I was first introduced to Bechdel by one of the lesbian intern pastors at my church. While I enjoy Dykes to Watch Out For, I recommend Fun Home frequently to people who don’t know where to start with graphic novels. Naturally, then, I had to read her latest book.
Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel.
Fun Home, the book that made Bechdel famous outside of the lesbian and indie comix scene, examined her relationship with her by then deceased father. It was filled with references to the classic English literature that was their closest bond. This book, rather obviously, turns to look at her mother. This is significantly complicated by the fact that her mother is still alive. Bechdel’s narrative is frequently punctuated with scenes of Bechdel’s mother discussing her reaction to the current draft of the book. We also meet several of the therapists that Bechdel has worked with over the years, as she examines her relationship to her mother. Throughout, the book is filled with references to classic psychoanalysts as well as female poets. This makes it still fascinating, deep and multifaceted, but also somewhat less accessible than Fun Home. It’s a complex look at the mother-daughter relationship that manages to be deeply universal at the same time as deeply personal. Go for this when you are ready for some deep thinky thoughts.
Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. Narrated by Frederick Davidson.
When Parents Hurt by Joshua Coleman.
The Book of Story Beginnings by Kristin Kladstrup.
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson.
Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones.
Grave Mercy, His Fair Assassin Book 1 by Robin LaFevers. The setting is 15th century Brittany. Ismae is a peasant’s daughter with an abusive father. When the man he marries her off to turns out to be abusive as well, she runs away and is taken in by the convent of St. Mortain. St. Mortain is the local patron saint and former god of Death. His daughters, feared by the populace, join the convent, where they are trained as sacred assassins. The Sisters only slay those who bear the magical Marque of St. Mortain, visible only to them. Ismae finds her first real home here, and makes friends with a girl her own age, Annith, as well as another new if somewhat crazed girl Sybella, who rather soon goes missing. She finds that being the daughter of Death makes her immune to poisons, so she works with one of the older sisters distilling poisons. However, in a few years (neatly skipped over), Ismae is sent on her first real mission. At this time, Brittany is not yet part of France and is ruled by a young teenaged Duchess, Anne. She is surrounded by advisors of dubious loyalty, formally engaged to about six different men. Obviously considered weak due to her age and sex, the Duchess is also the richest woman in Europe. The Abbess and a trusted royal advisor, Crunard, send Ismae off with Duchess Anne’s bastard half-brother, Duval, to find proof that he is a traitor and with whom he’s conspiring. It’s slightly problematic that the convent is sending a novice on what would seem to be an operation requiring one of their most experienced nuns. However, I was willing to sweep this under the rug in the interests of the story. Naturally, the politics turn out to be a good deal more complicated than Ismae had been given to believe. Duval seems not at all the traitor he’d been made out as. Instead, Ismae finds him nearly the only person undivided in his loyalty to the Duchess. But can she be sure of this, or is their growing attraction masking some deeper truth. Despite these doubts, Ismae start plotting with Duval and Duchess Anne to find out who the real traitor is and how to stabilize Brittany without either giving in to France’s demands to annex Brittany or marrying Anne off to someone loathsome. Ismae will have to look beyond the convent’s formal rules and trust herself to be able to see the will of Mortain himself if they are to succeed. 
Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime by Myra Wolfe. Illustrated by Maria Monescillo. 
The Mutu System by Wendy Powell. 
alibrarymama 