by Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Sep 2023
444 pages
Genre: Graphic Novels
Paperback Original.
Publication Information
Roaming marks a triumphant return to the graphic novel and a deft foray into new adult fiction for Caldecott Medal authors Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki.
Over the course of a much-anticipated trip to New York, an unexpected fling blossoms between casual acquaintances and throws a long-term friendship off-balance. Emotional tensions vibrate wildly against the resplendently illustrated backdrop of the city, capturing a spontaneous queer romance in all of its fledgling glory. Slick attention to the details of a bustling, intimidating metropolis are softened with a palette of muted pastels, as though seen through the eyes of first-time travelers. The awe, wonder, and occasional stumble along the way come to life with stunning accuracy.
Roaming is the third collaboration from the critically acclaimed team behind Skim and Governor General's Literary Award winner This One Summer. Moody, atmospheric, and teeming with life, the magic of this comics duo leaks through the pages with lush and exquisite pen work. The Tamakis' singular, elegant vision of an urban paradise slowly revealing its imperfections to the tune of its visitors' rhythms is a masterpiece—a future classic for generations to come.
"The Tamaki cousins (This One Summer), winners of Eisner and Caldecott awards, reunite for a shrewd and wistful coming-of-age story that may be their best work yet...Playful yet plaintive, this is an elegant study of young women caught between the comforts of the past and the promise of what comes next." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Readers looking to indulge nostalgia about being a tourist in New York, from staying in a hostel to comparing the merits of different slices of pizza, will find much to enjoy; so will readers of stories about coming into one's own in adulthood, with all of the myriad joys and stumbles that entails...A visually and narratively appealing work of coming-of-age fiction." ―Kirkus Reviews
"I've never been a young Canadian tourist visiting New York for the first time in 2009, but Roaming made me feel like one. It's a beautiful, immersive slice-of-life, and Jillian Tamaki's artwork has never been more observant, inventive, and breathtakingly alive." ―Adrian Tomine, Shortcomings and The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist
"Roaming made me wanna be 17 all over again. Mobbing the streets of NYC with my angsty, goofy, dare-devil friends skateboarding at the cube on Astor place and riding the Cyclone at Coney Island, screaming at the top of our lungs, feeling like nothing could ever stop us. The Tamakis give us NYC youth magic on a platter scuffed with glitter, make out sessions and tourist stops at Times Square. I wanted to read Roaming over and over again. It's a love letter to the greatest city in the world and all the beautiful tender queer kids running wild and free." ―Gabby Rivera, Juliet Takes A Breath
"Tender, honest, and gorgeously illustrated, Roaming charters a course through the choppy waters of a queer fling with aplomb. Following a trio of friends from Canada on a short trip to New York City, Roaming doesn't shy away from the splendid messiness of a sudden, passionate connection between two strangers. Jillian and Mariko Tamaki embrace the humanity of their characters and allow them to exist outside of the sanitized expectations so often imposed on media with LGBTQ representation. Like any great destination, it left an impression on me, and I'm looking forward to coming back." ―JP Brammer, ¡Hola Papi!
This information about Roaming was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jillian Tamaki is a cartoonist, illustrator, and educator raised in Calgary, Alberta. She is the author of the Eisner Award winners SuperMutant Magic Academy and Boundless, and the author-illustrator of two picture books, including most recently Our Little Kitchen. With her cousin Mariko Tamaki, she is the cocreator of the young adult graphic novels Skim and This One Summer, which won a Governor General's Award and Caldecott Honor. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian writer living in California. She is the cocreator of the graphic novels Skim and This One Summer with Jillian Tamaki, and Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me with Rosemary Valero-O'Connell. She writes superhero comics for DC Comics, Darkhorse and Marvel. Mariko was the recipient of the Eisner Award for Best Writer in 2020. Collectively, her works have received Printz Honors and Eisner, Ignatz, Ringo, and Prism Awards. She is the curator of the Abrams LGBTQ imprint, Surely Books.
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