any empathy for them. In fact, I've rolled my eyes so hard that I swear I've caught a glimpse of my own gray brain matter eroding.
"Lost at Sea," a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley -- who I love! Scott Pilgrim! Wee! -- is emo bullshit.
Raleigh is a beautiful and quiet smarty party, who is torn up about a handful of things: That time her irreplaceable best friend moved away; Her parents divorce; The dude from California that she met online. Through a confluence of events, she ends up getting a ride back to Canada with three former classmates who are road tripping. There is the snarky "I only get along with guys" girl named Steph, Dave, riding shotgun, chain smoking and unwilling to mention the name of his exgirlfriend, and Ian behind the wheel.
They cruise along eating diner food, and Raleigh thinks and thinks and thinks. She thinks about her old friend, her missing soul, high school, the boy, taking classes for the gifted. The foursome encounters some car trouble in maybe Oregon, which gives them time to really jell as a unit. They give some cats face-time, while looking for Raleigh's soul. The girls have a poignant moment in the bathroom that is basically:
"You're pretty."
"Me? No way. I'm gross. You're pretty."
"But everyone likes you so much because you're mysterious and cool."
"But you're so funky and cool."
"No, you are."
"No, you are."
"I think we're going to be friends after this."
"You're my best friend."
"I haven't had a best friend in years."
Everything that happens in this book is just a fragment. There is no explanation for Raleigh's lost soul, what happened with the dude in California, or any of the things she's got whirring in her ho-hum brain. It is just slivers, like a to-do list of shit that might mess with a teens psyche. And it is all wrapped in this sort of sighing language filled with ellipses and dropped thoughts:
"This is my favorite dress. The thought of wearing this dress is all that got me out of bed this morning. I haven't worn it since ... god ... yeah."
The one thing that doesn't suck in the book is the three characters who aren't inside Raleigh's head. They are funny, they play off each other well, and speak the language of lifelong friendships. This would be so much better if it was a story about their road trip before they picked up that fun sucker Raleigh.
"Lost at Sea," a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley -- who I love! Scott Pilgrim! Wee! -- is emo bullshit.
Raleigh is a beautiful and quiet smarty party, who is torn up about a handful of things: That time her irreplaceable best friend moved away; Her parents divorce; The dude from California that she met online. Through a confluence of events, she ends up getting a ride back to Canada with three former classmates who are road tripping. There is the snarky "I only get along with guys" girl named Steph, Dave, riding shotgun, chain smoking and unwilling to mention the name of his exgirlfriend, and Ian behind the wheel.
They cruise along eating diner food, and Raleigh thinks and thinks and thinks. She thinks about her old friend, her missing soul, high school, the boy, taking classes for the gifted. The foursome encounters some car trouble in maybe Oregon, which gives them time to really jell as a unit. They give some cats face-time, while looking for Raleigh's soul. The girls have a poignant moment in the bathroom that is basically:
"You're pretty."
"Me? No way. I'm gross. You're pretty."
"But everyone likes you so much because you're mysterious and cool."
"But you're so funky and cool."
"No, you are."
"No, you are."
"I think we're going to be friends after this."
"You're my best friend."
"I haven't had a best friend in years."
Everything that happens in this book is just a fragment. There is no explanation for Raleigh's lost soul, what happened with the dude in California, or any of the things she's got whirring in her ho-hum brain. It is just slivers, like a to-do list of shit that might mess with a teens psyche. And it is all wrapped in this sort of sighing language filled with ellipses and dropped thoughts:
"This is my favorite dress. The thought of wearing this dress is all that got me out of bed this morning. I haven't worn it since ... god ... yeah."
The one thing that doesn't suck in the book is the three characters who aren't inside Raleigh's head. They are funny, they play off each other well, and speak the language of lifelong friendships. This would be so much better if it was a story about their road trip before they picked up that fun sucker Raleigh.
March 5, 2017
Bryan lo hizo de nuevo... y es que su escritura es brillante, y la forma en que las palabras resultan innecesarias ante sus ilustraciones, es genial. Lo amo.
Así que hablamos de Raleigh, una chica en medio de la angustia adolescente que afirma haber perdido su alma, que un gato se la llevó consigo. En medio de un viaje de autodescubrimiento, ella entenderá como todos estamos dañados, aunque sea un poco.
"I guess I never have any answers. Just the same pointless question, over and over, every day = why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up."
“I am leaning back and running with it and staring at the stars and I’m eleven, I’m sixteen, I’m eighteen, I’m a newborn I’m everyone everywhere with you without you unbound set free in limbo lost at sea.”
Así que hablamos de Raleigh, una chica en medio de la angustia adolescente que afirma haber perdido su alma, que un gato se la llevó consigo. En medio de un viaje de autodescubrimiento, ella entenderá como todos estamos dañados, aunque sea un poco.
"I guess I never have any answers. Just the same pointless question, over and over, every day = why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up."
“I am leaning back and running with it and staring at the stars and I’m eleven, I’m sixteen, I’m eighteen, I’m a newborn I’m everyone everywhere with you without you unbound set free in limbo lost at sea.”
January 16, 2021
I guess I never have any answers. Just the same pointless question, over and over, every day = why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up why am I so fucked up.
I seedead people cats.
Raleigh is fucked up.
She's pretty sure she has no soul.
And lately she's been having this dream. It involves the word "NO." A vague uneasiness. And cats. Zillions of cats.
Now she sees cats. She sees cats everywhere. They approach her when she walks outside. They perch on her chest in her bedroom at night. They meow outside her window.
She's allergic to cats and has had no meaningful interactions with any. Why are they so attracted to her?
Since she's on a road trip back home to Canada with a bunch of not-yet-friends, she decides to do some soul-searching thinking. And she's taking us right along for the ride.
...
It's pointless to try and explain this book to people. It's gorgeously written. Here's some examples:
Every time you look up at the stars, it's like opening a door. You could be anyone, anywhere. You could be yourself at any moment in your life. You open that door and you realize you're the same person under the same stars. Camping out in the backyard with your best friend, 11 years old. 16, driving alone, stopping at the edge of the city, looking up at the same stars. Walking a wooded path, kissing in the moonlight, look up and you're 11 again. Chasing cats in a tiny town, you're 11 again, you're 16 again. You're in a rowboat. You're staring out the back of a car. Out here where the world begins and ends, it's like nothing ever stops happening.
Or here, describing her first:
And he was good. He was as good as such a thing ever could possibly be. He was good and right and everything was perfect and painless and I didn't stumble on words or lead conversations into painful dead ends. We made sandwiches and cooked pasta and kissed in the moonlight. The perfect guy turned out to be the perfect guy and we did everything and then I had to leave and -
Love that. So amazing.
There's SO MUCH MORE where these awesome quotes came from. Read it. That's all I can tell you. It's so powerful and real.
I see
Raleigh is fucked up.
She's pretty sure she has no soul.
And lately she's been having this dream. It involves the word "NO." A vague uneasiness. And cats. Zillions of cats.
Now she sees cats. She sees cats everywhere. They approach her when she walks outside. They perch on her chest in her bedroom at night. They meow outside her window.
She's allergic to cats and has had no meaningful interactions with any. Why are they so attracted to her?
Since she's on a road trip back home to Canada with a bunch of not-yet-friends, she decides to do some
...
It's pointless to try and explain this book to people. It's gorgeously written. Here's some examples:
Every time you look up at the stars, it's like opening a door. You could be anyone, anywhere. You could be yourself at any moment in your life. You open that door and you realize you're the same person under the same stars. Camping out in the backyard with your best friend, 11 years old. 16, driving alone, stopping at the edge of the city, looking up at the same stars. Walking a wooded path, kissing in the moonlight, look up and you're 11 again. Chasing cats in a tiny town, you're 11 again, you're 16 again. You're in a rowboat. You're staring out the back of a car. Out here where the world begins and ends, it's like nothing ever stops happening.
Or here, describing her first:
And he was good. He was as good as such a thing ever could possibly be. He was good and right and everything was perfect and painless and I didn't stumble on words or lead conversations into painful dead ends. We made sandwiches and cooked pasta and kissed in the moonlight. The perfect guy turned out to be the perfect guy and we did everything and then I had to leave and -
Love that. So amazing.
There's SO MUCH MORE where these awesome quotes came from. Read it. That's all I can tell you. It's so powerful and real.
August 24, 2010
If I were more honest with myself I'd probably give this 2 stars not 3 but lets face it I lie to myself all the time so why not now?
