Very much enjoyed it to the point where I think i might buy myself a physical copy once it's out! The art style and color palette worked so well for the story. Regardless of whether or not you grew up catholic there is so much to relate with this story.

This graphic novel gets it right! This story of Catherine trying to live her normal young adult life with the legacy of guilt and shame that comes with growing up in a fairly strict Catholic family is relatable for sure. The illustrations also mix in fantastical elements that mirror the "mysteries" of religion. I wish someone would've handed me this in high school!

eARC from Netgalley

I am so glad to see more religious trauma graphic novels coming out. I really enjoyed Youth Group awhile back. This book falls in the vein of Catholic trauma and being adult who still feels obligated to go to church and the guilt that can arise from that.
I relate to Catherine in this dilemma and think this graphic will resonate with a lot of teens and new adults.
Religious trauma is a tough subject, but an important one for us to talk about.
We can outgrow or change our views as we get older and leave the shadow of our parents lives and decisions, and I think this story does a great job of navigating this.
I will definitely make an effort as a librarian to get this book into our libraries.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of Saint Catherine!

•𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐄

1. If you grew up Catholic but have been led astray, then you’ll fully understand how Catherine has been feeling lately.
2. Does your guilt eat at you day after day? Try coming clean. It worked for Catherine - it could work for you.
3. Catherine decides to skip mass one Sunday morning and it changes the trajectory of her life. If you’ve ever been through that, you’ll relate well to Catherine!
4. Love to laugh? Catherine’s little demon buddy will have you cracking up!
5. If you’re looking for a graphic novel with LGBTQ rep, this one has it!

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

In her 20-something years of existence, Catherine never skipped mass once. As a recovering Irish American Catholic, she has mostly traded the world of communion and confessionals for the “city-girl” struggle of work-life balance, family, and her relationships. The only thing she has not been able to shake is her fear that something bad will happen if she misses Sunday mass.

But her fears become a reality when she skips mass for the first time and discovers she is now being possessed by a demon claiming to be the prince of hell. As she takes matters into her own hands and attempts to exorcise these demons (both the paranormal and emotional kind), Catherine must face her buried guilt and what it truly means to be good.

What happens when skip mass for the first time? For Catherine, it means being-haunted maybe by a demon, maybe by her own guilt. Saint Catherine is a chilling, introspective graphic novel that explores religious guilt and the struggle for self-acceptance. The eerie art and haunting narrative make you question what's real and what's internalized fear. As someone raised Catholic, this story hit deep. A must-read for those who psychological horror with emotional depth.

Fantastic!
This graphic novel hits a lot of check boxes for me.
I was raised by a Catholic mother who, thankfully, wasn't super pushy about me being Catholic, but I did learn about what Catholicism means to her. I chose my own path and I felt that I could relate to Catherine in that way.
I could understand her being scared about how not wanting to go to church anymore could come back to haunt her and in a way, it did, until the real truth is revealed. (I found it pretty funny to be honest.)
I thought that some of the choices that Catherine made, mostly in relation to how it affected her boyfriend were not great, but people make mistakes and they were able to make the right decisions in the end.
The art was fantastic, and I loved Catherine's two best friends as well as her roommate/best friend's girlfriend, it was a nice dynamic that Catherine had people that really cared for her during the tough time she was going through.
Overall, I think that Catherine's story gave me a lot to think about my own past and the future and I think stories that can make you really connect on an emotional level are some of the best ones out there.

Thank you to NetGalley for my Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

Wow. The minute I started this book I could not put it down. This graphic novel has it all. Great story, great characters, clear artwork, and a fun twist at the end. I highly recommend.

I did not notice that this was a graphic novel when I first picked it up, so color me pleasantly surprised when I first started reading. I love the art and the use of red throughout the book. In terms of the story, our protagonist Catherine is just going through it. I thought she was a very interesting character in that I felt so much sympathy for what she was going through, but she is also conflict-avoidant to an extent that is bothersome. However, the novel takes care to show why she is that way which makes it more understandable.

I was surprised by the plot twist and I thought it was really clever how the author set it up. Definitely recommend for those looking for a story about taking accountability and growing from your mistakes while wrestling with that old-fashioned Catholic guilt.

Okay so, I don’t usually read graphic novels. I have actually never read one before. But Saint Catherine seemed really cool, so I requested the ARC, and I’m really happy I did!

The story is good. The pacing is good. And I loved the art style. It is such a well-done graphic novel overall. Catherine’s struggles with faith and identity felt so raw and real, even for someone like me who didn’t grow up religious at all. The novel explores a lot of stuff. It looks at guilt, self-worth, and the pressure to live up to certain moral or religious expectations etc.

Also, I really liked the relationships in the book. Catherine’s dynamics with her friends, her boyfriend, and especially her parents were complex and well-written. The way the book handled those relationships felt very natural.

