40 pages • 1 hour read
Craig ThompsonA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Blankets by Craig Thompson is an autobiographical graphic novel that narrates the author's coming-of-age and first love against the backdrop of a strict religious upbringing, eventually leading to his departure from his childhood faith. The story traverses Craig's painful experiences with bullying, familial abuse, and internal guilt, interwoven with a significant romance that influences his emotional and spiritual growth. This work includes themes of sexual abuse, bullying, and religious extremism.
Craig Thompson's Blankets is highly praised for its evocative art and compelling storytelling, drawing readers into an autobiographical narrative that explores themes of family, faith, and first love. Critics highlight its emotional depth and nuanced characters. However, some note the pacing can be slow and the plot somewhat predictable. Overall, it's a heartfelt and introspective graphic novel.
Fans of introspective, coming-of-age graphic novels will find Blankets by Craig Thompson deeply moving. Similar in emotional depth to Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home and sensitive self-discovery of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, Thompson's memoir weaves themes of faith, first love, and the quest for personal identity.