The thing is teenagers make me uncomfortable. Even when I was a teenager I was anxious to be done with it (dating people older and trying desperately to not be "trendy" - all very teen-age in and of itself, I know). when I over hear teenagers at restaurants I wince and cringe at how they spout out their opinions like they are the first to take note of things. I feel sad when the 5th graders at the school I work at begin to act like middle schoolers.
It is ridiculous of me and most likely a reflection of some sort of unresolved "angst" of my own. I am mostly likely so "teen-age" at my core that I don't like to be confronted with it.
But I'm not mature enough to deal with that so instead I read this book and think, hmmmm, yeah. okay. Where are the funny parts? Where are the parts we can laugh? Why isn't every tale of young adulthood one big Mortified performance that we can all laugh at and say, "oh thank god that was then", that's so much easier than admitting how hard it really can be.
I was into the story while it was happening but when I closed it I was a little irritated that it was another tale of a girl feeling lost without a guy and believing her identity was only legitimate in relation to others.
The thing is teenagers make me uncomfortable. Even when I was a teenager I was anxious to be done with it (dating people older and trying desperately to not be "trendy" - all very teen-age in and of itself, I know). when I over hear teenagers at restaurants I wince and cringe at how they spout out their opinions like they are the first to take note of things. I feel sad when the 5th graders at the school I work at begin to act like middle schoolers.
It is ridiculous of me and most likely a reflection of some sort of unresolved "angst" of my own. I am mostly likely so "teen-age" at my core that I don't like to be confronted with it.
But I'm not mature enough to deal with that so instead I read this book and think, hmmmm, yeah. okay. Where are the funny parts? Where are the parts we can laugh? Why isn't every tale of young adulthood one big Mortified performance that we can all laugh at and say, "oh thank god that was then", that's so much easier than admitting how hard it really can be.
I was into the story while it was happening but when I closed it I was a little irritated that it was another tale of a girl feeling lost without a guy and believing her identity was only legitimate in relation to others.
May 18, 2018
The art in this was really cool, but the plot wasn’t really my thing. Meh.
April 13, 2017
3.5* Lost at Sea was an interesting and unique reading experience. The writing style did take some getting used to and was definitely a little confusing at times but I oddly kind of liked that about it! I began to really enjoy that it was essentially a stream of consciousness and thoughts, as that's not something I think I've read before. It meant that there were parts that were definitely very relatable, whilst also some that made little sense to me. Personally, I would have liked a little more explanation on some elements, especially the backstory and moments that popped up e.g. her sisters appearing in a photo which never got explained?
I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt and I would have liked it to have been a little longer, as I really started to enjoy the additional dialogue from the other characters towards the end. My favourite part of this was without a doubt the art style, it was gorgeous and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the black and white. Even if I hadn't have enjoyed the story (which luckily I did) I would be running to pick up more of Bryan Lee O'Malley's work, simply for his gorgeous art style. I flew through this in about half an hour, it was definitely different to other graphic novels, or any novels for that matter, that I've read and I'm looking forward to reading more from O'Malley asap!
I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt and I would have liked it to have been a little longer, as I really started to enjoy the additional dialogue from the other characters towards the end. My favourite part of this was without a doubt the art style, it was gorgeous and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the black and white. Even if I hadn't have enjoyed the story (which luckily I did) I would be running to pick up more of Bryan Lee O'Malley's work, simply for his gorgeous art style. I flew through this in about half an hour, it was definitely different to other graphic novels, or any novels for that matter, that I've read and I'm looking forward to reading more from O'Malley asap!
June 7, 2023
A sort of post-highschool coming of age story. Raleigh joins 2 boys and a girl on a cross country trip. She's not exactly friends with them. She also thinks she lost her soul to a cat. It's a bit too pretentious to me at times with a lot of internal monologue from Raleigh.
Kind of alright to spend time with 4 teens. I enjoyed the part where they help Raleigh catch cats so she can get her soul back. It was pretty fun to see the 2 boys join in without really questioning the absurdity of the situation.
Kind of alright to spend time with 4 teens. I enjoyed the part where they help Raleigh catch cats so she can get her soul back. It was pretty fun to see the 2 boys join in without really questioning the absurdity of the situation.
August 25, 2017
Mediocre art. Boring story.
It's basically 4 angry teenagers going on a roadtrip with frequent stops at diners and hotels.
Throw in cuss-filled conversations along the way, and that's about it.
Just to add some weirdness, one of the girls thinks her soul is in a cat somewhere.
