I’m not really sure where to start. This wasn’t a terrible book, it was actually pretty well written. But it didn’t add anything new to any of the discourses it approached (eating disorders, sexuality, female friendship, coming-of-age, suicide). In fact, it utilized cliches for every single aspect. Justine was a bit manic pixie dream girl. She’s a bitch and Ali still worships her. There’s basically no adult supervision. The ED rep I’ve seen a million time. I think this book might advocate for toxic behavior.

Of course we need issue books that don’t resolve well, but I’m struggling to see the point of the way things played-out. I don’t the idea of censoring art, but I almost feel the above mentioned issues were glorified? A young person could read this book and think acting Ali and Justine is a good idea even though their behavior is sublimely unhealthy and self-destructive.

Maybe this ties in with the fact that I don’t think anything was fully explored. How many hot button issues can you expect to fit into a 130 page and do them well? The back says “Justine explores the sinister side of image-obsessed American girlhood” which shows a great misunderstanding of EDs. EDs are not about physical appearance, though they present as such. They’re about control. The real issue is always something else. What is Ali’s underlying condition? Justine’s?

Why does Justine take Ali under her wing? (Besides convenience for the story) I don’t know what anyone’s motivations are. BIG SPOILERS: why did Justine kill herself? It was so gimmicky to throw it in at the end, for... the sake of plot? Just so we could title it Justine? which I don’t think was apt. It wasn’t centered on her enough for that. The obsession with her was secondary for large chunks of the book. And then Ali’s cat dies? For whyyy. To signify the old her is dead? And her grandma throws away the cat’s belongings and lies about it and Ali doesn’t confront her? HUH.

I hate to say a book needs a point, but what was the point?? There was no character development, no moral lesson, everything sucked just to suck. I’m the first person to love me some characters in pain, but this felt so needless.

If I’d just read this book and not thought about it when it was over, I’d have a lot less angry stuff to say. If you don’t think too hard, this feels a good book. The problems almost feel undercover. But the more I think about it, the less I what it did.

Stray thoughts:

Justine sucked. Immediately on page one she sucked.

Ali’s exact copying of J was sort of pathetic.

OH. That part where she and Ryan have sex and consent is super not a thing? But then afterward she is that’s the best sex I ever had and I loved it... why don’t we just go ahead and tell young girls its okay for boys to say they’re gonna give you a mixed tape and then just undress and fuck you instead. (Oop, guess I’m kinda mad)

I was initially excited about the drawings, but they only added value in a few places. Sometimes a drawing came before the narrative part that explained its relevance so that was weird. Otherwise they were mostly generic, beer bottles to signify drinking, makeup mirror to signify beauty.

Thank you to Tin House for the ARC!19 s Paris (parisperusing)187 39

Tiny book, big boom. A salty-sweet story about the angst of making friends in an unfriendly town rife with lonely people, places and things; or rather, a cautionary tale about two very different girls — one light, the other dark — willing to pay the price of perfection. Merciless, bittersweet and tragically transparent, Justine is a razor-sharp depiction of the ways this world can bend a body to its breaking point.


TW: This book contains descriptions of self-harm, bulimia and borderline sexual assault.17 s Caro (Bookaria)627 22.3k

The novel is short but packs an emotional punch. Filled with imagery that will transport you to the experience of a chaotic, and at times, a confused-young girl living in the late 90s. I found the story engaging.2021 favorites fiction17 s Michelle807

This is more a character study. It's a coming of age story set in the 1990s New Jersey between two teenaged girls. The novel also feels it was written then. There are illustrations throughout that accompany the text. Sometimes the art goes beyond with a commentary beyond illustrating and those work best. The friendship and relationship with boys and the friendship with sapphic undertones is pretty cliche. The eating disorder, models, and shoplifting are of that time. This novel could have been written any time before 2011, so it does feel dated.1990s-is-now-historical-fiction literary relationship-fic ...more7 s SamanthaAuthor 10 books66

To say this novel is set in the late 1990s is an understatement. Reading it is way more of an immersive experience that I'm not sure how to feel about, because it drops you in a very specific late '90s adolescence - the good and the bad.

