Review: Chopsticks

This book was recommended to a class on YA Literature, so I had to pick it up when I finally saw it on the shelves of the library that I recently found out is a 10 minute walk from my apartment.  I was so excited to find it and not surprised to find out that I loved it.

Chopsticks, by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral, is a graphic novel in the nontraditional sense.  That is, iIt's not presented in panels with thought and speech bubbles and drawn out characters.  Instead, it is a collection of photographs, letters, Youtube videos, mixtapes, iChats, artwork, etc. that detail the relationship between Glory, a musical prodigy, and Frank, a boy who just moved to NY from Argentina. 

The concept is simple and the entire book can take about an hour to complete.  However, throughout the novel, there are hints that their relationship isn't all that it may seem.  A closer examination of items like letterhead and wine bottles show cracks in their story and the reader has to make his own decision on who to trust. 
 

I tend to spend a lot of time reading graphic novels, despite flying through prose novels.  I think Chopsticks is best appreciated when you take the time to examine all the details, but even if you don't, the photography and artwork can be pretty breathtaking.