It's basically 4 angry teenagers going on a roadtrip with frequent stops at diners and hotels.
Throw in cuss-filled conversations along the way, and that's about it.
Just to add some weirdness, one of the girls thinks her soul is in a cat somewhere.
October 18, 2019
This was so beautiful and cute and quite emotional that it made me cry. Definitely going to reread it a thousand times!
Update: I reread this more than one year later and I still feel the same about this beautiful little novel. I think I‘m going to reread it once every year from now on
Update: I reread this more than one year later and I still feel the same about this beautiful little novel. I think I‘m going to reread it once every year from now on
June 26, 2008
I'll admit that I only bought this because of Scott Pilgrim - I was at a talk that O'Malley gave, and didn't have any of my SP books with me, so I bought this so I could get an autograph from him. I'm so glad I did, though, because it's an amazing piece of art.
The art is absolutely beautiful, the story interesting, and the themes solid - this is the best work on teen angst in a generation, at least, and it's message that "if you're feeling like a freak, or a loser, it's probably because you are, but don't worry, because everyone else is as well at times" is a fun take on that phase of life, and something that can still resonate with adults as well.
What O'Malley does here that's interesting, as well, is that he introduces fantasy elements to the story, but makes them completely optional to your understanding of the story. Does Raliegh feel like she doesn't have a soul because her mom sold it to the devil, or just because she's going through a tumultuous time in her life? Likewise, does she get it back from the cat that it was given to, or does she just achieve a sense of belonging with her new friends? Both are equally possible, given the reality the story is placed in.
The art is absolutely beautiful, the story interesting, and the themes solid - this is the best work on teen angst in a generation, at least, and it's message that "if you're feeling like a freak, or a loser, it's probably because you are, but don't worry, because everyone else is as well at times" is a fun take on that phase of life, and something that can still resonate with adults as well.
What O'Malley does here that's interesting, as well, is that he introduces fantasy elements to the story, but makes them completely optional to your understanding of the story. Does Raliegh feel like she doesn't have a soul because her mom sold it to the devil, or just because she's going through a tumultuous time in her life? Likewise, does she get it back from the cat that it was given to, or does she just achieve a sense of belonging with her new friends? Both are equally possible, given the reality the story is placed in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2015
3.5?? man I suck at ratings
I really liked this!! More than I thought I would.
The art was really nice. I appreciated the black and white scheme (I generally like black and white things more than color, though), the laying of different images was done a few times and done very nicely.
The story...I felt like it could have had more context but also at the same time I feel like it didn't need it. I would like more backstory on Raleigh and Stillman but the story didn't need it (if that makes sense). I really enjoyed how the graphic novel was based more around Raleigh's inner stream of consciousness in the beginning rather than dialogue. And then towards the end there was more dialogue than her thoughts to show a bit of her character development. Nice.
This was an enjoyable read. I read it in probably 2 hours. If you like owning books that you read (like me), by all means, by this and read it if you want something quick. But it's not necessary to buy this; pick it up from the library, spend a couple hours with it. It's not necessary but I think it's worth the read if you're interested.
I really liked this!! More than I thought I would.
The art was really nice. I appreciated the black and white scheme (I generally like black and white things more than color, though), the laying of different images was done a few times and done very nicely.
The story...I felt like it could have had more context but also at the same time I feel like it didn't need it. I would like more backstory on Raleigh and Stillman but the story didn't need it (if that makes sense). I really enjoyed how the graphic novel was based more around Raleigh's inner stream of consciousness in the beginning rather than dialogue. And then towards the end there was more dialogue than her thoughts to show a bit of her character development. Nice.
This was an enjoyable read. I read it in probably 2 hours. If you like owning books that you read (like me), by all means, by this and read it if you want something quick. But it's not necessary to buy this; pick it up from the library, spend a couple hours with it. It's not necessary but I think it's worth the read if you're interested.
December 16, 2017
"I am leaning back and running with it and staring at the stars and I'm eleven, I'm sixteen, I'm eighteen, I'm a newborn, I'm everyone everywhere with you and without you unbound set free in limbo lost at sea."
This was a really poetic short book and I loved the illustrations. Great for anyone who is currently confused about life in general or where they're going.
Also CATS. So many cats.
*3.5
This was a really poetic short book and I loved the illustrations. Great for anyone who is currently confused about life in general or where they're going.
Also CATS. So many cats.
