Its the 1970s, and twenty something Greer has found herself pregnant with her married boss's baby. Trying to hide her away, he sends her to stay in Kew West with some friends until she has the baby. Greer finds herself with strangers whose intentions are not clear. As Greer comes to terms with her decisions, she tries to imagine a future for herself. At the same time, she starts having dreams about a little girl in the 1920s. As her due date nears, Greer starts to confuse dreams and reality, and has to confront her past to move forward.

Set in the 70s, The Girl Who Flew Away follows Greer, a young woman who is pregnant with her boss's baby, and because it's the 70s, that's a problem. He packs her up and sends her to Florida to have her baby, and while in Key West, she starts to have strange dreams about a young girl decades ago, she befriends some locals, and she butts heads with her hosts.
I really liked this story. It's satisfying and reflective, and I really like the art. Dean does a great job with a limited palette that really contributes to the atmosphere of Key West. This is a good graphic novel.

This book is very visually stunning. I adored the art and the color palette. The story was emotional, in more than one way. Greer falls pregnant and is sent to live with people she doesn’t know. These people start making decisions for her. She makes friends with Pablo, the gardener, and starts having vivid dreams of a little girl. I found this story really inspiring, as Greer finds ways to take her power back. The dreams she had fuel her in the story, and I really connected with that. Overall, this is a very powerful graphic novel that deals with multiple themes of love, loss, and beginning again.

Admittedly, it was hard to follow in the beginning with the way the panels are arranged and the order in which I had to read. I kept reading left to right, but it was not in that format, it was left column down to right column. Then it goes to regular format, unsure if that's intentional or accidental. However, overall, the graphic novel is stunning and interesting. I love the artwork, the panels are so beautiful, thoughtful, emotional. The way the artist draws the protagonist's yoga pants in detail, her eyes so expressive, I can't rave nearly enough about his use of colors and composition. Absolutely stunning, thank you for the beautiful art. The story is slow and sad. I can't put it any other way. I have zero feeling for the couple who agree to take in Greer and treat her less than human. They judge her, demean her, and are just outright snotty, resentful of her youth and potential, which she never even really shows us, I'm just hoping for eventually.

THE GIRL WHO FLEW AWAY by Lee Dean

Pub date: March 18th, 2025
Publisher: Iron Circus Comics
Rating: 3.5 / 5


When is it finally time to grow up?

Greer Johnson is being shipped off to Florida in the wake of an unplanned pregnancy. Now living with a strange couple and suffering the restrictive sentiments of the late 70s, Greer grieves a lost love and reflects on how she's ended up pregnant by her married boss. She may not have the luxury of a family to care for her, or great prospects for her future, but she has herself. And that will be enough. Won't it?

THE GIRL WHO FLEW AWAY is a stunning graphic novel that doesn't shy away from raw emotions that come with growing up. Greer is a difficult character to connect with at times, but it is hard not to be sympathetic to her fears and root for her as she faces issues as an unmarried, pregnant girl in an unfamiliar and oppressive situation. The unique art style and detailed illustrations are the strongest elements of this graphic novel, evoking a vintage feel with an earthy color palette and character design reminiscent of old animation. While described as a coming of age story, the ending leans more melancholy than hopeful, leaving much to the interpretation of the reader and lacking closure overall. Still, there is a profound emotional impact with the end of Greer's story. Readers who love unconventional narratives with critique of social imbalances and gorgeous art styles will likely enjoy Lee Dean's newest work.

Readers should note that the book includes possibly triggering content including unwanted pregnancy, drug/alcohol use, racism, and graphic depictions of self harm.


(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Iron Circus Comics in exchange for an honest review. .

The Girl Who Flew Away is a visually striking graphic novel in the 1970's that delves into the complexities of isolation, control, ad self-discovery. Illustrated with an evocative use of colour and style, the story follows Greer, a young woman sent away to Florida after discovering she is pregnant with her bosses baby. As she navigates this uncertain and challenging time, we are taken into her world - a place filled with tension, emotional turmoil, and fragmented dreams.

Greer’s journey is one of emotional struggle. She is sent to live with.a family that, at first glance, seems kind enough, but the controlling and manipulative nature of the wife makes Greer’s situation incredibly uncomfortable. The family’s lack of empathy and genuine support leaves Greer feeling more isolated than ever. This suffocating atmosphere is felt on every page, amplified by the muted colour palette of the illustrations,, which effectively conveys Greer’s emotional distance and uncertainty.

Greer finds unexpected solace with the families gardener. He becomes her only real support in the waking world, offering her a sense of peace. In the dream world, Greer is comforted by visions of a little girl, whose presence serves as a symbol of hope. These dream sequences are rendered in a distinct style to the waking world.

The artwork in The Girl Who Flew Away is one of its most compelling aspects. The illustrations complemented the narrative perfectly, and the storytelling is enhanced by the visuals.

Ultimately, The Girl Who Flew Away is a reflective and beautifully illustrated graphic novel that explores themes of self-determination, the impact of isolation, and the desire to escape to something better. If you’re someone who appreciated graphic novels that combine compelling storytelling with striking artwork, The Girl Who Flew Away is definitely worth picking up.

A wonderful book with art that recalls early cinema. Dean does an excellent job capturing the feel of Key West and its inhabitants. Each character is expressive and conveys their moods. The creator sets forth a story that is relevant today with immigration, class differences, and a post-Roe v Wade world.

This story follows a young girl who is sent away after discovering she’s expecting. It does a great job of portraying her stress and isolation, especially since those around her offer little support. As if that weren’t enough, she begins having unsettling dreams about a little girl, adding to her anxiety.

The story is compelling and sheds light on the struggles many women have faced—struggles that, unfortunately, still exist today. While it doesn’t seem to be set in modern times, its themes remain relevant. The gritty art style perfectly complements the raw, emotional nature of the story.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Iron Cirus Comics in exchange for an honest review. I can’t express how grateful and honored I feel.
5*
Trigger warning:
• Explicit language
• Suicide attempt
• Racism
• Addiction, drug usage
Have you ever had a dream about flying? It’s a fascinating feeling, soaring high in the sky, never looking down or behind. Nobody tells you where to go, or what to do. It’s like all your life, you’ve been held as a captive and now it’s time to spread your wings and live. Your soul finally thrives. It’s complete freedom. Then, you wake up and realise: it was all just a dream. Soon, the caressing wind, and the feeling of boundless freedom slowly disappear from your memories into the misty regions of your unconscious where no one ever wanders. Forgotten, nonexisting. You go on with your life, daily duties must be done, working behind prison bars. Then, you come across this book.
This story is thought-provoking, exactly what I’ve been looking for. Perfect read. It’s fast-paced but still takes the time to flesh out all the tropes it uses accordingly.
It has an immersive flow, accompanied by stunning pictures. The graphic design created an atmosphere that kept me hooked, I had to see every tiny detail. The facial expressions were the chef’s kiss. Every emotion, and thought was perfectly shown, it was like watching a movie. The color usage, the old appliances, and the surroundings in general made me feel nostalgic for an era I’ve never lived in.
The story only contains dialogues, there’s no descriptive text. Which means everything is shown rather than told. I found this extremely resourceful and intriguing. The way Greer's (the protagonist) past was told, through flashbacks, gave us more insight into her character, and belief system. The daydreaming sequences were fantastic too.
The characters were relatable, everyone had a personality. The way they interacted with each other felt real.
There is one more thing I adore in the story. It’s symbolism. To find out why some things happen the way they are, you must see the similarities between certain characters and their relationships with others. The most important thing is that there is no straight answer to all of the events. You get to come up with them.
I must say, there’s nothing I would change in this book, even though it’s not perfect. Some would say a few things in it are too vague, but in my opinion, that’s intentional. This way we all get what we want from it. It’s a perfect read for all ages, I couldn’t recommend it more.

After you put it down, looking out your window you might see birds, flying off, carefree. Something within you awakens, a compelling urge to fly away, like them, into the unknown. People say it’s impossible, a human cannot fly. But you, remembering now what it felt like in your dream, wish to convince anyone who might oppose that you can. You can be the person who flies away.

This was a very introspective graphic novel with a unique art style. I really enjoyed the way it was presented. Originally, I was checking this over for a potential teen graphic novel; I think it is better categorized as new adult. This is a wonderful exploration of the complexity of relationships, pregnancy, divorce, and the pressures of others on new mothers. I really felt emotional reading this; following Greer's journey, being sent away because of how her boss' choices affected her and their baby, the judgement and opinions of everyone else on Greer and how she should be raising her family... Deeply emotional, impactful, and introspective. Beautiful art and a gorgeous way to communicate Greer's story.

Breathtaking art and a realistic storyline that will leave you feeling weightless. I loved the variety of colors that changed with the story tense. I felt like Greer, Pablo, and Kate were all real people that had been illustrated. I'd recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and people who want to feel everything in a story.

This was so much better than I expected it to be when I started it. Usually, stories with pregnancy repulse me but this was compelling, Greer was agonizingly relatable as a woman trying to find her own life in a world where she felt abandoned in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Graphic novels are my favorite way to read historical fiction, and <i>The Girl Who Flew Away</i> by Lee Dean was no different. I love Greer as a character, and I love her story so much. Reading this put a lot of things from the 70's into perspective for me. The art is beautiful, as well!

Dean’s art uses a distinctly 70s color palette, with designs reminiscent of early animation. Greer herself looks like a 1970s Betty Boop. The contrast between Greer’s reality and her dreams of Eugenie is reflected in the line work and colors.

This story was definitely powerful and reminds us of how it was in the past to be a single woman while pregnant. What this story had was good, but sometimes it felt overwhelming. While it wasn’t my favorite read, the art kept me interested

In 1976, forty eight years ago, people looked at things differently and were less excepting. Now Greer Johnson is single and pregnant with her married bosses’ child. Desperate to keep her condition a secret, he packs her off to live with his wealthy older friends in Key West, the Benders. Even though living in a tropical paradise, Greer feels isolated, sad, and longs for anything meaningful. The host family is nice enough, although prone to passive aggressive manipulation.
Greer’s only sources of solace are the Benders’ Cuban gardener, Pablo, and a strange but sweet little girl from the 1920s that Greer dreams about.

This graphic novel has amazing illustration and the most expressive faces.

I didn’t want it to end where it did. I want to know more about the future of Greer.

My favorite part was absolutely the art. I have never seen art like this before and the earth tones really added to it. Interesting story and I can't wait to dive in and read it again.

4 stars

I looooooved the art style of this so much, it perfectly fit the setting and tone, however some of the male characters looked too similar for me to figure who was who sometimes. But I love the subtle themes of breaking toxic cycles (generationally and within ourselves) as well as healing our inner child, it was blended it to the overall storyline, which was intriguing on its own, so well

**Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

The Girl Who Flew Away by Lee Dean is a historical fiction graphic novel.  It would likely be appropriate for upper YA and adult audiences.  The book is set to be published on February 4th, 2025.  I rated it 4 stars on GoodReads.


Here's the summary from NetGalley:

It's 1976, and Greer Johnson has found herself pregnant, single, and packed off to Florida. Bunking with total strangers to await and hide the birth of her boss's child, she finds herself unmoored and friendless in the sun-and-fun-obsessed Key West.

While searching for something, anything to give her comfort, Greer does have a few things going for her: She’s surrounded by an unusual parade of singular advisors, neighbors, and allies in a strange new environment, and a wild imagination run amok. But will her flights of fancy be her salvation, or her ultimate undoing?

A beautifully illustrated, nostalgic, and timely graphic novel about fate and making a life from scratch.

This was a really fascinating graphic novel.  I haven't read too many stories in this particular vein, but it handled several really important topics quite sensitively and well.  Greer was a fascinating protagonist.  While she hasn't always made the best choices, you do really feel for her as the main character.  She has complicated relationships with the people she is staying with, with her boss, and the best friend she left behind.  She does her best as she navigates this new and unfamiliar situation, and it's hard to read about how she was left behind by the people she cared about.  The historical aspects were interesting with how pregnancy was looked at. 

It was also interesting to read about how she was mixed race and how that effected her throughout her life.  She clearly felt unmoored, and all I wanted for her was to find people she could trust.  I liked watching her friendship develop with the gardener who cared for the lawn of the people she was staying with.  He served as an excellent voice of reason, and after wanting someone for her to trust that was really great.

The art in this graphic novel was really good.  I liked the character design.  They each came across fairly unique, and it was easy to differentiate who was who.  I also really liked the use of colour, and the overall muted feel.  It felt very appropriate for the story being told and for the time setting.

If the plot intrigues you, I would definitely suggest that you check this one out!