The graphic novel Are You Listening? is an intimate and emotionally soaring story about friendship, grief, and healing from Eisner Award winner Tillie Walden.
Bea is on the run. And then, she runs into Lou.
This chance encounter sends them on a journey through West Texas, where strange things follow them wherever they go. The landscape morphs into an unsettling world, a mysterious cat joins them, and they are haunted by a group of threatening men. To stay safe, Bea and Lou must trust each other as they are driven to confront buried truths. The two women share their stories of loss and heartbreak—and a startling revelation about sexual assault—culminating in an exquisite example of human connection.
This magical realistic adventure from the celebrated comics creator of Spinning and On a Sunbeam will stay with readers long after the final gorgeously illustrated page.
2020 Eisner Award Winner, Best Graphic Album--New
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019
A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019
An O Magazine Best LGBTQ Book of 2019
One of The Comics Beat's Best Comics of 2019
A Lambda Literary Award Finalist
A Harvey Award nominee, Best Book of the Year
Beautiful!
"Bea is running way form home. Lou, a mechanic in town sees Bea as she is driving out of town to see family. They decide to travel together and face their demons together. Bea finds a cat and tries to return her home, but suddenly the landscape starts changing, weird things are happening and strange men are following them. The two must decipher this road trip and do some soul searching in order to make it out safe. Tillie Walden is a stunning writer and artist. This is my second graphic novel read by her and she has such a beautiful way of creating characters that feel authentic and are going through some serious life stuff. I do want to warn about some triggers in this story, so make sure to do a quick check of themes in this story to keep yourself safe. The artwork is soft, but the colours drastically change as stakes change. Soft pinks and purples are used in more sensitive moments between Bea and Lou. And vibrant reds and darker greys will be thrown in when they are being chased. I love it, it totally impacted my emotional connection to the storyline and art. I’m not going to deny that having a cat rescue storyline impacted my feelings on this story. Seeing Bea struggling with who they are and running from their past is hard. Seeing them find hope and purpose in helping a little cat made my heart so happy. It was very sweet. If you are new to graphic novels, Tillie Walden is a wonderful author to start with. I can’t wait to continue working through her collection."