*3.5
July 15, 2011
Four college age kids are driving back home for the holidays. Three of them are good friends while the fourth, the girl and main character of the story Raleigh, is a casual acquaintance. It becomes clear from her silence that Raleigh is a troubled girl and as the journey goes on they begin to discover that Raleigh's silence is due to a broken heart from a recently ended relationship.
This is the first book I've read of Bryan Lee O'Malley and I'll say it's not bad. While the drawings are alright at best (manga heavy with few individual touches to distinguish it from other manga art), the story is at times compelling and other times cliche. The overall story of Raleigh and her internal monologue is ok, but her surreal search for a soul lends the story itself an element of intrigue.
However if you look at the rest of the book you see how cliche the rest of it is. Teen sarcasm spots the script like acne, while overly precious emo moments like waking up in the middle of the night and saying "we've got to look for my soul - I think it's in a cat" make for cringe-worthy moments. Imagine if someone did that to you - I think I'd tell them to shut up and go back to sleep. Of course that wouldn't lend itself well to the story so the four wake up and wander the town in the middle of the night trying to catch cats. Ergh.
It's these moments of unbelievably twee actions that let down the book. That and the fact that the story is centred around a broken heart. Remember that sketch from "Family Guy" where they satirise teen dramas? "Nothing in your life will ever be more important than what's going on right here, right now, by this locker!" - "High school is such a serious thing... these problems matter!". It's like that. You want to tell Raleigh that hey a broken heart sucks and first love is both euphoric and shattering but you get over it. Overall it's not that important and sooner rather than later you'll look back and wonder what the hell it was all about.
"Lost at Sea" is an alright book that feels at times too much like a cartoon version of "Dawson's Creek". Two of the four characters never become more than cyphers while the remaining two have their moments but ultimately feel shallow and their actions contrived. Not a terrible book but not good enough to make me want to read more from O'Malley.
This is the first book I've read of Bryan Lee O'Malley and I'll say it's not bad. While the drawings are alright at best (manga heavy with few individual touches to distinguish it from other manga art), the story is at times compelling and other times cliche. The overall story of Raleigh and her internal monologue is ok, but her surreal search for a soul lends the story itself an element of intrigue.
However if you look at the rest of the book you see how cliche the rest of it is. Teen sarcasm spots the script like acne, while overly precious emo moments like waking up in the middle of the night and saying "we've got to look for my soul - I think it's in a cat" make for cringe-worthy moments. Imagine if someone did that to you - I think I'd tell them to shut up and go back to sleep. Of course that wouldn't lend itself well to the story so the four wake up and wander the town in the middle of the night trying to catch cats. Ergh.
It's these moments of unbelievably twee actions that let down the book. That and the fact that the story is centred around a broken heart. Remember that sketch from "Family Guy" where they satirise teen dramas? "Nothing in your life will ever be more important than what's going on right here, right now, by this locker!" - "High school is such a serious thing... these problems matter!". It's like that. You want to tell Raleigh that hey a broken heart sucks and first love is both euphoric and shattering but you get over it. Overall it's not that important and sooner rather than later you'll look back and wonder what the hell it was all about.
"Lost at Sea" is an alright book that feels at times too much like a cartoon version of "Dawson's Creek". Two of the four characters never become more than cyphers while the remaining two have their moments but ultimately feel shallow and their actions contrived. Not a terrible book but not good enough to make me want to read more from O'Malley.
February 20, 2012
I've read a bunch of books about teenagers trying to figure out who they are (e.g., Losers, Perks of being a Wallflower, Hairstyles of the Damned, most Brian James' books, etc...). It's TOUGH to write a teenage main character that is both realistic and not annoying. Some people can do it... Bryan Lee O'Malley being one of them.
I kinda wanted to not like Raleigh. Her hipster name, moping over a guy, melodramatic about self-narrating... But she's not stuck in some annoying poor-me, self-absorbed, oblivious cycle. I like that the story portrays her as having all these racking thoughts and interior dialogue while the group generally has no clue until she lets them in. Kind of shows you that you never know what people are dealing with or have on their mind.
I do enjoy the whole group in the car. Stephanie, Ian and Dave are all so very realistic but not like rude or obnoxious. They actually end up as a really great supportive group.
I like the movement of a road trip home. Road trips, in my opinon, are a great device to keep the characters moving and forcing them to interact.
Also, did I mention this book is funny? O'Malley has an awesome sense of humor that like sneaks up on you, you turn a page then BAM! Not nearly as funny as Scott Pilgrim, but it has it's moments. Sneaky moments.
Once again, O'Malley makes a boy meets girl/girl meets boy/first break-ups story totally compelling.
I kinda wanted to not like Raleigh. Her hipster name, moping over a guy, melodramatic about self-narrating... But she's not stuck in some annoying poor-me, self-absorbed, oblivious cycle. I like that the story portrays her as having all these racking thoughts and interior dialogue while the group generally has no clue until she lets them in. Kind of shows you that you never know what people are dealing with or have on their mind.
I do enjoy the whole group in the car. Stephanie, Ian and Dave are all so very realistic but not like rude or obnoxious. They actually end up as a really great supportive group.
I like the movement of a road trip home. Road trips, in my opinon, are a great device to keep the characters moving and forcing them to interact.
Also, did I mention this book is funny? O'Malley has an awesome sense of humor that like sneaks up on you, you turn a page then BAM! Not nearly as funny as Scott Pilgrim, but it has it's moments. Sneaky moments.
Once again, O'Malley makes a boy meets girl/girl meets boy/first break-ups story totally compelling.
February 3, 2020
have you ever stayed up all night chasing cats and trying to find the one that has your soul because your mom sold it for a new job?
well... have you?
i haven't but i do know what it's like to feel like your soul is gone. i felt mine for the first time in 10 years.
this whole thing is just a giant metaphor for heartbreaking, depression, loneliness, and too many changes in a short period of time. maybe she did lose her soul. the whole raleigh look alike thing seemed kind of ominous but didn't go anywhere.
maybe this was just a way of saying that you will need people. that you will feel less lost eventually. that talking helps. that you will feel whole again. you will feel your soul again.
well... have you?
i haven't but i do know what it's like to feel like your soul is gone. i felt mine for the first time in 10 years.
this whole thing is just a giant metaphor for heartbreaking, depression, loneliness, and too many changes in a short period of time. maybe she did lose her soul. the whole raleigh look alike thing seemed kind of ominous but didn't go anywhere.
maybe this was just a way of saying that you will need people. that you will feel less lost eventually. that talking helps. that you will feel whole again. you will feel your soul again.
September 13, 2017
This book is pretty nail-on-head when it comes to catching a version of being 18.
Too much so - because I'm no longer 18 (thank god) and therefore things in this story that would have made perfect sense six-odd years ago instead have me coming over all parental/sisterly and thinking "why on Earth did you not just open that damn letter you ridiculous creature??!"
Not to mention the whole heartbreaking familiarity of it all. Been there, done that, dear god please no more.
Too much so - because I'm no longer 18 (thank god) and therefore things in this story that would have made perfect sense six-odd years ago instead have me coming over all parental/sisterly and thinking "why on Earth did you not just open that damn letter you ridiculous creature??!"
Not to mention the whole heartbreaking familiarity of it all. Been there, done that, dear god please no more.
August 25, 2016
What O'Malley did before Scott Pilgrim. Not as good, in my opinion. Captures teen angst, angst-speak, that sense of alienation and lostness, but it felt like he was trying too hard.. Scott Pilgrim feels more at ease, funnier, more natural, always.
February 19, 2022
i like the drawing style and the things that were said, the plot was simple and cute and i liked all the cats. i should probably stop reading books about depression though
March 16, 2016
Eu gostei da história, mas acho q a personagem tinha tantas questões e tantos problemas e angústias, que pra uma história em quadrinhos tão curtinha, fica difícil de resolver tudo. Todas as questões levantadas ficaram meio no ar. Parece q foi escrito sem pensar numa estrutura, então uma hora ela precisou acabar e acabou do jeito de dava.
August 23, 2016
So this is the first graphic novel I have read by Bryan Lee O'Malley and I have to say I have mixed feelings about Lost at Sea.
Firstly, the illustrations, although they were neat and pretty cute, Raleigh and Stephanie didn't look that different to me, feature-wise, (except one had short hair and the other didn't) which now and again, was a bit confusing.
Secondly, I dunno, I feel like the story was pushed too hard. Instead of empathising with Raleigh, I just wish she'd get a bloody move on and find her soul. The language at times was a bit too flamboyant and flowery which diluted any real connection I had with any of the characters.
