The BookBrowse Review

Published July 31, 2024

ISSN: 1930-0018

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Contents

In This Edition of
The BookBrowse Review

Highlighting indicates debut books

Editor's Introduction
Reviews
Hardcovers Paperbacks
First Impressions
Latest Author Interviews
Recommended for Book Clubs
Book Discussions

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Publishing Soon

Literary Fiction


Historical Fiction


Short Stories


Essays


Poetry & Novels in Verse


Thrillers


Romance


Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History


Graphic Novels


Biography/Memoir


History, Current Affairs and Religion


Science, Health and the Environment


True Crime


Travel & Adventure


Other


Young Adults

Mysteries


Thrillers


Romance


Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History


Graphic Novels


History, Current Affairs and Religion


Extras
  • Blog:
    The New York Times Best 100 Books of the 21st Century: How Does BookBrowse's Coverage Compare?
  • Wordplay:
    It's R C A D
  • Book Giveaway:
    Smothermoss by Alisa Alering
Book Jacket

Mothballs
by Sole Otero
13 Aug 2024
336 pages
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
Genre: Graphic Novels
Peperback Original

In this moving family saga, a teenage woman uncovers the hushed history of sexual violence that shattered her grandmother's life.

San Martín, Argentina, 2001. Upon her estranged grandmother Vilma's death, 19-year-old Rocío moves into a house haunted by memories. Seeking a deeper understanding, Ro delves into her family history and uncovers the episodes of violence and betrayal that shattered Vilma's dreams. All the while, the familiar scent of mothballs permeating the estate serves to remind Ro of the ineluctable spell of the past that she must break in order to forge her own path in life. Tender, heartrending, and leavened with biting humor, Mothballs is at once a moving family saga and a poignant reflection on the need to hold fast to one's identity, despite how painful it can be. A showcase of tour de force cartooning that marks Sole Otero as a major talent in the global comics scene.

"Otero's brightly colored characters are doll-like yet full of passion, outrage, and schemes, and her storytelling is just as bold and memorable as the drawings. It's an impressive achievement." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Mothballs is a profound, captivating work, which tells us about family, guilt, fears and the search for a way that prevents repeating the mistakes of the past." ―Jon Spinaro, El Diario de Navarra

"An exciting and colorful reflection on family and identity." ―Gemma Veiga, Elle Spain

"Sole Otero recounts her dive into the tragedies of her family, against the backdrop of Argentina in the crisis of 2001." ―Tommaso Koch, El País

"A majestic book that portrays the tribulations of a family saga that moves between Italy at the beginning of the 20th century and Argentina at the beginning of the 21st. A sharp reflection on the concept of family and what surrounds it." ―Borja Crespo, El Correo

Sole Otero (b. 1985, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a comic artist, children's illustrator, and textile designer. She has published the graphic novels Poncho Fue, Intensa, and most recently Naftalina (Mothballs), which won the Fnac-Salamandra Graphic Novel Award in 2019 and the Audience Award from the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2023.

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