Spellbound: A Graphic Memoir
by Bishakh Som
Publication Date: August 2020
7” x 9”
160 pages
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781951491031
Ebook iSBN: 9781951491116
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List Price
US $18.99
What People Are Saying
“Creative nonfiction aficionados and fans of queer comics alike will flock to this literally transformative work.”—Publishers Weekly. July 6, 2020.
“A rewarding narrative that presents identity as a puzzle for everyone to solve.”—Kirkus Reviews. August 18, 2020
“Som's experimental approach to autofiction is intriguing, and her illustration and composition bring a sense of dynamism to short diary-style chapters that coalesce into a fascinatingly complex portrait.”—Library Journal. August 1, 2020
Book of the Day. “The art is appealing in its clean, clear style, and is rendered in beautiful colors, aided by an architect’s eye for layout, design, and details. Spellbound: A Graphic Memoir is an absorbing graphic novel that takes common struggles and examines them through an uncommon lens.”—Foreword Reviews. Sept/Oct 2020
“I’ve never read anything quite like it. Sharp and clever, and beautifully drawn, trusting the reader to come along for the journey.”—Molly Knox Ostertag, Author of The Witch Boy
“An intimate experience. Som’s humor and sincerity is well complimented by the expressive lines of her characters, creating elegant artwork that flows like good conversation.”—Emily Carroll, Author of Through the Woods and illustrator of Speak: A Graphic Memoir
“Bishakh Som's Spellbound is a searching and restless document of her creative journey, and a good fit for these restless days.”—Scott McCloud, Author of Understanding Comics
Synopsis
The meticulous artwork of transgender artist Bishakh Som gives us the rare opportunity to see the world through another lens.
This exquisite graphic novel memoir by a transgender artist, explores the concept of identity by inviting the reader to view the author moving through life as she would have us see her, that is, as she sees herself. Framed with a candid autobiographical narrative, this book gives us the opportunity to enter into the author’s daily life and explore her thoughts on themes of gender and sexuality, memory and urbanism, love and loss.
About the Author
Bishakh Som, who grew up in New York City, but whose parents were originally from India, received a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University and worked for many years in that field, most notably at I.M. Pei’s New York office. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Boston Review, Buzzfeed, and The Huffington Post. Bishakh published a collection of stories with The Feminist Press titled Apsara Engine. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Website: bishakh.com Instagram: @biche_bash
