La Perdida is a perfect graphic novel. In fact, the interplay of illustrations with story arc and dialogue create such a tangible environment that I’m not sure the voice and setting would have translated as keenly if Jessica Abel had written “La Perdida” in the traditional novel format. I found Carla’s romantic (NOT “romance”, romantic) quest to “find herself” and all of the accompanying UNromantic follies and foibles to be entertaining, thought-provoking, and familiar. We all, to a lesser extent, know or have been Carla.

Recommended by Sarah