Thirdly, I found the story a bit weak - a girl, who seemingly has no soul, goes on an aimless trip with three other kids in her year who she doesn't necessarily know. I think O'Malley was trying to use the trip as a metaphor for finding "oneself", finding "one's purpose/destiny" in life but this fell flat and generally just left me confused.
Fourthly, I don't really know what any of the other characters got (if anything) from the trip which left me perplexed.
I'm going to stop with the negatives now because Lost at Sea isn't a bad graphic novel; I think O'Malley has a nice enough story, I just don't think it's necessarily executed that well which is a shame because it has huge potential to be a very touching and affecting read.
Personally, I think Raleigh's 'soul' was with Stillman - her first love, if you like, and it's her inability to move on from him which causes this mental and emotional turmoil she wrestles with throughout. I think this aspect is definitely universal and we've all pretty much been in the same situation - you've given your heart to someone and it's been rejected, or you've had to move away and cannot make a long-distance relationship work. Now, that's sad, and yes, I did feel moved towards the end but that was the only time.
Lost at Sea is an okay read but nothing revolutionary, and sadly, not as involving/moving as I would have liked.
Firstly, the illustrations, although they were neat and pretty cute, Raleigh and Stephanie didn't look that different to me, feature-wise, (except one had short hair and the other didn't) which now and again, was a bit confusing.
Secondly, I dunno, I feel like the story was pushed too hard. Instead of empathising with Raleigh, I just wish she'd get a bloody move on and find her soul. The language at times was a bit too flamboyant and flowery which diluted any real connection I had with any of the characters.
Thirdly, I found the story a bit weak - a girl, who seemingly has no soul, goes on an aimless trip with three other kids in her year who she doesn't necessarily know. I think O'Malley was trying to use the trip as a metaphor for finding "oneself", finding "one's purpose/destiny" in life but this fell flat and generally just left me confused.
Fourthly, I don't really know what any of the other characters got (if anything) from the trip which left me perplexed.
I'm going to stop with the negatives now because Lost at Sea isn't a bad graphic novel; I think O'Malley has a nice enough story, I just don't think it's necessarily executed that well which is a shame because it has huge potential to be a very touching and affecting read.
Personally, I think Raleigh's 'soul' was with Stillman - her first love, if you like, and it's her inability to move on from him which causes this mental and emotional turmoil she wrestles with throughout. I think this aspect is definitely universal and we've all pretty much been in the same situation - you've given your heart to someone and it's been rejected, or you've had to move away and cannot make a long-distance relationship work. Now, that's sad, and yes, I did feel moved towards the end but that was the only time.
Lost at Sea is an okay read but nothing revolutionary, and sadly, not as involving/moving as I would have liked.
July 19, 2016
4.5 stars
This is lot different from other O'Malley's works I read.This graphic novel is done mostly through monologue which along with good black and white illustrations create wonderful melancholic atmosphere which oozes from every page somewhat reminiscent of that in Long walk to Valhalla.
Seconds remain my favorite O'Malley's work but Lost at sea isn't far behind.
This is lot different from other O'Malley's works I read.This graphic novel is done mostly through monologue which along with good black and white illustrations create wonderful melancholic atmosphere which oozes from every page somewhat reminiscent of that in Long walk to Valhalla.
Seconds remain my favorite O'Malley's work but Lost at sea isn't far behind.
August 18, 2017
I am really bored of reading such books..
"Mediocre fuckup" character who dont have a story to tell, invents mediocre problems to herself just to talk about silly nothings..
Live a story or imagine a story. Dont tell us the story of not having a story.. Because its boring.
Good art. "Mediocre" delirium / not story..
"Mediocre fuckup" character who dont have a story to tell, invents mediocre problems to herself just to talk about silly nothings..
Live a story or imagine a story. Dont tell us the story of not having a story.. Because its boring.
Good art. "Mediocre" delirium / not story..
October 29, 2010
If you've read Scott Pilgrim, I recommend that you leave all of your preconceived notions about O'Malley at the door before you read this book. Other than the artwork, this book is nothing like that series. If you're expecting some cutesy book, you're in the wrong place.
Lost at Sea follows the character of Raleigh, an overly timid young teen who is completely at a loss as to who she is. She claims to have no soul, a result of certain actions occurring in her youth. Raleigh finds herself on a car trip with three of her classmates at her school, unsure as to how to interact with them. But as the miles pass by, Raleigh will find herself opening up to her fellow passengers about herself, her doubts & her life.
