I didn’t really enjoy this one even though I often like queer historical fiction. It was SO bleak and depressing. There were almost no happy moments in nearly 500 pages. I also had a hard time keeping track of characters because of the art style and the black and white pages. There are time jumps and flashbacks and it’s really hard to tell what time period you’re in.
This is one I’d suggest skipping.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. Graphic novels are usually not what I read, but recently I've been reading more of them to learn about the medium and the books within it. Parallel tells a heartbreaking story about a man struggling with his sexuality and the social consequences of it during post-WW2 in Germany when it is illegal. The book flashes back and forth between Karl in the present day as well as what life was like for him in Germany as we slowly start to piece together the life events that caused him to be where he is and why his daughter will not speak to him.

The art style at first was not my cup of tea, but however as the book continued, I grew to love the art style and can't want to have a physical copy so that I can see the art on something other than my phone screen. The black and white, I felt, added a level of rawness to the pictures and allowed me to focus on the facial expressions of those in the story, which helped bring the emotions.

What I loved most was how the story came in full circle with his daughter and ex-wife. The story showed all the sides of the family without villainizing them because all of them were trying to figure out how to navigate the marriage. I can't wait for this book to be out, and I will be recommending it to readers.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with the copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story is about Karl, a gay man in times when it was forbidden. The complexities of the story are really overwhelming. I had to read it in parts because of intense certain emotions were.
Karl's daughter leaves him and moves away going no contact, after 8 years, once he is finally retired, he comes clean about everything since the war. His failed first marriage, moving away and starting over, meeting his second wife and her mother, everything that went on in his life and mind. The way he forced himself to live and the ways he couldn't force himself.

Whenever something joyous comes along Karl's way, it somehow is very short-lived. This is definitely because of Karl's fear of hiding his true identity. I can not imagine what a queer person goes through TODAY, thinking about it in such a historical place is definitely out of the question. People around Karl didn't make it easy on him either.

The switching between time periods was a little confusing for me, as the book is monochrome. But I enjoyed the artwork.

Karl Kling's story is one of revelations, and these he has addressed in a letter to his daughter, Hella, who had disowned Karl many years ago. Karl's letter is a cri de coeur from a father to a daughter he never really got to know, and he comes clean to her about his failed marriages, his fractured family relations--and his love for men.

Taking place between the end of World War II and the 1980s, Parallel chronicles Karl's efforts to comply with social norms in order to keep his sexuality a secret. It also paints a picture of a life torn between conformity and rebellion, and the cruel realities of twentieth-century German society, where homosexuality was proscribed and punishable until 1994. Matthias Lehmann poignantly depicts the story of a decades-long yearning to live an open and free life, and the price Karl and those he loves must pay for it. It is also a story of finding the courage to finally tell the truth no matter the obstacles...or the cost.

Parallel follows Karl in a dual timeline: just after WWII in a divided Germany, starting his parallel lives (marriage, kids VS being gay when it is a crime), and in his first months of retirement, in the 80s (fairly alone, estranged from his daughter).
This is a very sad story. It is a story of a gay man in a time and place where it was illegal to be. There is a flicker of joy here and there and it ends in a more or less uplifting note, but overall it's quite depressing. The characters are not loveable (except for one side character or two), they are complex and do as much bad stuff as they do good. But this makes it quite an unusual story to read. If you are looking for something to warm your heart I don't think this one is right for you. This one if for those that want an unusual queer tale from an unusual historical place and perspective.
The art style is quite monochrome and stark throughout, the colorfulness of the left side of the cover isn't present.
Overall, this one wasn't outstanding for me - something never quite clicked correctly, but it was an interesting read.
TW: Homophobia (by individuals and police), outing, suicide of a side character

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and OniPress for this opportunity.

I just really couldn’t get into this book. The author has a really good story but I just personally didn’t connect as much as I thought I would, the illustrations are also wonderful.

*Thanks to Oni Press for giving me the ARC of this graphic novel through NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.*

Parallel is a poignant graphic novel about Karl, an old man who tries to reconnect with her daughter by sending her a letter explaining why he wasn't a great father when she grew up. In the letter he explains the difficulties he had living as a homosexual man in post-war germany where homosexuality was criminalised. The decisions made in order to fit in, to avoid trouble, feeling miserable no matter what, etc. Most of his mistakes where product of his fight with himself looking for a bit of freedom albeit living a façade, which lead him to constantly hurt the people around him to the point of being left alone.

This books shows a glimpse of the lives of queer men in germany after the war, where just like in America, homosexuality was a criminal act and men were persecuted and arrested if caught whereas women were sent to psychiatric wards to be "cured". Since Karl's life embodies experiences devoid of queer joy, i couldn't help feeling disappointed at first, however, with some hindsight, i think portraying a gay man who wasn't able to find nor hold onto a community of like-minded people, who ruined his life and others in vain, and overall never found requited love is also part of the representation of the queer lives of the time and thus deserves to be told just like other memories with happier outcomes. What's important is to acknowledge where we come from and how long we have come in some places where there're no obstacles to live your true self.

I'm gonna be honest, i didn't enjoy Matthias Lehmann's art. The use of watercolors for the enviroment are fantastic but i'm not a fan of the stylization of the people, i had trouble identifying who was who and the time jump between present and past made it worse.

