wordylocks's reviews
628 reviews

I have not seen another graphic novel that packs in as much nuance as this one does into a few pages. I've often heard it said that hair for Black women is about more than just hair, and this book revolves around the rituals of hair — washing, conditioning, braiding etc to tell the stories of four black women — Kim,  Tanisha, Davene and Cookie who are bffs, and is a powerful expression of Black sisterhood. Black.womanhood here is not treated like a monolith, and we see a different facet of it in each of the characters, (one of whom is Jamaican-American and one who is Afro-Latina.) Consisting of interconnected short stories, each focussing on one of these characters, with the others also present as support, the novel deals with topics such as toxic relationships, intergenerational trauma, depression and the complexities of modern dating. The artwork is beautiful, with a vibrant colour palette, and stunningly detailed (such as a panel that shows Kim walking with her keys threaded through her fingers highlighting how the threat of sexual assault is always on the mind of Black women); and ties in perfectly with the story being told. I especially appreciated a bit where Kim, who is dealing with a toxic ex, also a Black man, decides not to approach the police for help, because it reflects how much more complicated this is for Black women. Though it is a short novel, it is layers like these, that give this book depth. It is a joyful celebration of female friendship and I definitely recommend it.