I know it's using Laura Dean and Bloom as comparisons but Laura Dean and Bloom are in a category all of their own and unfortunately Slip doesn't meet those standards because the two pieces, Jade's best friend attempting suicide before she's leaving for an intensive art camp and Jade falling for a girl at art camp. They are disparate elements that never get the full connection they need. So much needs to be unpacked and explained or detailed that it fails to fulfil any emotional connection because it keeps moving along. Jade and Phoebe (the friend who committed suicide), Jade and the other art campers, Jade and Jake, the mentor. Jade and her art. Jade and the new girl. Jade and her family. I need more from each of them to make a complete story.

While I understand the comparison with Laura Dean (which out rightly discusses an abortion) in that this book deals with an active suicide attempt, there isn't gravity or enough "magical" / ethereal elements to flesh out how Jade is coping. Again, lacks in this department to give me a full picture.

It needs more. It feels unfinished.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning for suicide. The galley I read was uncorrected and did not have complete art.

Slip was a nice story with beautiful art.
Jade is trust into a new environment away from her closest friend, and she feels that that connection to Phoebe is slipping away more and more with each passing day. The story was self-aware, and a side character mentioned that the intensive summer art camp that the story takes place at should have a therapist, but I still found myself getting a little frustrated at how little support Jade, the main character, had after she learns that Phoebe, her best friend, attempted suicide.

The plot flowed nicely and was well paced, but I wish it showed the messiness of these kinds of situations a little more. Everything wrapped up pretty nicely, and there were points in the story that I expected some sort of breaking point, but it didn't quite get there.

Aatmaja Pandya's sequential art is stunning, and I really appreciated how much room to breath she gave to the story through art.

I loved the idea behind this and the themes, but the execution made me feel as though something was missing, it felt messy. I loved the art work though!

]there are a few things that I liked about this novel and a few things I didn't.

I think there were many great aspects of it, like queer representation, without which I think this would've been much worse. but I also didn't really find the plot interesting. this graphic novel was quick and reflective, which I liked. there wasn't too much text, which helped me engage in the story more.

the art style was great, although, even if this is just a personal preference, I think pages in color (and- in this case, certain scenes in black and white instead of red) could've done SO MUCH for this book. kind of like the art on the cover.

the main character, on the other hand, wasn't good enough for my liking. she was a typical teenager going through phases of anger and reflection, which I actually found very relatable- but she just wasn't interesting. I couldn't get myself to like her.

overall, this was okay! not bad, but could've been better.

What I absolutely love about this story is that it focuses on an individual struggling to address a friend's suicide attempt. So much fiction depicting suicide does so from either the perspective of the main character or uses the attempt as a plot device. I remember so well the feeling of being 18, 19, and 20, and hearing about my friends' attempts. There's anger, guilt, betrayal, there is so much sadness, so much that is so hard to put into words, like your entire being is shifted and off-center. McCoola does an excellent job of conveying all of these in the story, mitigated through artwork. It's a story that's very needed. For me, the pottery and ceramics narrative, which is huge, doesn't do much for me, but the emotional story is beautiful.

I received a digital ARC of this title through NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
The protagonist Jade has a strong connection with her best friend Phoebe, but when Phoebe tries to end her own life, Jade feels lost and unsure of herself and their friendship. Jade tries to forget her fears and focus on her ceramic form, however her fears only amplify into her art. With a bit of magical realism, the monsters Jade create are metaphors for her struggle with her own mental health. The art in this graphic novel is pretty raw and the coloring uses accurately depicts Jade's personal demons. This is an appropriate read for high school students that may be struggling with mental health or have friends in similar situations as Phoebe's.

Slip was definitely an enjoyable read, and I can definitely imagine keeping it in mind for younger readers looking for queer reads, reads with mental illness/health rep, and books that talk about art. I thought at times the development felt a bit rushed, but I enjoyed watching Jade’s emotional journey and thought it was a powerful story. I also loved the magical elements and how they operate in an unexplained manner, allowing readers to take their own meaning from it. All in all a good graphic novel for younger readers that holds an important conversation and engaging art.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of Slip. I loved it! It was such a wonderfully told story, I just wish it had been longer. I hope the author and illustrator make a second one. Suicide is such a heavy topic but one that needs to be talked about more often. I think the author's portrayal was honest and real without glorifying suicide - like we've seen in so many other books. It's a great book for those who have known those feelings and dealt with them before. Definitely a book that will make you cry.

this is a tender portrayal of platonic friendship, healing through art, and queer identity. i loved the exploration of vulnerability between friends and how to trust other people as much as you trust yourself. the art residency itself felt very true to life and encouraging. i could have done with some more wrapping up at the end, as i felt like the story was leading up to a bigger conclusion, but i still enjoyed the sweet sapphic love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for an ARC of Slip in exchange for an honest review.

Slip follows the story of a high school girl named Jade. After an event that pulls her away from her best friend, she's reluctant to go to the Art Farm, a one month program to help young artists build their portfolio. Yet, she doesn't have much of a choice, and is left to grapple with what's happened while she's away. Jade struggles to make her art and develop it in a meaningful way while processing these new and overwhelming emotions.

Jade, at the center of the story, is learning how to function without her best friend, and doesn't know how she can support that friend during a difficult time in her life. She also feels as though she's leagues behind the other artists she's in the program with, and has to combat these feelings of inadequacy (seemingly) alone.

This is such a gripping story about the complicated nature of relationships (of all types). Especially when you feel as though there are a million other parts of your life vying for attention. The book also touches on how to wrangle complex topics into your artistic work, without letting those emotions consume you or destroy you.

