This was only a partial ARC and it wasn't listed as such so I won't be reviewing this. Please make sure this is noted in the future before trying to get me to review one third of a book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend

Worm tells a story of a boyhood in the midst of the Cold War in Cuba, a family’s harrowing escape and displacement in exile, and their tenacious longing for those they left behind. It also recounts the coming-of-age of an artist and activist, who, witnessing American’s turn from democracy to extremism, struggles to differentiate his adoptive country from the dictatorship he fled. Confronting questions of patriotism and the liminal nature of belonging, Edel Rodriguez ultimately celebrates the immigrants, maligned and overlooked, who guard and invigorate American freedom.

This autobiographical family saga was well written and even better illustrated. The artwork is stunning in its tritone color scheme, line and brush work, and it's ability to add to the emotionality of the panels. The intensity leaps off the page both with the words and the drawings. I knew clearly the flow of information, who was speaking, and the lettering was easy to read.

I enjoyed this book throughout and feel like immigrant stories like this one need to be celebrated and amplified. This is as much a story about Cuban history as it is about the American tapestry and what freedom truly means.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company, NetGalley, and author Edel Rodriguez for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. Worm is out November 7, 2022.

Oh my gosh! You gotta read this book! It's like, two cool stories in one! First, you'll go on a wild adventure with Rodriguez as he escapes from Cuba in a super-exciting boat ride! 🚣‍♂️ Then, you'll fast-forward to America where Edel shows you what it was like during the Trump times! 🤔 It's like, whoa! How are these two stories connected?! 🤔 Read it and find out! It's totally fun and easy to read, with awesome pictures too! 🎨

Having seen Rodriguez's work related to Donald Trump on the cover of Time Magazine and Der Spiegel, I was already a fan of his political art. As a result, I was super excited to get my hands on a copy of his personal memoir about growing up in Cuba during the Cold War, under Castro's regime.
I guess it should go without saying that the illustrations are fantastic, but seriously, this book is a work of art! Added to that, Rodriguez's personal story - going from living on the margins in Cuba to arriving in America as part of the Mariel boatlift, by the age of ten he had already experience more than your average child,
A fascinating story + amazing illustrations = I can't recommend this highly enough!

One of my favorite graphic memoirs—not just this year, but ever. Edel Rodriguez, a prolific illustrator for major magazines and news publications, has turned his prodigious talents to his new memoir Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey. He chronicles growing up in Communist Cuba under Castro, his dissident parents enduring the constant surveillance and atmosphere of fear, the family fleeing to the US in the 1980 Mariel boatlift, and life in a new country/exile that currently has its own rise of extremism. Rodriguez's narrative weaves together historical fact and anecdotes from his own life, in the vein of Persepolis. Every page is compelling, just from the words alone.

But the real pleasure of reading this graphic memoir is the ART on every page. Every page— every frame—is stunning and often symbolic, rendered in a palette of black, white, red, and military green. Worm is a feast for the eyes and a memoir that draws you in immediately. Highly, highly recommend to any lovers of memoir, graphic novels, or historical nonfiction.

I will definitely seek out this title to finish reading it - I am captivated by the author's rich descriptions of life in the panopticon of post-revolution Cuba and I am very interested in learning how he and his family leave to emigrate to America.

Understandably, this is just a fourth of the finished book, but will be purchasing based on the sample. Lovely coloring and art, a good mix of history and personal reflection, and details to hook both younger readers (middle and high school) and adults.

Wow. what a great story. Very insightful and educational. I am looking forward to reading the whole book!

Worm by Edel Rodriguez is a graphic novel about growing up in Cuba in the 1970's. The book begins with a history of the insurrection and history on Edel's family. Each chapter covers a different element of Edel's childhood with descriptive images and dialogue. I learned a lot about Cuba and the experience of growing up there and really enjoyed the book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Metropolitan Books for the advance reader copy of the manuscript in exchange for an honest review. The copy that I received only contained the first 110 pages. I look forward to reading the entire book when it is published.