In July, my fiancée and I had an opportunity to go to [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, New Jersey. I hadn’t been to [words] in several years, but we were in the area on a Saturday and stopped by on a whim. It was just as beautiful as I remembered.
After wandering through the store for a while, I shared my interest in sapphic books with one of the booksellers. He recommended that I read Roaming, a graphic novel by cousins Jillian Tamaki (she/her) and Mariko Tamaki (she/her).
My first impression of Roaming when I found it on the shelves was that it was substantial. The book spans 444 pages and weighs about two pounds. This doesn’t sound like much, but it’s pretty heavy for a paperback! Don’t be intimidated by its size though; Roaming is a quick and enjoyable read.
Roaming unfolds over five days in March 2009. It follows three friends from Canada—Dani, Zoe, and Fiona—who are visiting New York City together over their first spring break as college students. Dani and Zoe are old friends, while Dani and Fiona recently met in college. Zoe and Fiona meet for the first time on the trip and sparks immediately fly. As the trio explores New York City, Dani and Zoe confront how they’ve each grown as individuals and what impact those changes might have on their friendship; Dani’s and Fiona’s respective personalities collide under the forced proximity of the trip; and Zoe and Fiona get to know each other better and see what develops.
As a millennial from New Jersey who was in college in New York City in 2009, I really related to the setting of Roaming and I got a kick out of knowing all the places that were referenced. I also enjoyed how the authors expertly crafted the interactions between the characters to tease out the different issues with which they were grappling. While I found each of the characters frustrating at times, I tried to remember that they were likely 18 to 19 years old and that I was probably insufferable in a lot of ways at that age.
Roaming’s artwork is also distinct and noteworthy. The novel uses a limited color palette—black and white with bluish tones and warm peach accents—which really make it stand out. I was impressed with the attention to detail, from the intricacies of New York City landmarks to the unspoken emotions passing over the characters’ faces at various points in the story. I also appreciated the representation in the novel, which featured main characters who were Asian and/or queer. If you’re in the mood for a sapphic graphic novel, you should pick this up. The authors successfully developed complex characters, told an interesting story, and evoked nostalgia for a particular moment in time.
Jillian Tamaki is a cartoonist, illustrator, and educator living in Toronto, Ontario. Mariko Tamaki is a writer of TV and comics living in California. Although each of the authors has her own works, they have joined forces to create two other graphic novels: SKIM and This One Summer, which won a Governor General’s Award, Printz and Caldecott Honors, as well as the Eisner for Best Graphic Novel. You can find them both on Instagram: @JillianTamaki and @MarikoTamaki.
I also highly recommend checking out [words]. In addition to having a thoughtfully curated selection and great vibes, the bookstore’s stated mission is “engaging readers of all ages and interests, welcoming patrons and employees with autism.” It has hired over 100 young people with autism as part of its vocational training program.
Raquel R. Rivera (she/her/ella) is a Latina lawyer and lady lover from New Jersey. She is in a lifelong love affair with books and earned countless free personal pan pizzas from the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! program as a kid to prove it.
