How Could You

This was delightful! It was cute and ugly and real all at the same time. The art was beautiful, and as someone who was (and is) queer in college, and part of a queer friend group, the highs and lows of this are so realistic. I loved the representation in this and I would totally recommend it as a good and super quick read.

Thank you for sending me this advanced reader copy. I loved How Could You, it was such an easy read and I felt like I understood the characters in the short amount of time I spent with them. I would love to see another story in the same style as this one from Strapp. Thank you again.

I adored this graphic novel, the characters felt so real each one was unique and the art was eyecatching and expressed so much emotion. I highly recomend everyone gives this book a read becasue I loved this coming of age story!

A lovely, messy, sometimes painful but always hopeful little graphic novel.

I really appreciated the themes of growth and redemption, change and boundaries. I really nuanced look at the young queer experience.

The art style was very cute and evocative, but occasionally the lack of differentiation in face shapes made it hard to tell who was who, especially when characters suddenly changed key aspects of their appearance, like hair.

I really enjoyed this and was surprised how easy it was to get invested in the characters in such a short time. The ending was well done; a little open ended, and no wrongs were tied up in neat little bows to be hand waived away.

"Are we always going to suck?"

"I don't know. But I don't think we have to."

i adoreee this so much!! it shows the complexity of friendships and relationships especially when youre a lesbian.

I have been a follower of Ren Strapp's work for quite some time and I am happy to have seen them publish a full-length graphic novel. This one is the messiest dyke college drama, in which (almost) all characters are relatable and making mistakes and being in the wrong and yet you're on their side. And the reality check.

I appreciated having different perspectives and representation with Lou being nonbinary and using a cane, two butch lesbians in Molly and Lou, several queer women of color in Yona, Anjali and Jackie. It's also representative of the lesbian exchange of girlfriends in college, where everyone at some point has feeling for everyone.

I was compelled by the messy drama throughout this as a group of lesbian friends navigate the tricky world of romance on the verge of adulthood. The characters and situations were all relatable, which made me even more invested when they made mistakes.

How Could You is the debut graphic by Ren Strapp and follows the relationships of a group of queer women at college. I really enjoyed this story and the characters felt really tangibly clueless about how to navigate their feelings in the way that you do when you’re just starting out in life as a queer adult.

This book gave me similar vibes to Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni, with a more new adult spin, although realistically it reads more Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me but every single character is Laura Dean.

Some reviewers have been turned off by how messy or unlikeable many of the characters are, but for me that is what young queer relationships are like - too many feelings and no brakes; in a world that feels so tiny and yet so vast compared to years of not understanding yourself. I was charmed, your mileage may vary.

Strapp’s character designs and layouts also really shine here - the beats that really embraced whimsy and cartoonish breaks in the form really added a sense of levity to this story of heavy emotions.

This graphic novel is delivered in a very cute art style which reminds me of Heartstopper. I loved the characters in the novel and how it depicted the issues young people have in college in relation to relationships and sexual orientation. I would love to see a follow up for this to see where the characters go in the next year.

This was just 200 pages of pure dyke drama and I am here for it. I loved the illustrations and generally had a lot of fun reading this graphic novel. It was fast-paced and very immersive. I did find that there was a bit too much going on for a story this short, with many interesting characters and plot points that felt like they could have been explored more thoroughly. Overall, this was a solid debut from Ren Strapp, who I have been following for a while, and I would definitely be eager to pick up anything she publishes in the future.

I really thought this book was really cool! You never see any graphic novels about young adults in college above freshman year. Maybe sophomore year. New adult novels in the graphic novel format are hard to come by. This is actually I feel some customers are looking for. Yes, the characters were very very flawed, but I definitely would love a sequel on Lou or a redemption arc. I know this is classified as New Adult, but I think it would shelve better in the YA graphic novel section.

