Book Review: Quarantine Comix

It's hard reviewing a comic book like this. A weekly or daily feed of little vignettes of lockdown life regularly raises a chuckle. But it long-form, it doesn't quite work. We already know how the story ends - after a year, you're still in lockdown. You've grown around the belly, but have you grown as a person? No, probably not.

The sketches are cheerful, relatable, and a little heartbreaking in places. You'll probably recognise your own behaviour in more than a couple. And, I guess that's the value in art - holding a mirror up so that we may see ourselves better.

There are some beautiful gems within the book. Mostly drawn with a fairly minimalist aesthetic - which helps the few colour panels really pop.

Perhaps I don't understand how to read a book like this. Taken all in one sitting I found it getting a little repetitive. For dipping in and out of, it's great.

I think - like many works of art created during COVID - this will be of great interest to those looking back on our deeply weird lives.

Thanks to NetGalley for the preview copy. The book is released later this month and can be pre-ordered from the following links: