A sad, quiet graphic memoir with a place in any teen collection. I appreciated that this book doesn't necessarily hunt for answers to hard questions, it just lets the narrative be what it is.

I’m delighted to have had the chance to read and review In Limbo via NetGalley. As a queer Asian-American who has been a fan of Deb’s work for years, this highly anticipated debut is a homecoming to my own childhood experiences.

Deb’s art never fails to capture my attention. Given their other works, I was anticipating what color palettes Deb might bring to the table. However, I love the choice of a monochromatic scheme. It has its own appeal. There’s a softness and intimacy thanks to the blue hue, cementing the feeling of walking through someone’s memories. It forces the reader to pay attention to other artistic aspects beyond color, like shading, value, negative space, composition, and paneling. All of which are beautifully done.

This is ultimately not a new story. Many children of immigrants, regardless of ethnic background, can find a piece of themselves in this memoir, whether in the identity crisis, the broken home, the struggles with mental health, or all of the above. The fact that this is an omnipresent tale makes it distinct in its own way. After all, it’s a story still often swept under the rug as if unworthy of a small breath. Generations upon generations have engraved into our heads that these struggles are shameful or amount to “nothing” compared to other hardships. But growing up is ugly and hellish, and this is a raw truth that Deb willingly grapples with. Our age is different; we resist and endure by recounting our history. Stories don’t need to be mind-blowingly unique to be appreciated. Some are more charming because we’ve lived them.

Fortunately, I can read Korean, so I understand all the phrases left untranslated. Effortlessly weaving both languages showed the clashing of two worlds and being stuck between cultures. When there isn't a place to fit in, we can always forge our own sense of belonging elsewhere. Despite the growing pains, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and Deb finds it in art.

I enjoyed the honest portrayal of mental health, the unsteady but gradual repair in relationships with family and friends, and the reflections on forgiveness. I craved a bit more in terms of unlearning internalized racism or remedying the cultural dissonance. I felt like there were some loose threads, but I understand this is a crafted narrative with limited space at the end of the day. Details are inevitably left out to make the memoir easily understandable and fluid.

I’m also well aware that other dimensions of the story may still be playing out in reality, which is why not everything has “closure.” And some things we've been through will never have a perfect resolution, point blank. After all, real life isn’t linear. We're all doing our best in this world, moving through our healing journeys at our own pace. Nothing is ever packaged this neat, but that’s part of why autobiographical narratives exist, right? They are attempts to make sense of experiences and present it in a way others can follow along and hopefully feel less alone.

What an emotional story. I was seeing Deb's pain (and joy) on every single frame, and completely immersed in the narrative. I hope to see this publish here, in Brazil, very soon.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for this beautiful and touching arc!

4/5 stars!

This graphic novel memoir was a gripping and emotional glimpse into Deb's high school years. Their art style is so beautiful and really connects with the mental anguish she goes through, time and time again. The author's note at the end really tied some points together, so make sure to read that when you finish the graphic novel!

Beautiful, heartbreaking, moving, this is a read that will awaken your appreciation and admiration for gorgeous artistry in the drawings as well as beautiful storytelling.

A stunning debut YA graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl's coming of age story - and coming home story - set in New Jersey and Seoul, South Korea.

Deb JJ Lee is a very talented illustrator, the art in this graphic novel was beautiful and emotive, and I adored the blue hues used. Also, can we appreciate how gorgeous the cover is?!

So many topics are explored in this one, including race, identity, mental health, and family and friendship. The relatable narration strikes a chord within me, as I'm sure it will with other readers.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking, at the same time, novel!
Loved both the story and the artwork.
Although not Asia myself, I did resonate with feeling not belonging to neither your parents’ country nor your own. Both societies see you as ‘other’ and it is quite hard to find a sense of belonging. It was really insightful to learn about the events in the author’s life that led her to become a graphic novelist. I always find such memoirs both touching and educational if the person narrating their story is from different background than myself. I find that it is so much more beautiful to learn about cultures one is not as familiar with through personal stories and I believe that Deb JJ Lee accomplished that very thing.
Sadly, it was really hard for me to read the parts about her family (especially her mom) not approving of her choices, and pushing her to do sth else, Sth she wanted for herself when she was younger, putting her dreams in front of her own daughter’s and at the same time not listening to what her daughter wanted, what made her daughter happy. Drawing from personal experience I am actually surprised and very happy for the author that they could somewhat overcome that period and have a good relationship nowadays as she informs us in the author’s note.
Overall, stunning. You will cry, you will laugh and you will learn by getting a clumped of the author’s life and experiences as a second generation immigrant in the States.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know if I fully have words to describe this graphic memoir. I related to the contents of it way too much for my own comfort in regards to the mental health side.

The art style is stunning and really lent to portraying the isolation and despondent nature of traversing your mental health as a teen.

This was tough to read because of the struggles Deborah has with her mental health in middle school, but I am so glad that Deb is telling her story to normalize the emotions that she had. Additionally, the illustrations are wonderful and there is more to the story than meets the eye.

An absolutely stunning graphic memoir. Lee so accurately captures the delicacy of close female friendships as a teen.

Ever since Deb (Jung-Jin) Lee emigrated from South Korea to the United States, they have felt their otherness. They struggle with their Korean identity, even their eyes feel wrong, friendships change and end, they fall behind in classes, and fights with their mom escalate. Caught in limbo, with nowhere safe to go, Deb finds their mental health plummeting, resulting in a suicide attempt.