A shining example of a graphic novel for adults with complex relationship storylines and topics. Strapp uses color and layout to convey the deep, yet changing feelings of the characters as their stories evolve. The backmatter at the end regarding Strapp's process is insightful. Well worth the read.

hi hello i loved this:)

the way the characters discover their own identities and also learn to navigate heartbreak and break ups (both friend and romantic) is so raw and real. i felt seen in these pages.

i also cried so take that into account.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for a free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was so MESSY and GAY. I've never read something that so succinctly captures the experience of every lesbian in an isolated area knowing each other and having canoodled in some way or another. I feel like I was just whispering "oh my god, please stop" for the entirety of this book, but I also could not tear my eyes away. Some of these girls need a time out, I swear to god. The art style is so delectable, which could be to blame for me not giving myself a break from this stress! All of that to say, this book was also incredibly hilarious and messy, and I had a great time reading it.
I haven't seen such creative use of panels and bleeds and layering and breaking the walls of panels since reading the manga Our Dreams at Dusk, and I adored how visually stunning it was. One scene that really entranced me was when Molly was running while crying--just so fucking cool. The author's choice of color was so playful and bold, and I was just in awe. I loved that the author included a little bonus explanation behind their choice of color in this book. This is the messy lesbian rep we need!!! 5 stars, no notes.

How Could You follows (and I say this affectionately) some messy ahh b!tches, and we love that for them. A fragmented story, one half follows Molly and Lou through college while the other follows their ex-girlfriends, who appear to be cosying up together in the City of Loooove on their semester-abroad. If you tried to connect all the characters in this book with string on a pinboard, you would tie yourself in knots, making for a complex and interconnecting story where no one can sneeze without it causing a breakup, a hook-up, or a bust up. Objectively, the stakes aren't super high, but it will bring you right back to that coming-of-age point in your life where the relationship tension is taut enough to strum a jaunty tune on.

The main POV characters are kind of unlikeable, so if you're a person who wants someone to root for in a book, that may be an issue. Personally, I loved it. There's something really cathartic about reading a book where people are kind of grim to one another, but in a way that feels relatable and not entirely irredeemable. It's also a great reminder that who you are in college...is probably not the greatest person. But that's okay, because everyone is still finding their feet, exploring their identity, and just trying to get by. All we can do is try to minimise the collateral damage we cause.

This book is a must-read for people who enjoyed Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, Loveless, and The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott.

I adored the art and colours. The little drawing of food were delicious. Marseille! The parties!

There was a lot of tenderness and an unbelievable amount of messiness, but in a fun way. The story gets a little hard to follow at times, and I'd hoped for a more satisfying resolution, but overall it was lovely. Lou is a precious baby <3



Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

This book made me feel like I was 20 again. The messy characters were so real, and were written so well that I feel as if I knew them in school. This book and it's beautiful graphics teleport you back into the confusion of being 20 and desperately grasping at love.

I really enjoyed the relentless messiness of the this graphic novel. It felt very real, and I love that everyone didn't neatly resolve all of the conflict to be bffs at the end. The art was gorgeous as well.

This was such a great graphic novel - I loved the art style. I found that the characters came across really realistically, with a great mix of personalities and styles. I loved that this was set at college rather than having more of a high school feel to it. A great, quick read, perfect for young adults!

I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot, the artwork was cute and cozy. The characters were realistic for me and behaved like human beings who make mistakes. I liked that this graphic novel showed there are consequences for the actions they took. The romances were amazing to read about too!

a beautiful queer graphic novel that covers the complexities and nuances of young relationships. i’ll absolutely be recommending this one - the colour palette, characters, and plot line was amazing.

This was messy as hell and I loved the shit out of it. The art style and coloring is absolutely gorgeous, and I laughed out loud a couple times while reading. I enjoyed that while there was a lot of conflict and arguments that went on, the fast pace of the book meant that it didn't feel too overwhelming. It felt very realistic and relatable type of drama. While everything wasn't perfect in the end, some things were open to the opportunity of continuing to get better, and some relationships just drifted apart completely. I feel like that's a highly reasonable thing to happen in college relationships.

Basically, I love some messy lesbians making bad choices in college. That's the time to do that.

Also! Loved the rep of Lou using a mobility aid, and the use of the labels of lesbian and dyke frequently. I don't see that often and love love loooooved it<33

This gorgeous graphic novel follows the lives of four queer college students. Each of these characters are unique, and often as loveable as they are messy. Certainly, this isn’t an accurate portrayal of all queer twenty-somethings, but nonetheless, it is very applicable to some, not to mention, wholly entertaining!

The art style of this graphic novel is beautiful and easy to consume. Despite the short length of this graphic novel, the characters are all well developed, each having entirely distinct personalities which shine through the pages with ease. I particularly loved the representation in this graphic novel of all types of queer people, whether that be POC, trans, disabled, butch, or otherwise. The explicit use of the terms ‘lesbian’ and ‘dyke’ also earns it an immediate special place in my heart!