Ali takes a job in a grocery store because of her crush on Justine, a cashier there, and their not-so-healthy friendship develops from there. Trigger warnings abound throughout - eating disorders, self harm, lack of consent, and suicide. If you were a teenager in the late '90s, you'll have a visceral reaction to much of the book, from the clinical writing and distanced characters to the detailed descriptions of waifish models in fashion magazines to the shame around liking pop music (Mariah Carey) to the girlhood willingness to idolize other girls with no redeeming qualities. There are even illustrations throughout that add a zine/DIY vibe that could very well make you feel you're at the skate park or in a Hot Topic. Anyone reading this without knowing the pub date would absolutely guess it came out around 1997-1999.

So that's the thing. It was published in 2021, and thus I'm compelled to think about that context. Why write a novel now that easily reads it was written over two decades ago, in a time when rail-thin was in, and eating disorders and self harm were glamorized? I love the '90s and a novel this takes me back in a nostalgic way I enjoyed. But one could argue Harmon glorifies topics in what's considered a problematic way by today's standards....teen lit did plenty of that back then, why do it now? And that's what I can't figure out - whether there's some larger commentary I'm missing that explains why Harmon chose to not just set the book in that decade but to also give certain issues the same problematic treatment they got in that time. I'm inclined to think there really isn't some larger point, tbh, and while I'm far enough removed from my own '90s adolescence to recognize this glamorization as wrong, I fear younger readers might feed into it. So. Definitely an adult novel.

I d it! But I'm perplexed! In a good way?! I'll be thinking about this one for a while to come.lgbt messy-women millennial ...more5 s Katie Murray231 27

This just was NOT it. While the drawings in this book seemed fun, it was not a good enough gimmick to make up for the... lack in this book. I say lack because truly there was just so much missing in this. I can get behind clinical, sparse writing, and I can also enjoy something that is more character study than plot, but when combined they are in this book, it's I'm reading... nothing. A few sentences here and there would pack a punch, but usually this book just really showed me why english teachers tell you to use different words at the start of sentences, it was so repetitive. Nothing felt important at all; even the big surprises at the end passed over me because there was no build up in the story or writing. All of this to say, there are a million books about coming of age, young women obsessed with each other, slice of life, etc. and, in my opinion, I'd rather pick up a different one.on-my-bookshelf5 s Francesca ForrestAuthor 21 books94 Read

A friend whose writing I adore gave me this book and said it was mindblowing. Wow, sorry, I did NOT feel that way at all--it anti-resonated with me on every possible level.

But I love my friend's writing, so I tried to think about why someone might love it and what I maybe wasn't seeing. And I came up with these things that I admired:
--I d the way the author gave a sense of a person just though a few words of conversation. Awful Justine, for one, but also protagonist Ali's grandmother. I d interactions between Ali and the grandmother.
--the landscape of aimless adolescence seemed pretty well observed.
--teen girls' focus on other girls' physical features felt real to me.
--Ali and Ryan sexually innuendo-ing to each other, and their conversations generally, I d.

So, thinking of those things, I think I can see why my friend d it.

Here's why I didn't it:

--I couldn't stand to be trapped in Ali's viewpoint. She doesn't THINK about anything. She's just a bunch of sensations that lets herself be led this way and that. This may be true of lots of high school girls (a thought, though, that makes me sad), but it wasn't true for me or people I knew--they had stuff they were genuinely interested in, things occupied their thoughts!
--I have a violent allergy to the whole "don't read Seventeen Magazine; read Vogue instead" GOD. I never d Seventeen Magazine, and that the protagonist reads it just makes me want to run off to the woods, my way of avoiding this stuff in high school. But then to switch to Vogue? To looking at a bunch of aloof models in ugly clothes making vaguely hostile or apathetic faces? Aaaaahhhhhaaaaaaahhhh.
--Justine is an unpleasant cipher
--cat death, WTF
--the last line of the book, Wow, cold: you're a pretty awful person too, Ali, was my first reaction. (the titular Justine, whom Ali's been fascinated with for the whole book, dies, probably suicide, and Ali's reaction--after Ryan tries to condole with her over the death--is to shrug and think to herself "I mean, I didn't even know her." Okay great, thanks, bye.)But maybe this is meant to be that oh so meaningful thing of a person being deeply sorrowing/traumatized but not showing it. But maaaaan, I think you need some context for that! Otherwise you'll be reading deep feelings into cardboard display figures. There's nothing that indicates depths in Ali. Maybe she's got them, or maybe it's just readers supplying them.

For me, it was an annoying and depressing read; I didn't it. But I'm glad my friend gave it to me, glad to try something outside my wheelhouse, and glad to be able to find at least some merits in it.4 s Matthew914 31

A quick, heavy hitting little story. It feels far more a diary than a novel. Luckily, I am super nosey and adore the idea of being allowed to read through a stranger’s diary. And what makes this read all the more enjoyable is how much this could have been the diary of a few of my high school friends... or even my own had I kept a diary. The illustrations make it all feel even more a private journal. The two page illustration of traffic lights, telephone poles, and wires caused me to pause for quite some time. Thanks @tin_house for the advance copy! This novel is released March 2nd. 4 s Lindsay HunterAuthor 21 books412

I loooooooooved this. 3 s Meredith Ann638 12

More of an illustrated novella than anything else, Justine is a quick trip into teen girlhood of the late 90s that still feels timeless. It's the perfect length for the story being told. Harmon does a great job navigating those emotions that you're not sure about at that gate, wondering if it's love, friendship obsession, envy, or some combination of those and more. arc ebook3 s Theresa242 160

I have mixed feelings about this one. "Justine" by Forsyth Harmon is an illustrated novel (more a novella) about a young, impressionable girl, Ali, who becomes enamored with her troubled co-worker, Justine. I enjoyed all the nostalgic feels while reading this. The story takes place in 1999. Ali's grandma (also her legal guardian) is obsessed with cleaning and watching "Days of our Lives". I remember those silly "Days" storylines VERY WELL. Talk about a trip down memory lane! I d all the throwbacks to music, literature, fashion, pop culture.

As for the story itself, it was a little lackluster for me. I kept waiting for something big to happen, and it does in the last chapter but I didn't feel any resolution or much character development for Ali. I'm sure it's because the novel only takes place over the course of a summer, but the ending left me feeling unsatisfied and hollow. This book has some dark subject matter, especially when it comes to eating disorders. It was unsettling. The author did a decent job at making the reader uncomfortable, if that was is her intention. It's pretty obvious that Ali was written as a frustrating, immature character. I just wanted to shake her for the dumb choices she makes. Ugh.

I was a little confused as to why Ali felt so drawn to Justine. The whole being friends with someone who is a bad influence is such an overdone trope. Nothing felt original, very basic storyline. As for the illustrations, they were pretty average - nothing spectacular. They seem more doodles than anything else. If you're looking for a quick read, then "Justine" might be for you, just don't expect a fully-fleshed out story.

Thank you, Netgalley and Tin House for the digital ARC.coming-of-age mental-illness netgalley ...more3 s Emily Grace132 16

Justine was the light shining on me and the dark shadow it cast, and I wanted to stand there forever in the relief of that contrast.
shoplifting, repressed feelings and sugarless gum, this book oozes girlhood in a way I can feel in my bones. Specifically girlhood before social media which packs the extra punch of nostalgia on top of the melancholy listlessness of being a teenager on a hot summer day.?
?
It's the late 90s on Long Island and the day before junior prom Ali meets Justine, the cashier at the local Stop & Shop and becomes infatuated, applying for a summer job on the spot. She's quickly absorbed into the world of Justine and her friends, emulating their preferences and style; spending hours exploring abandoned buildings, listening to new music and smoking weed in her grandmother's car. This book is so rich in observational detail it's you can feel it, the humid air, the wet bathing suit under your clothes. If you could bottle a teen summer it would be called Justine. Forsyth has written a story of adolescence that will stick to you flip flops on hot asphalt.?

