Bryan Lee O'Malley "Lost At Sea"

I am not a particular fan of Bryan Lee O'Malley,or at least, I wasn't before "Lost At Sea". I've always appreciated his art style, which alone drove me to read through the Scott Pilgrim series, which I found lacking after everyone swore that I would like it. I found SP too gimmicky, and without any real substance.

Bad reviews kept me from reading this novel for a long time, and I really regret that. I think I'll address the most common complaint first. For one, it is described as "emo", but it depends on your definition of the word. Is this book sad or bleak for the sake of being sad or bleak? No. Is this book genuinely raw and emotional? Yes, sort of. It's not overly dramatic, the protagonist, Raleigh, is just convinced she doesn't have a soul. Not because she is bad, but purely because she has become kind of numb.

Chances are, Raleigh is dealing with moderate to severe depression (and you are probably beginning to see not only why I like this book, but relate to its protagonist). Her perceived importance relating to cats could even be a kind of psychosis, but I digress. On the surface, this is the story of a regular eighteen year old is a little lost, and unable to feel things the same way that she did before, whatever else you want to read into it.

Her world is in quiet discord, and she has found something good in it, and she is unsure of how it will turn out. It leaves her anxious, uncertain, and completely confused, not only about this subject but seemingly life itself. By the age of eighteen, you feel like you should know a lot more than you do, and that you should know yourself better. It is one of the great delusions of adulthood that you think, at any one point, you will suddenly have a clear, unchanging view of yourself.

I like the progression of the story, and I adore how her friends start to indulge her in her quest, in the middle of the night. Despite what other reviews have said, I don't think this is a story about the blurred lines between reality and delusion or fantasy. It is just symbolism. She has lost something important to her, something apart of her, and searching on the streets seems like a good a place as any.

"Lost At Sea" is not going to be likable to everyone. If you were ever lost or depressed as a teenager, Raleigh will strike a chord with you. You'll like this story if you have embraced this side of yourself, a teenage phase or not (as the other typical negative review was "I was like Raleigh and I don't want to relive that").

I was quite happy, for a short while, to be lost in misunderstood adolescence for a while. I think I'll go back to read this again when I am feeling slightly sad and wistful for a former self. I'm pretty sure I'll end up buying this one for my permanent collection, so at the very least it is definitely worth borrowing.