I highly recommend picking up this book, especially if you are a lover of other queer graphic novels! I, for one, am eagerly awaiting Ren Strapp’s next novel!

p.s. I received this as an ARC through NetGalley, but the publication date is the 17th of December! Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press!

Genuinely charming and beautifully illustrated. I really admire the discussion and navigation of the many types of queer relationships

How Could You is a realistic YA graphic novel for older readers, depicting the aftermath of two break ups. Readers will likely connect to the hurt and disappointment the characters feel as they grapple with tough feelings, especially while they think their exes are moving on. Fabulous illustrations help readers visualize as they read. Older high school students/college aged kids will appreciate this book most of all.

Absolutely beautiful coming of age graphic novel, more targeting the new adult audience/those in their late teens-early twenties.
The art style was an absolute enhancement to the story experience, and I also loved the use of seperate colour palettes depending on whose POV it was.
I absolutely believe this is an excellent addition to the amazing titles at Oni Press, and would highly encourage senior school libraries to get for students.

Thanks to NetGalley UK and Oni Press for the press service.

Molly and Lou are two best friends who got dumped by their girlfriend, Olene and Yona, who are studying abroad in France. While Molly and Lou are trying to recover by partying and looking for new girlfriends, their exes are trying to enjoy their new life in France and find who they really are. But things are not going so well for both groups, and it gets more complicated when they’re put on different paths.
How Could You is a funny, messy and heartbreaking graphic novel about lesbian drama in college.

The story is interesting to read, perfect if you enjoyed Heartstopper for exemple. Each character are unique and relatable. The drawings, colors and layout are impressive, the author seemed to have a lot of fun working on it. I would recommend it without hesitation !

This felt very real in a very messy and chaotic way. The messy intertwining of queer friendship groups felt very relatable. Figuring out your sexuality and who your friends are and who you are as a person *is* messy and chaotic. None of the characters felt 100% likeable which I actually enjoyed because they felt more real that way. They all had flaws and things to work on and grow from. And there’s nothing more lesbian than falling for your best friend and making your life a mess because of it haha

Side note, I am fully obsessed with this art style! It was stunning to look at the whole time, especially when portraying the characters strong emotions.

A complex look at how friendships and relationships can be messy but fulfilling and how we choose to grow and learn from our past mistakes. The story mostly centers around Molly and her interpersonal relationships with her roommate, her friend Lou and both of their ex-girlfriends. It's a look at how people are complex creatures and that change is inevitable. I enjoyed the way Strapp wrote the characters to be so unique from each other. Where Lou is able to reconnect and make space for others to grow there is the opposite where Jackie is unforgiving and unwilling to let people back in. It's very true to life.

The artwork is well drawn albeit kind of similar to a lot of other graphic novelists at this time (see: Archie Bongiovanni, Alice Oseman, Molly Ostertag, etc...) but I suppose style trends will always be a thing.

I think this is a great story and one that young adults can see themselves in. It's a story that doesn't shy away from the ugly and messy parts of interpersonal relationships and I think we need those stories in abundance.

How Could You is a beautifully illustrated, heartfelt exploration of queer love and identity. Following four college upperclassmen, this graphic novel dives into the complexities of relationships, self-discovery, and the messy, unpredictable journey of navigating life on the brink of adulthood.

Ren Strapp captures the essence of queer messiness perfectly. The characters feel raw and real, stumbling through complicated emotions and situations that are both relatable and heart-wrenching. The story doesn’t shy away from the awkward, tender, and sometimes chaotic parts of finding yourself and figuring out how to love others in the process.

I also have to highlight the art style—it’s stunning! The illustrations bring a unique, expressive quality to the story, amplifying the characters' emotions and adding layers to their interactions. The visual storytelling is seamless, making every panel a joy to look at.

If you’re looking for a queer coming-of-age story that embraces all the highs, lows, and in-betweens of young adulthood, How Could You is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy!

how could you was made for people like me, who LOVE stories with messy characters and complex relationships!

this story follows a group of college upperclassmen that are navigating the very fun highs and the very drastic lows that come with being in your early 20s, being queer, and being a person that doesn’t have it all figured out. it’s full of heartbreak, angst, drama, friend breakups, and sapphics just being straight up messy!

