Wilberton Academy takes its theater seriously. Members of the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society are revered by the student body, and beautiful, talented Elizabeth Woodward is a shining star among them. The whole school is abuzz over the production of Romeo and Juliet that Elizabeth is starring in as the tragic leading lady—until she’s found dead the morning after opening night and the school is thrown into chaos by the sudden tragedy. Abby Kita, an outcast and recent transfer student, realizes she was the last person to speak with Elizabeth before her death, and she doesn’t buy it when authorities rule her death a suicide. With the help of Claire, her student journalist roommate, Abby begins to investigate the circumstances around Elizabeth’s death and realizes that Wilberton’s golden girl was keeping secrets—maybe ones that got her killed.
This Place Kills Me is a page-turning graphic novel set at an all-girls boarding school in the 80s where death steps off the stage and into the real world. Nicole Goux’s evocative art and clever panelling pairs well with the tense, claustrophobic environment, and the result is a gripping mystery story.
I’ve always had a soft spot for boarding school stories, no matter the genre. There’s just something about the setting that lends itself well to drama, whether it’s from the constant close proximity of characters living and learning together or the heavy weight of tradition and legacy. This Place Kills Me is an excellently conjured example of the genre that explores the darker side of such institutions. Tamaki and Goux’s take on a school story is on the heavier side: it’s no comedy or coming-of-age romance, but instead a twisty mystery with an atmosphere influence by both noir and gothic traditions. Wilberton Academy is an institution that has a high opinion of itself and its students, but there are less savory stories hiding in its shadows. From the outset, we see that Abby’s experience of Wilberton is not one of joyous camaraderie, but rather ostracization and loneliness, and her investigation into Elizabeth’s death leads her to uncover a conspiracy of coercion that may have turned deadly.
Nicole Goux’s art is an excellent fit for the story of This Place Kills Me. Tri-color art—mostly black and white, with some accents of pink—emphasizes the looming shadows of Wilberton while highlighting Abby’s emotional turmoil and the tangled web of intrigue her investigation leads her into. Visual clues and internal revelations are often highlighted in the story with a perfect balance of text and images. The panel ordering is often intuitive yet innovative, reflecting the investigative nature of the story while still making room for the emotional beats. In one particularly effective moment, a tense confrontation between Abby and Claire briefly slides out of realism to show a single-page illustration of a human heart being squeezed by a pair of hands to emphasize the heart-wrenching nature of their conversation.
I wasn’t initially sure if This Place Kills Me was a queer story going in. Having read previous stories by Mariko Tamaki, like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, I thought her newest graphic novel might be queer, but there wasn’t anything particularly indicating this in the description of This Place Kills Me. As it turns out, This Place Kills Me is indeed a sapphic story, and the isolation of being a young queer girl in a homophobic environment is a large part of the story and Abby’s character. An all-girls school where cruel rumors and catty behavior are as common as pleated skirts isn’t an easy place to be anything but straight, and This Place Kills Me doesn’t shy away from the predatory stereotypes that other girls assign to Abby. While it’s not always an easy story to read, I found it refreshing that This Place Kills Me doesn’t just use the 80s setting for pop culture references or gimmicks, but to explore the isolation and confusion of coming of age as queer in an unwelcoming environment.
I found This Place Kills Me to be a perfectly executed graphic novel that pairs an engrossing mystery story with engaging, effective art. The story balances the twists and turns of a whodunit alongside a strong emotional core about the loneliness and vulnerability of teenage girls, and Tamaki’s script and Goux’s art are a match made in heaven.
Representation: sapphic/questioning Japanese American main character
Content warnings: death, bullying, homophobia, drug use, drug overdose, suicide, adult/minor relationships
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