What an important, yet heartbreaking story that captivated me from start to finish. I will definitely be picking this up for my College Library

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me to read and review this

I found myself immersed in the story which was somewhat heart breaking at times.

The only thing bringing it down for me was that some of the characters were hard to tell apart in the images and the time frame often changed unexpectedly.

I would recommend this to others.

Brilliantly hauntingl
Parallel is a brilliantly haunting coming out letter from Karl Kling to his estranged adult daughter, Hella. Karl is coming out in an attempt to explain his absence during Hella's childhood, and his deep guilt over it. Parallel's pictures and phrases are simple, yet hauntingly convey one man's memories and regrets. Karl sincerely intended to be an excellent husband and father, and finds himself emotionally inaccessible to its members because of his relationships with other men. Karl is constrained by the social constructs of trying to escape being gay.

We never get a full explanation of what event transpired that irrevocably shattered the relationship between father and daughter.

Germany's division into two nations following World War Two adds an intriguing llayer to this narrative. Karl and his wife separate, and she and Hella move to the other part of Germany. We learn that Karl needs to get the right paperwork and employment in order to reconcile and join them. Many novels exist that take place during the war and/or during contemporary times. Parallel’s setting is unique in that it takes place in the dystopia that was Germany following the war.

I personally did not enjoy the art nor the writing of this graphic novel. However I would buy it for my library as I think there would be patrons who would find it interesting.

Parallel was probably the most raw and heart-wrenching graphic novel I've ever read and will ever read.

Jumping between the present day and the years following the end of WWII, this graphic novel follows Karl Kling desperately trying to find his place in the world. We learn about the harsh reality of 20th century Germany where homosexuality was treated as a crime, and shame and punishment was enforced on anyone who was caught. Longing for a family and a home, Karl tries to hide and bury his feelings and desires by starting a family. Following the years of shame and lies, present day Karl is filled with an unfathomable amount of regret and loss and in an attempt to reconnect with his estranged daughter, he writes her a letter.

The artwork in this Graphic Novel was very unique, set in black and white and displayed an incredible amount of detail. The storyline had a grip on me and I couldn't put it down towards the end. The only problem was I sometimes found it difficult to follow and differentiate between the switching timelines.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it to others.
The English translation edition is being published on the 13th June 2023.

Thank you so much to Oni Press & NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for a voluntary honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me to read and review this beautiful tale of romance, hope and perseverence.

I think I’m in love with this story. It’s not so simple to read because it’s so emotional and heartbreaking and bittersweet, but there is also hope here.
I love this a lot. And the drawings are also beautiful.
I really hope to read more stories like this. Historical, but not all sad, not hopeless. I’m really glad to have to privilege to read this, so thank you. For writing this and for share with me, with us.
Memories of our community must be preserved!

Thank you Netgalley e Oni Press for the arc!

This was a heartbreaking graphic novel. The story is nothing innovative, but it still is very emotional and the setting and the illustrations make it be a very special novel.

"There are some days when I just don't feel right. I would just like to run away and be on my own. I want to be left in peace and not see anyone. But I probably wouldn't last a day because I just don't like to be alone."

Wow, this was an incredible read. Could barely put it down. We follow the life of Karl in post WWII, struggling with his sexuality and trying to keep his life together. Beautiful and heartbreaking, it was a difficult read at times but overall an incredibly important read and a great insight into what it was like to be queer at the time.

The final part really threw me, his relationship with Helmut and the breakdown of his second marriage. But the ending was superb. A fantastic read.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

Karl lives in a historical period where homosexuality is denigrated and this will affect his whole life.
We see the parallelism between what he was back then and what he is now, a man who in his old age was left alone and we slowly manage to understand his whole life.
The story of his second marriage is the most incisive one, probably the one where he made the wrong choices forced to repress himself by a society that could not accept him.
We manage to put ourselves in the shoes of both Liselotte and Karl, very often we wonder why his actions and we squeeze our hearts for liselotte.
I really liked this story, Matthias Lehmann did a good job representing a broken man, with his mistakes not justifying them but not even denigrating them.

Wow. This graphic novel was hauntingly beautiful, really raw emotions just jumping off the page with the truly stunning illustrations.

I had to take my time reading as it’s quite a heavy topic but I’m so glad I did read this.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the arc!

I sat down to start this book and couldn't put it down.
90 minutes later, I am left in tears, with the heaviness of a man's entire life on my shoulders.

Parallel is like a punch in the gut (in the way that powerful stories sometimes are), and it stays with you beyond the last page.

Being queer is a journey that isn't easy, especially in post WWII Germany, and this book is filled with moments that will resonate for a lot of the LGBTQIA+ community. Tackling issues as big as being accepted in a society where gay love is a crime, family and community estrangement, and violent hatred, Parallel also finely addresses the often hidden difficulties of a queer existence, such as the search for belonging and profound loneliness.



Thank you immensely to NetGalley and OniPress for the opportunity to read this ARC of the English translation.

This was much more layered and heartfelt than i expected. I enjoyed every part of it. It wasn't all black & white but has a lot of points to just empathise with.