now being in my late 20s, this story made me sit and think about my own experiences in my early 20s with navigating friendships, my queer identity, and romantic partners. it really caused me to sit and reflect on how similar to these characters, all of those emotions felt so big and monumental at that time and back then, every decision felt like the most life-changing decision ever

this graphic novel is very character-driven, and this is definitely one of those stories where at least one character will probably piss you off! you also may not love the ending, but i kind of think that’s the whole point! your early 20s are meant to be a time for lots of growth, fuck-ups, and being in a constant cycle of figuring things out (and honestly, do any of us REALLY have anything figured out regardless??)

i really loved the fully queer cast, the diversity, and i especially loved the art! i loved the section at the end where the author talked about how they used color to convey mood and the character’s thoughts, which was something i picked up on while reading, so it was cool to hear a little more about their creative process on that

my only complaint is that i would’ve loved if this was longer, buuut i’ll also cross my fingers and hope that maybe ren considers a 2nd volume in the future 👀

"How Could You" is a messy story with messy characters and that's honestly what I loved about it.

Our early twenties are really weird times, especially for queer folks. I feel like Ren Strapp did a great job of highlighting things a lot of folks go through, without tying things neatly up with a bow. If you're a fan of drama, messy gay people and stories that that don't sugarcoat the woes of dating during your college years, I recommend checking this out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ren Strapp, and Oni Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ren Strapp's debut graphic novel How Could You follows the lives of bestfriends Molly and Lou, their exes Yona and Olene, and last but certainly not least, Jackie, as they all navigate life, love, friendship and heartbreak during a university/college semester. It's a short but (bitter)sweet look at the complexities of being queer at a time and place that's all about finding who you are—and who you aren't.

Author and illustrator Ren Strapp explores the complexities of friendships, particularly queer friendships, through beautiful pastel-toned panels reminiscent of Alice Oseman's Heartstopper, but in a way that is completely unique to their own storytelling and art style.
While fans of Oseman's work will feel at home reading How Could You, it's worth noting that Strapp's writing hits close to the heart more swiftly, and is intended for a slightly older audience—though it can definitely be enjoyed be younger readers too. Fans of Eunnie's If You'll Have Me will also find something to love in this story, both narratively and visually.

How Could You is a book that can be read over again and you'd likely take away something different, but just as important, as from previous reads. I'd recommend it to anybody looking for a short but meaningful read, particularly young adults about to start their journey into higher education who are seeking a story with queer representation.

How Could You hit me in places that I thought had healed. Being the one at fault for the loss of a relationship is a really hard thing that can fuck you up at the time but as Lou tells Molly, it’s about who you grow into. How Could You explores that feeling from all sides, those in the wrong and those who were wronged. A gorgeously illustrated story and an incredible debut!

How Could You is a refreshing queer graphic novel geared toward young adults. With college campus and study abroad setting, we watch several main characters within the same friend group navigate queer life on campus and amongst getting to know one another and their futures. We see a diverse range of perspectives and I appreciate how each character really is given the opportunity to express themselves in an original way. Very refreshing work!

This was a really intense but good graphic novel, and I loved that this is basically a story where "everyone is the asshole" in some way! Very complex characters and storylines that all gets all tangled up and messed up. I also LOVE the gender and sexuality diversity, and especially how one of the characters ends up finding out she is actually straight.

*reviewed from uncorrected eARC via netgalley *'* Pub Date Dec 17 2024

teen/adult graphic novel - 20 y.o. east coast college Junior Molly Song is in tears when this graphic novel begins. She grabs lunch with her nonbinary friend Lou (a senior who walks with a cane that you barely notice), and they commiserate over having been dumped by their girlfriends (Olene Reed and Yona Escobar, respectively) who are apparently studying abroad in Marseille, France, and EVERYBODY has a very emotionally-confusing semester. Author is a gender-nonconforming lesbian.

Ack, all the turbulent feels! and the way that having a crush on one's friends make a total mess out of everything! This is a super quick read, like the best kind of queer soap opera. So much to love (and be heartbroken over) in here!

A great representation of what navigating relationships is like in college, especially queer ones! I love these characters and all of the drama that ensued but I absolutely LOVE the art in this comic! The colors were vibrant and reflected the mood of every scene so well.

This story reminded me a bit of The Sex Lives of College Girls show and I am absolutely here for it. There is not enough queer content out there for this stage of life.

A brilliant graphic novel. I loved and hated how the characters were flawed. They made me mad because they were raw and made mistakes, but it made them real. Really recommend if you want a college version of Heartstopper.

I adored this. The characters are raw and real and hurting, and their story is a beautiful reminder that we all mess up and life does not end with those mistakes!