Wowee, I'm absolutely in love with the worlds that Tillie Walden creates. When I read "On a Sunbeam", I was completely enthralled with the world and how fantastic, a little weird, and like Miyazaki, it was in a new and unique way. This book takes place in Texas and Walden captures the boundless energy of the desert and its strange landforms and neverending roads. It follows Lou and Bea, who happen to meet each other while on the road. They both come from the same town and they're both looking to leave behind their lives for a little bit.

So, begins our journey as the two travel to Lou's aunt's house in a little red car. I thought that this book might be similar to storylines presented in some of Walden's other work, but I was delightfully surprised when a little cat was introduced. While Bea and Lou are driving, Bea finds a cat at a strange grocery store and names it Diamond. One night Lou is stopped by a couple of strangers, who are searching for this cat, and the two must return the cat to the town of West before these men take Diamond. Along the way, long-kept secrets are revealed and at the end, the characters find solace from their journey on the road.

While I was completely in love with the visuals and the world presented, I do think that the development of the characters was a little lacking. Overall, I felt that their stories were rushed and their tragic backstories were revealed too quickly. Additionally, the lesson imparted at the end felt a little forced. I think the story would have benefitted if it was of a mammoth proportion like "On a Sunbeam", however, I think the art is absolutely captivating and I'm willing to overlook these faults in the story for that reason alone.

Tillie Walden's books have a tendency to have me going "I like it... wait I'm not sure... okay I think I like it again" and I felt the same with this one. There is something soothing and inviting about her art style that keeps bringing me back to reading her books. The story here was a good one, with a lot of room for reflection by the reader, but parts of it did feel unexplained and confusing. But maybe the point is that not everything is explained and that's the way things are.

Classic Tillie Walden, this story is deeply rich and deeply emotional. Walden so delicately addresses heavy topics like sexual assault, loss, and two individuals' complex bond over these traumas. Woven among her beautiful art, she is a masterful storyteller.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Graphic novels like this where the story goes through a journey you never expected, surpassing the medium are cherished finds.. I thought the story was going to be pretty straightforward but the elements of magical realism and journeys to the past really twisted the storytelling to something more.

I've really enjoyed all of Tillie Walden's books thus far but this may be my favorite. I liked the magic realism and the way it is used to deal with problems. The art is beautiful as well. There is talk of sexual assault that some might find triggering.

First, thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also, thanks to NetGalley for continuously feeding my addiction to Tillie Walden! I can't express how necessary it is to have LGBTQ representation in literature, and not just stories focused on coming out but stories that focus on regular struggles that plague the community. Tillie Walden, is my go to when patrons ask me for LGBTQ stories, solely based on her diversity with the topics. They aren't typical, they aren't in a box, there is depth within her characters that I haven't seen much of. Her work is apart of a collection that caters to both allies and members of the LGBTQ community, I would consider her work to be an essential part of modern literature. In regards to "Are you listening": To call this piece anything but art, would be a travesty. The development of the story, the unfolding of secrets, the resolve, I honestly felt like while reading it, I worked out my own personal issues, which actually have nothing to do with anything in the story. That's how you know that the writing is good, when you're able to work through issues completely unrelated because of something unlocked for a character in a book. Tillie Walden, is quite masterful when it comes to capturing a feeling with both pictures and words, combining the two to draw you in and remind you what it is to be a decent human being. As an ally, I am thankful for Tillie Walden, for giving me perspective, reminding me of the good parts of humanity while damning the worst parts of it. Walden has solidified a diehard fan and a supporter of her work.

Oh wow. This book, like most of Tillie Walden's work, destroyed me. A little strange, a little unsettling, I was drawn in by this story as much as the almost monochromatic illustrations. It was so atmospheric that I made myself read the entire thing in one sitting--it was too intriguing not too.

I loved Bea and Lou's relationship. The fact that they have shared history and are each running from something made for an interesting relationship foundation. Their push-pull dynamic played against the eeriness of the story, as they find themselves lost in rural Texas.

Tillie Walden is a master at giving you so much of a world in only a few panels and dialogue. This book was no exception. I wish it didn't leave off where it did but I was happy to meet Bea and Lou and their cat, Diamond.

CWs should be shared with this I think but hopefully shouldn't deter anyone from reading what I think is a telling and important story.

I really enjoyed the artwork and the color palette, and I liked the story as well. However, the magical realism element didn’t make a lot of sense to me.

The red palette used in "Are you Listening?" is appropriate to stir feelings of rage as well as love. The story has magical realism and a bit of a deus ex machina moment but the true meat is the uneasy friendship that is started between Lou and Bea. Both are dealing with different types of grief and their uneasiness comes across well.

2.5 stars

Bea, 18, is running away from home when she runs into Lou, 29, who is also “running away.” Both girls are running from hurt: Bea from a sexual assault and Lou from grief over her dead mother. Surprisingly, they lean on each other —and a magical cat they find— and come to terms with their hurting.

