graphic memoir review: The Imposter's Daugther by Laurie Sandell

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The backstory: I had this graphic memoir in my read-a-thon stack but didn't get to it. While reading the November 2011 issue of Marie Claire, however, I discovered a Laurie Sandell article entitled "Loving a Madoff," about the relationship of Andrew Madoff and Catherine Hooper. It was fascinating and prompted me to pull The Imposter's Daughter off my shelf.

The basics: The Imposter's Daughter is a graphic memoir about Sandell's life. Its focus is her relationship with her father.

My thoughts: This graphic memoir begins with Sandell's childhood. As a reader, I appreciated seeing the story from the beginning. There is clearly something ominous looming, but it's easy to understand how and why it took Sandell so long to discover; we don't begin life distrustful of our parents. One of the my favorite parts of the childhood portion was the inclusion of actual drawings from Sandell's childhood. It was fascinating to see how she saw things and, to some extent, thought about them.

At times The Imposter's Daughter is more about Laurie than her father, although the driving force of this memoir is her father's impact on her life. It gets quite personal with life and love. Yes, there's comic nudity. I found Sandell's career as a celebrity interviewer among the most fascinating parts of this graphic memoir. It was unexpected, but it may be the part that lingers most with me.

The verdict: The Imposter's Daughter is a good read, although for me it fell short of greatness. The scattered focus made some parts drag. Ultimately, without further discovery of her father, I would have enjoyed more focus on Laurie and her career.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: July 29, 2009
Source: my local public library

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Comments

  1. AndiDecember 7, 2011 at 3:26 PM

    I've read far fewer graphic novels this year than I usually do, but this is one for my library list.

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  2. AndiDecember 7, 2011 at 3:26 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Melissa (Avid Reader)December 7, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    I've read so many great graphic novel memoirs in the last couple years. I love this genre now, but I haven't heard of this one.

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  4. avisannschildDecember 7, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    The article you linked to is fascinating -- makes me want to read the book.

    I read this book when it first came out and loved it! It started my obsession with this genre (graphic memoirs). Glad to hear you enjoyed it too.

    I've linked to your review in mine.

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  5. AthiraDecember 8, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    I find the subject of this book quite fascinating. I haven't read it yet though, hoping to get to it.

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  6. ZibileeDecember 8, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    I won this book in a giveaway ages ago, and haven't ever cracked it open. It seems like it would be a really good read for one of those days when I need something less demanding and more creative. I'd like to try to pick it up soon!

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  7. WallaceDecember 18, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    This was my first graphic novel. I read it when it came out and it turned me on to graphic novels in general -- so I have fond memories. It was a good introduction to the genre... interesting subject, but even when heavy she kept it on the lighter side.

    ReplyDelete

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