Thank you to Tin House Books for the review copy! All opinions are my own.2021-releases books-i-own gsm3 s Ryan Jantz158 1 follower

A more perceptive Freaks and Geeks but set in 1999 Long Island. A realistic and unsentimental depiction of the late 90s that contrasts with all of its nostalgic goodwill. Justine nails the feeling of small town angst and true edginess in the absolute last moment before social media and cell phones - wandering around, going to the mall, buying CDs, and feeding Tamagotchis in what feels a much smaller world.

The characters in Justine are sketchy and cynical in a way that feels faithful both to the teen apathy of the 90s and to a specific brand of Long Island/Staten Island/New Jersey darkness that maybe you have to have grown up in to fully get. There is a mood and an aesthetic living on these pages that Justine has fully resurrected from the dead.

I d it a lot. A bit predictable though. The titular character Justine is someone you’ve read before - cool, aloof, impulsive, beautiful, mysterious. But I think what was effective was how Harmon nails the our protagonist’s feelings of wanting to be with her and also be her.

Nitpick: as much as I appreciate the Black Star, EPMD, and De La Soul references, this all just felt so forced and info-dumpy.3 s Sanaë LemoineAuthor 4 books210

Justine is a stunning illustrated novel that takes place over one hot summer in 1999 on Long Island. High-schooler Ali lives with her grandmother and their cat Marlena. The first time she sees Justine, a cashier at the nearby Stop & Shop, Ali is immediately drawn to her and decides to apply for a job. As the two girls grow close, Ali is pulled into a strange, intense friendship that borders on obsession. There is so much I loved about Forsyth Harmon’s novel—the precise, gorgeous sentences that perfectly capture the ache of being a teenager; the surprising interplay between prose and illustrations; a female friendship that feels familiar and true in its messiness as Ali searches for meaning and selfhood. In other words, this is a brilliant re-imagining of the coming-of-age novel. I read Justine in one sitting, almost holding my breath. 3 s Julie Montgomery2

Harmon does something with images and text that I haven't seen before. Rather than following a standard, cell-based graphic novel format, she intersperses full-page and spot illustrations intermittently. And rather than being repetitive, the illustrations tell their own story. Namely, they seem to express feelings the teenage narrator is unable to. And so a butterfly spreads its wings, a tape measure unravels, and a Tamagotchi pet dies.3 s Jennifer Spotts2 2

This is a slim but powerful coming-of-age novel. While it exercises some of the conventions of the genre, it's very unique in both its illustrated format as well as its dedication to minimalism. You can see the writer-artist is trying to use as few words and strokes as possible to tell this story. It's all about reading between the lines, and it leaves you wanting more.3 s Alisha177 18

A stunning debut by Forsyth Harmon that is a heartbreaking, relatable exploration of girlhood on the verge of womanhood. Lines of friendship are blurred, boundaries are crossed and innocence lost. The plethora of late 90’s references is icing on the cake.

Pick this up if you want to fall in love with reading all over again.


Spoiler alert: I cried. 3 s Sarah :)433 36

in 2021? Really?2021-anticipated3 s OrianaAuthor 2 books3,527 Want to read

From Buzzfeed's Spring Book Preview:

Celebrated illustrator Forsyth Harmon makes her writing debut with Justine, a compact but powerful illustrated novel. In (pitch-perfect) 1990s Long Island, teenager Ali is enchanted by Justine, the impossibly cool and beautiful cashier at her local Stop & Shop. When Ali gets a job at the same supermarket, Justine warms up to her as something between a friend and a project, and she welcomes Ali into her world of skater boys, awkward sex, pop culture obsession, and bad behavior — shoplifting, smoking, breaking into an abandoned psychiatric center. Justine is larger than life. Ali, at the mercy of her whims, can’t make sense of her attraction to her; it’s at once romantic, sexual, and aspirational. It's a bittersweet, nostalgic coming-of-age story.2 s annie851 69

enjoyed the hazy messy summery Long Island vibes and the exploration of teenage female friendship and eating disorders. did not enjoy the near total lack of plot lol. used to be a big fan of novels abt nothing but now I’m hmmm maybe novels…should have some sort of a plot. I am still a characters and themes over plot girlie but this book did not give me sufficient characters or plot to sink my teeth into. Interesting thematic stuff, but not really thoroughly explored.

Cool illustrations tho! I did really that part 2 s Megan106

2.52 s Chelsea Slaven-Davis7 27

When I was a kid, my mom would say there are two kinds of books: the junk food kind and the good-for-you kind (think Babysitters Club vs. Little House on the Prairie). I wasn't allowed to read the junk food kind, so I would ride my bike to the library and crouch down in the aisle to read what I couldn't bring home, to live momentarily in worlds the one the girls in "Justine" are swept up in.

This novel illustrates the ephemera and angst of a time that I recognize as spot-on (my seventh grade teacher had issues of Seventeen in the back of the classroom that we could read when we were done with our tests), but didn't really experience myself. Forsyth captures so perfectly the full-body sensation of wanting someone / wanting to be someone -- as sheltered as my teen years were, I was connected so hard to THAT.

There are drawings of a cute cat and Mary Janes and chewing gum -- drawings so precise and loaded that I kept catching new details each time I revisited a page -- but the feeling I was left with when I got (so quickly!) to the end was drinking a can of Diet Coke too fast: deep (but important) discomfort.

I was so happy to learn that this is just the first book of several that we'll get to spend with the narrator of "Justine." 2 s Parker J493 15

I was going to write a review for this one but I don't know if I will at this point. It just was not for me. It was a very cookie cutter coming of age story full of every single trope and cliche that you can imagine those stories having. It felt it pulled from so many other things I've read while adding nothing new. Not to mention several other issues I had with the book. Sad :( 2 s Sarah182 36

This falls under the category of: what the hell did I just read2 s Cari197 12

I was surprised by how this book was billed as a story of obsession. I didn't find that to be true at all. To me, this story was an interesting take on the frivolity and shallowness of adolescence; about that period in life often referred to as the time when you're young and dumb. The narrator, Ali, did lots of dumb things after she met the title character, Justine. I suspect Ali would have had the same reaction to any new friend. It's difficult to know for sure, because in a book this short, true character development takes a back seat, but there were enough details to know that for whatever reason, Ali needed to find and define herself. Overall I found this to be a quick and interesting read which would also work as a much longer novel, giving the reader more insight into what made all of the characters tick. 1 Whitney326 17

A mean little novella about the dark side of female friendship. A lot of the final twenty pages were telegraphed pretty hard early on, but I enjoyed the ride anyway (as much as one can enjoy a tale about hero worship, drug use, shoplifting, and flourishing eating disorders). 1 Mary Beth Umholtz219 6

When Ali develops a sudden and intense girl-crush on Justine, an impossibly cool cashier at the local Stop and Shop, she surrenders her identity and gives herself over to the intense longing to be in the vicinity of Justine—to become her, if she only could. All the characters are damaged and all the parents seem detached and self-absorbed. In a lot of ways this reminded me of a Sally Rooney novel, but in a quick burst. The author, Forsyth Harmon, supplies her own moody line drawings throughout the book, which add a uniqueness to the experience of reading it.1 Elizabeth A1,936 109

I'm writing this review months after reading this one, and almost nothing has stayed with me. I d the illustrations, but was not drawn into this story of obession. 2021 art novella1 caton clark101 1 follower

good writing but it made me feel physically sick lol1 E.B.Author 1 book48

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