I love how this graphic novel made art feel like a safe space. Traveling up to New York for art classes, and having a place to escape to when you need a break. And the art in this book was absolutely gorgeous! There was so much emotion in the images with the use of a single-color color palette.

While this book covered many themes, the one surrounding friendship was the one I appreciated the most. By the end, Deb learned several important lessons, especially that you can’t rely on your friends to fix you. I would’ve loved to see more closure with their friendship with Quinn, but that’s okay. You don’t always get that.

After reading, I read Deb’s interview they did with GeeksOut. I loved that they pointed out how long they worked on this book. I don’t think people realize just how much work goes into making graphic novels. They said, “I worked on this book almost every day for three years, pumping out one page a day, and it was exhausting.” While I thought some parts of the book felt incomplete, or I was just wanting more, I agree that it would be impossible to include everything in one book. “I wish I could have included every aspect (like how there were *three* orchestras I was part of instead of one, two different Korean schools, bullies in the New York art program, and how Quinn and I did meet up in Korea and were on good terms until 2018) in 350 pages, but that would make the story too complicated.”

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Rep: the author identifies as nonbinary, but she/her pronouns were used in the book

CW: suicide ideation, suicide attempt, verbal abuse, physical abuse, internalized racism, racism, bullying, depression, anxiety, body shaming, descriptions of plastic surgery

Graphic memoir by Deb JJ Lee outlines her life growing up in New Jersey during her teen years describing her experiences as a young Korean immigrant. The artwork in this graphic novel is stunning and her love of art comes through in the story. Her descriptions of mental illness are highly relatable despite the cultural differences. The depictions of her relationship with her mother are at times brutal and could be triggering. Content and trigger warners for racism, verbal and physical abuse, self-harm, suicide attempts, depression, anxiety, body shaming, and medical content.

In Limbo is a sensitive and honest autobiography that feels relatable for everyone. Deb JJ Lee put their heart in these panels to make a beautiful story.

I was thrilled to read this since I loved the premise of it being a graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl's coming-of-age story. I didn't love it as much as I expected (mainly because of the artwork style and repetitiveness), but it was a solid 3.5 star for me, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Deb JJ Lee's narrative of being a Korean-American with immigrant parents in a suburban New Jersey area was captivating. The book addresses racism and the feeling of not truly belonging anywhere, and I think the last one is something we all can relate to. As a white woman, I haven't had many experiences with racism (save for when a woman misidentified me as Asian because of my eye shape and used a racial slur), but I am conscious of the privileges I have, and how difficult it can be to exist between two cultures.

It was hard to read about Deb's experience, especially with their mum (who was emotionally and physically abusive), but the interactions with their dad were heartwarming, though he was complicit/complacent about their Mom's abuse. I also could relate to quite a few of Deborah's problems, particularly their mental health issues and their limited number of friends.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy, in exchange for my honest review.

✨ Content warnings for racism, verbal abuse, physical abuse, bullying, self-harm, suicide attempts, depression, anxiety, fat-shaming, body-shaming, medical content, descriptions of plastic surgery

This was an extremely thought provoking graphic novel. It follows Deborah throughout high school as she navigates school, friendships, and mental health. It also provides a look at intergenerational trauma. I think it's especially important in that it discusses attempted suicide. I think a lot of times in literature suicide is used as a plot device to advance a friend of the victim's growth. I'm glad this book looked at what leads someone to attempting and the aftermath of healing from it.

Another memoir I got to read and loved. For personal reasons, I’ve enjoyed a lot too but I need to once again admit how I appreciate the honesty of the people who create their memoirs. I’m thankful to Deb JJ Lee (and Netgalley) for letting me read this. It’s a wonderful piece of art with so many emotions captured. I can’t say more than I’m glad to have read this.

Heavy & powerful 4⭐️ graphic novel memoir.

Note before things I liked: I wasn’t expecting this graphic novel to be as complex and heavy as it was. Although written beautifully, I knocked down a star due to the trigger warnings not being listed at the start of the novel. YA novels should have trigger warnings prior to reading, and there are many triggering moments throughout the book (family abuse, suicide attempt, suicide ideation, depression, anxiety, etc).

It’s always tough to rate a memoir, but Lee’s tells their story using the muted colors in the illustrations, and through using both English and Korean writing. Lee’s struggle being Korean-American was powerful to read about. Her relationship to her Mother and Father was tough to read but important. I loved how Lee found hope in art school and therapy (until Mom stopped paying her sessions).

I think there’s a lot of value in the story here, and hopefully will be able to adopt this graphic novel into the course next year for my high schoolers.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the e-book ARC ❤️‍🩹

This book emulates the experiences of a lot of immigrated children. I think they have felt and made to feel one of these emotions Deb felt.

I really enjoyed reading this. The illustrations and the dialogue is on point.

I recently read Monstrous which also has similar vibes.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for giving me the opportunity to read this!

'In Limbo' is an incredibly raw piece about pressure, diaspora, and the nuances of love. I would never usually reach for an autobiographical graphic novel, but upon seeing the title and reading the description, I was quick to request. I also wasn't disappointed - 'In Limbo' is one of the best pieces I have read to date. With intricate illustrations and characters with incredible depth, Lee has written something so necessary for the YA graphic novel genre. This will teach young people and adults alike the importance of communication, and will help anyone who reads understand diaspora in a way they never have before. I'll definitely we purchasing a physical copy of this. Thanks FirstSecond for the galley!

This is was an amazing emotional journey that I’m so happy I got to read. I loved the illustration style and felt that it went perfectly with the subject matter. This is quite a heavy read so pls read with care.