Beautifully written, impactful illustrations. Just awesome, all around <3 A must read for any young artist or creative.

Vaguely spoiler-y content warning:
This book does deal with themes of suicide, and I think it can potentially be a tough read for those who experience suicidal thoughts. On the other hand, we are seeing the story through the eyes of someone who feels helpless to be there for their friend who has attempted this. I've personally been there, and I think that this can be a helpful book for someone who is processing those emotions.

Before continuing I would like to give a quick TW for mentions of suicide

Woah, where do I even begin with this. Jade is an aspiring artist who goes to an art summer camp called the Art Farm. Right before arriving, she finds out that her best friend, Phoebe, makes an attempt on her life. We follow Jade as she learns to cope with this and we see how her thoughts and feelings start to spread to her art. Jade learns quickly that when she puts her art, which vents her stress and feelings, into the kiln they come to life. How will she come to terms with all the unpleasant things happening in her life?

Let’s start with the good, I felt that this graphic novel did an amazing job of showing how someone committing suicide can affect the people around them. The art was amazing and the emotions from Jade turned into my own. The concept of having the art pieces symbolize Jade's problems was done very nicely. It showed how if you don’t confront your problems they will find a way to confront you.

Although, the other characters are where I felt this novel lacked. I felt the romance between Mary and Jade could have been done nicer. It felt rushed. All of the characters at the Art Farm felt rushed and I would love to get some more backstory on them. But overall I really enjoyed this graphic novel and will be recommending it!

3.75/5
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this e-ARC to read in exchange for an honest review

This is a tender portrayal of platonic friendship, healing through art, and queer identity. I loved the exploration of vulnerability between friends and how to trust other people as much as you trust yourself. The art residency itself felt very true to life and encouraging. I could have done with some more wrapping up at the end, as I felt like the story was leading up to a bigger conclusion, but I still enjoyed the sweet sapphic love story.

Aww, this is a sweet graphic novel about trying to find yourself artistically when you have other things on your mind. The main character, Jade, is at a prestigious art camp but can't stop thinking about her friend Pheobe, who tried to commit suicide. The art is wonderful—sparse but beautiful. Worth checking out.

This is an excellent YA graphic novel that deals with some of the heaviest of topics (attempted suicide, friendships evolving and dealing with mental illness, artistic crises of confidence, general fears for the future) in a deft and assured way. The art is absolutely stunning, and the plot seamlessly blends the magical with the mundane, the high-stakes with the everyday, in a way that makes me want to return to the book again and again (even though I consumed it breathlessly in one sitting).

My gosh. This book is heartbreaking in the best way. When Jade’s best friend attempts suicide, Jade has to work through her feelings of not having been there for her best friend and feeling inadequate if Phoebe wasn’t willing (or able) to talk to her about what’s going on. Those feelings of helplessness are exacerbated when she’s away at a special art summer camp and develops a crush on Mary, because she starts to feel like maybe she’s leaving her best friend behind. I loved the art and the way Jade was able to work through her feelings and understanding through her artwork. This was a beautiful, sad, and hopeful graphic novel that hit a perfect spot.

This was an enjoyable and emotional read. There were some inconsistencies in the art and formatting, but I suspect a lot of that is because it was an advanced reader copy and not the finished work. Worth a look.

"Slip" is a very a solemn graphic novel about a teen's struggle with attending an art summer camp/internship after her best friend attempts suicide. It was a thoughtful read, but the story's setting and characters fell a little flat for me.

The phrase "life imitates art" was never so true in this wonderful graphic novel that features a girl who leaves for art camp amid turmoil at home and struggling to find her creative focus. The story was so rich and left room for so much more to be told, both before and after the events, that I hope the author continues this with a sequel. I love how competently the author was able to speak on various types of art mediums, so that all of the characters were believable as serious art students.

Watching Jade handle her medium of pottery and learn and grow was a pleasure. Her relationships were magnetic, and her pain was authentic. I also felt that the other characters were so compelling I'd love to read about Phoebe or Asher or Mary and their own journey.

I highly recommend this graphic novel for any YA fan.

Slip is a lovely graphic novel about some hard concepts. It explores art, relationships, growing up, and finding your voice, all through a deceptively simple tale of a girl at an intensive summer art camp. In the wake of her best friend’s suicide attempt, Jade must grapple with redefining an old friendship and navigating new romance, all while pushing herself to go beyond her creative boundaries in her artistic practice. The magical realist elements bring Jade’s inner world to life in a beautifully moving way. I wanted more of this very touching tale.

I'm very appreciative of being given an advanced readers copy of this graphic novel. This graphic novel focuses on Jade going away to a intensive art camp after learning that her best friend, Phoebe, has attempted suicide and is in the hospital. Jade has to deal with her worries and guilt over not being confided in by Phoebe, all while trying to succeed at the camp, develop her skills, and have a summer romance. Overall, I loved the artwork, the plot, and the characters. The main art style was black and white, with red accents and/or borders added to convey times of high emotion to the reader. However, it was a bit confusing how Jade's skin tone seemed to change. This may be an artistic choice, or because it is an ARC. It was nice to see a plot focused on a character learning who they are independent of a lifelong friendship. I also loved the character development that Jade experienced, but I feel like Phoebe could have been explored more. The only quality related issue I had, and this may just be the electronic version for the ARC, was that all of the dialogue text was pressed together with no spaces, making it hard to decipher. I would definitely recommend purchasing this graphic novel after release, as I will probably do so myself.