That said, it wasn’t quite what I expected. The cover made it seem more horror focused, but it is not really a horror story. Still, I had a great time reading it, and I would definitely recommend checking it out when it drops or requesting the ARC if you can. It is a quick, fast paced read, and I would also suggest reading the author’s note at the end!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC, and best of luck to the author on the release!

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! The story of Catherine having to deal with guilt and trying to figure out how to properly navigate her life with it, while inadvertently making huge changes that don't just go away was well done. It's a really good portrayal of religious guilt, and seeing how much it affected Catherine was well done. I thought the art style is gorgeous, the selective colouring is really well used to aid in storytelling as well. The twist at the end I did like, because it ties it a bit more into reality. I do think if it wasn't as well done it could have skated into the realm of "it was all her imagination" but the fact it still had this lasting impact onto Catherine I think was a good move.
In all, i would absolutely recommend this to anyone dealing with religious questioning, of course, but also just anyone looking for a really well done graphic novel! I'd rate it at a 4.5, bumped to a 4 due to netgalley restrictions.
Thank you to netgalley and First Second books for giving access to the arc!

This was such a unique idea! I loved the storyline and getting to learn about this character and the inner workings of her mind, as well as her relationship with the religion she was brought up in, and how that has impacted her relationships with the people close to her. It was a bit of a dark, spooky vibe but also humorous and with an emotional depth and realism.

Saint Catherine by Anna Meyer is a visually stunning graphic novel with a compelling premise, but it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. The artwork is rich and atmospheric, though the storytelling sometimes feels rushed. While the main character is intriguing, some supporting characters feel underdeveloped, making it hard to fully connect with the story. It’s an enjoyable read for fans of graphic novels, but it leaves you wishing for a bit more depth.

Going into this, I knew we were getting somewhat of a religious graphic novel, but I was not ready, let me tell you.

As the reader you get angst, you get inside look of being possessed by one (or 27 demons), and you get to see the live Catherine built for herself outside of her religion and how those to co-exist and end up saving her (in a way).

I absolutely loved this read and the art! Big thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!

I loved this beautiful and emotional graphic novel about Catholic guilt.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced reading copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion!

The twist definitely threw me for a loop! Beautifully illustrated with a storyline that definitely made some of my own old feelings of religious guilt flare up. Still a really enjoyable read though!

I absolutely loved this graphic novel. As someone who grew up Catholic I really connected with the main character Catherine, and I found her story to be intriguing to follow because she was possessed by a demon. The illustrations of this graphic novel are so fun and I loved the demon.

The conflict in this really threw me for a loop because I was not expecting it and it is something I know a lot of people wouldn't be able to get past. The theme throughout the story is forgiveness, both self-forgiveness and grace from others. I loved the side characters in this graphic novel as well, overall I would definitely recommend picking up a physical copy of this issue. I recommend it to all the Catholics and ex-Catholics out there.

Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a copy of this graphic novel.

This was a phenomenal graphic novel. Our protagonist Catherine—named after the patron saint—struggles to define what it truly means to be good.

In her twenty years of life, she's never skipped mass. She fears that something terrible will happen once she finally does, because every "first" she's ever had has ended terribly.

Despite her crippling guilt, she does miss Sunday mass, instead spending the day with her boyfriend. She's then possessed by what she sees as a demon, who proposes stealing her soul.

I don't know if it's because of how I was raised, but this story packed a punch and I definitely ugly cried towards the end. There was something about it that resonated so deeply with me, and I really saw myself in Catherine.

The art was cute, but also very impressive! I loved how Catherine's demons were portrayed, and all of the religious imagery was beautiful.

Sending a big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Saint Catherine is a visual representation of religious guilt and the inner demons we face in all facets of life. Along with pushing against the ideals your parents hold you to. We may not always agree with the way our parents raised us, once we get older it's up to us to decide if it's the way we want to continue with our lives.
I loved the art, the overall story, and the way it brought in the story of Saint Catherine to mirror the story. The cast is loveable, and the characters are loveable. The main character is flawed in a realistic. I sat and read it in a single sitting. Catherine reflects a lot of us and the doubts that we have in life about whether we're good people or on the right path or a path that our parents would be proud of. At the end of the day, it's up to us to get out of our heads and look around at our lives.

Saint Catherine is a very interesting take on catholic guilt, with a literal personification of a demon. The book juxtaposes the whole thing with a very silly, cartoonish art style. A unique book, I wish the art was more detailed but I loved this unique take on a graphic novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy of Saint Catherine by Anna Meyer.

I know this book has a fantasy element to it, but it was so relatable. From the family dynamics, to relationships, and reader’s own feelings, this book has a five out of five stars for me. Parts of the book were hard to read, because of the intensity of emotions that appears in the reader, however the whole book feels like a big bear hug. What a wonderful and heartwarming read. This book will speak to those who deal with religious guilt and who feel like they aren’t good enough. Saint Catherine is the perfect book for a moment of comfort in dealing with your own personal struggles.