Beautifully illustrated. Weird magical realism that doesn’t really make sense (not a fan of magical realism and I often struggle with the graphic novel medium) to me. This will appeal to a select audience.

I wish I could write a lovely review for this but unfortunately I was unable to access the file type on my device. However, I am still really looking forward to reading it once it's released.

Another fascinating read by Tillie Walden. This one felt like the best episode of the Twilight Zone I could ever imagine, immediately engaging characters thrown in to a situation that becomes stranger and stranger, until they stumble upon a great paranormal mystery. A must read for anyone who's ever felt themselves lost on the road, doubted their own power, or been at a loss to help a suffering friend.

The powerful artwork drew me into this story of Bea and Lou, two young women who are trying to escape grief and trauma as they forge new paths. Things started pretty (typically? teenage-angsty?), but the plot line and the artwork got progressively more jarring and surreal. I feel as though Walden went so deep and profound that she left me behind at around the two-thirds point, and I never quite made it to where she was trying to take me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the electronic ARC.

A tale of two girls trying to understand their place in the world entwined with magical realism brought to life by the effortless art of Tillie Walden.
As our two protagonists set out on their journey, searching for somewhere to go, to return something lost and running away from the unknown, I can't help but feel like it is a metaphor for the journey we face once we reach adulthood. Poignant, relatable and beautiful.

Every time I read a GN by Tillie Walden, I wish there was more explanation or backstory or something to help me understand what’s going on. Yet this mysterious ambiguity works sometimes, as with On a Sunbeam, and is mostly successful here.
Bea is running away and runs into Lou, an older woman whom she knows from childhood. The two share intimate stories on their time in the car together, though Lou’s careful prodding at what exactly Bea is running from isn’t fruitful. We suspect Bea was sexually assaulted (maybe it’s blatant and I missed it?) what the reader doesn’t ever find out is why there are men chasing them, what is up with the cat, and how can a road appear and disappear? The trippy dreamlike atmosphere is a stark contrast to the realistically awkward dialogue between these two women who share more than they care to admit. It’s a highly enjoyable visual journey to read, even if the story’s details are foggy.

Sometimes I read something and wonder if I really understood it. Are You Listening? is one of those books.

I am a big fan of both Spinning and On a Sunbeam, so I was really excited to read Tillie Walden's latest (shout out to NetGalley and First Second Books for the ARC!).

The art is absolutely gorgeous. Where Spinning and On A Sunbeam had more limited color palates, Are You Listening is rich with color. I hope to someday cover my walls with Tillie Walden's art.

The story is what left me scratching my head. It starts with Lou and Bea running into each other at a gas station. They knew each other growing up and are both running away from painful situations, though Lou seems to have more of a plan than Bea. Lou is traveling to visit her aunt, and after it becomes clear that Bea has no set destination, they set off on a road trip together. The majority of the book is made up of conversations that will feel familiar to anyone who has been on a road trip with a friend. There's something about the shared space of a car that leads to increased vulnerability and emotional intimacy.

Along the way, they find a cat which Bea names Diamond. There is a tag that simply says "West," a town that neither of them know. In trying to return Diamond, they are pursued by shadowy figures, and there's a big dose of magical realism. I love magical realism, but compared to the rest of the story, I'm not sure it quite fit. I ended up pretty confused by this plot line. Maybe I need to reread it, but I've seen other reviewers comment the same thing.

All in all, I enjoyed reading Are You Listening? I thought it dealt with the subject of grief and attempting to run away from pain in interesting ways. I have to admit I was a little letdown by the confusing cat subplot, but this was still a good read. Read On A Sunbeam first, though.

A story about escape, healing, and friendship. And a magic cat. I wish the magic element of the story was a bit better developed, but the adventure it sent that two characters on was important for their healing and sense of self. A cute story with pretty design.

Just as beautiful and emotionally compelling as everything else I've read by Walden so far, with a bit of magical realism thrown in. I could have lingered with these characters even more, but I don't think that was the point. I'm really excited to see how this one looks in print.

Trippy, but in a way that works! There's a lot of heavy stuff going on in this book (the protagonists are coping with the death of a parent and the aftermath of sexual assault, respectively) and it's unclear how much of the supernatural element (there are creepy government agents hunting a magical cat) is meant to be an allegory, but if you just roll with it, the story carries you along. Both protagonists are queer but there's no romance -- which actually was a pleasant surprise! I haven't read a lot of books that focused on queer friendship/mentorship, and this was a really beautiful platonic story.

I did enjoy this book, though the reading of it does feel a little anticlimactic. If you've read a few of Walden's fiction graphic novels, you're familiar with her approach: a dangerous and surreal landscape contrasted with a story dedicated to emotional turmoil, absent or villainous men, and naturalistic dialogue. I enjoyed the premise and setting to this book, and maybe only wished for a beat or two more before we came to the end.