I really loved this book. I'll admit, it was a bit slow to get into, but it really was a fantastic read. The artwork is all wonderful, which is something I've come to expect from O'Malley throughout the years. I loved how some of the most serious issues in the book- most notably the one major reason why Raleigh is the way she is- are all done subtly. It's up to the reader as to whether or not they pick up on the smaller details. If you aren't careful, you'll miss an entire element of the book that'll take the story to a whole new level.
I would honestly recommend this to anyone who loves a good indie comic. Again, I'll warn the Scott Pilgrim fans that this is a very serious book, so if you are looking for laughs & cute stuff, you may want to pass this one by. I hope you give it a real chance, as this truly is a book worth reading & sharing with your friends. One thing I'll add to this review is that if you like his work, you should also check out his work in the Hopeless-Savages series.
Lost at Sea follows the character of Raleigh, an overly timid young teen who is completely at a loss as to who she is. She claims to have no soul, a result of certain actions occurring in her youth. Raleigh finds herself on a car trip with three of her classmates at her school, unsure as to how to interact with them. But as the miles pass by, Raleigh will find herself opening up to her fellow passengers about herself, her doubts & her life.
I really loved this book. I'll admit, it was a bit slow to get into, but it really was a fantastic read. The artwork is all wonderful, which is something I've come to expect from O'Malley throughout the years. I loved how some of the most serious issues in the book- most notably the one major reason why Raleigh is the way she is- are all done subtly. It's up to the reader as to whether or not they pick up on the smaller details. If you aren't careful, you'll miss an entire element of the book that'll take the story to a whole new level.
I would honestly recommend this to anyone who loves a good indie comic. Again, I'll warn the Scott Pilgrim fans that this is a very serious book, so if you are looking for laughs & cute stuff, you may want to pass this one by. I hope you give it a real chance, as this truly is a book worth reading & sharing with your friends. One thing I'll add to this review is that if you like his work, you should also check out his work in the Hopeless-Savages series.
May 28, 2019
Lost at Sea is the debut graphic novel of Brian Lee O'Malley - you might know him from his Scott Pilgrim books. Lost at Sea is more whimsical and lyrical in its writing. Text floats throughout the panels, sometimes a page only has one image, and most of the text is internal monologue. I loved the idea of this book, and it's incredibly quotable with amazing haunting images. The four-colour scheme adds to the ethereal quality of the book. My only gripe is that the ending was too abrupt. It was almost as if he ran out of pages to make his point, and squished them in the last two instead of making a proper final climax. For a debut, Lost at Sea is pretty amazing.
July 6, 2015
3.5
This graphic novel was really weird and could be a bit confusing at times but it was fast and easy to read and some of the characters were pretty funny
So yeah I guess I enjoyed it!
This graphic novel was really weird and could be a bit confusing at times but it was fast and easy to read and some of the characters were pretty funny
So yeah I guess I enjoyed it!
July 1, 2018
I liked the friendship in it and the commentary was hilarious. However it was not impressing and I think it was a little boring.
August 24, 2016
"I'm everyone everywhere with you without you unbound set free in limbo lost at sea."
So far August had been THE MONTH for 5 star reads for me (with the exception of The Unexpected Everything) I'm loving it.
This graphic novel was everything I needed right now. It was hilarious and made me realize that not having everything figured out is okay, and maybe everything isn't meant to be figured out.
So far August had been THE MONTH for 5 star reads for me (with the exception of The Unexpected Everything) I'm loving it.
This graphic novel was everything I needed right now. It was hilarious and made me realize that not having everything figured out is okay, and maybe everything isn't meant to be figured out.
June 1, 2018
Yalnız bu tam da yakın arkadaşım Kuyinbii'nin yapabileceği bi' şey. Günün birinde benim ruhum yok, kedi çaldı, kedinin içinde dese aynı soğukkanlılıkla gidip bulalım madem, dönüşte de kahve içeriz falan derim.
Gecemi mundar ettim bu kitapla ya. Fonda 0952, 1440 çalıyordu üstelik. Second'ı çok sevmiştim, neden böyle oldu şimdi? 💔
Gecemi mundar ettim bu kitapla ya. Fonda 0952, 1440 çalıyordu üstelik. Second'ı çok sevmiştim, neden böyle oldu şimdi? 💔
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