Publisher's Weekly Review
Brown added to his growing rep last year with the bestselling Darth Vader and Son, and his newest title presents a more down-to-earth view of fatherhood, a theme that Brown clearly has deep feelings about. The book focuses on his relationships with his preschool son, and with his own father. By mixing the trials and tribulations of his own journey into fatherhood with his childhood memories of his dad, Brown draws loose parallels between the two and shows the greater insight he has been given concerning his own development. Faith and religion are major themes, with Brown questioning his Christian upbringing as he matures and discovers the gaps in his education. Brown's own father is a minister, making this a sensitive subject to tackle, and the story is intercut with his son's questioning of his grandparents' religion. With simple sketches and strong colors, this book is in the style of Brown's previous autobiographical books Clumsy and Small Things, and fans of his better-known books, like Cat Getting Out of a Bag, will find subtle and quiet insights into the realities of family life in place of humor. Darth Vader and Son was a top present for Father's Day last year, and the new book will likely offer a repeat performance. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
In this graphic memoir, a Midwestern preacher's son loses his faith and discovers art. Both the style and tone of this coming-of-age narrative sustain an engaging navet, even as the young son who is the author becomes a father himself, and the deceptively simple story encompasses three generations of male Browns, who may or may not discover the answers to life's biggest questions in church. The creatively prolific Brown (Funny Misshapen Body, 2009, etc.) has extended his talents into film, animation and broadcasting (on NPR's This American Life), and he also teaches comics at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Yet there is nothing artistically flashy or academic in this understated, matter-of-fact memoir, which begins, in darkness leading to a glimmer of light (over six large panels): "When I was little, I believed in God. At least I think I did. At some point I realized that I didn't believe. And I hadn't in a long time. If ever. It doesn't mean I don't believe in something bigger than myself." Such an introduction leaves a lot of open space for interpretation, and the rest of the narrative, in panels not considerably larger than postage stamps, proceeds to fill in some of it, though by no means all. It's a story of church, camps and missions, then college, art, museums, sexual awakening and fatherhood, where a son might receive different answers than the father, who is the author, received from his own father. Brown dedicates the memoir to his father and son, and love for both permeates the pages, where epiphanies are small, revelations conventional, and neither the artist nor the challenges he faces ever seem larger than life. Intermittently engaging, but there are more questions than answers here.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Brown first garnered attention a decade ago for his simple, autobiographical comics depicting his disastrous relationships with a series of troubled young women. Now married, with a young son, Brown's concerns have inevitably changed, but his approach to dealing with them and documenting them in his comics remains entertainingly self-obsessed. Rather than worrying about his romantic life, he now ponders bigger questions, particularly matters of faith and religion. The narrative swings back and forth between scenes from his childhood and his growing skepticism about his church's teachings particularly wrenching since his father is a minister and his present-day efforts at parenthood. Along with Brown's transition to adult concerns comes a subtle maturation of his depiction of them: where his early works sometimes felt like they were spewed onto the page emotionally and randomly, this one has a thoughtful structure that enhances the story's impact. What hasn't changed is Brown's scratchy, childlike drawing style, which remains charmingly awkward, adding to the sincerity of this characteristically heartfelt memoir.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2010 Booklist
