Olive is going to art school, but during the summer her mother arranges an internship for her. She's going to be working at a fashion magazine with a cool guy, and seeing how the magazines work. Despite the early wakeup, Olive is excited to realize that she will be entering this exclusive world and making use of an art degree that she hopes will let her do puppetry. The editing skills also seem to boost her computer skills and social media profiles.

Turns out that fashion, however, is more than the latest trends; much of Olive's job involves editing out models' flaws, even when the models seem perfect. Applying these filters to her images cause Olive to question if she is complicit in an exploitative industry, and she hesitates about going to art school. Does this world need more art? Her grandfather was a commercial artist and still-life painter, but Olive still has doubts. And class registration is due!

Interns need to be paid; let's get that out of the way. Olive should be receiving payment or compensation for the work she was doing. I've done unpaid internships and realized in hindsight that compensation plus referrals can go a long way. Olive is lucky that she gains computer skills and insight into how commercial art may work.

The art style reminds me of Persepolis, so I was bracing myself for hard truths and tragedy. Instead, Olive is retrospective and insightful about her experience. She points out that most people working in these industries aren't the hardcore snobby elites from The Devil Wears Prada, but good-hearted individuals working to pay the rent. And her mentor tells her that everyone is doing what they can to change the system in little bits.

"Unretouchable" by Sofia Szamosi is a raw and empowering exploration of self-discovery, body image, and the courage to embrace one's true self. This novel is a powerful blend of vulnerability, strength, and the journey toward self-acceptance.

Szamosi's writing style is candid and deeply introspective, allowing readers to connect intimately with the protagonist's emotions and experiences. The character's personal journey of overcoming societal pressures and self-doubt is portrayed with honesty and authenticity.

At the heart of the narrative is a poignant story of finding beauty and strength in imperfections. The author skillfully navigates the complexities of body image and the challenges that come with breaking free from the constraints of societal expectations.

"Unretouchable" successfully captures the nuances of self-discovery and the path toward embracing one's true self. The exploration of themes like self-love, identity, and the power of authenticity adds depth and resonance to the story.

In conclusion, "Unretouchable" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that touches on important themes with sensitivity and depth. If you're looking for a book that combines personal growth with an exploration of societal norms, this novel offers a compelling and empowering narrative that will leave you inspired and reflective.

This story was well-told and engaging throughout. I think it will definitely find its right audience and continue to inspire.

The book has thought-provoking story about self-acceptance and the impact of media and fashion industry standards on our perception of ourselves. Through the eyes of Olive, a young girl interning for a major fashion magazine, we are taken on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. The novel holds up a crooked mirror to the fashion industry, media, and influencers, revealing the often-unseen forces that shape our perception of ourselves and our bodies. In essence, the book's message is that we should not blindly believe everything we see in the media, as everyone has flaws that they just simply choose to not show. Unretouchable is a powerful and engaging read that encourages readers to embrace their imperfections, and recognize the beauty in their uniqueness.

I an unable to review this title, as it was archived before I had a chance to download and read it. This feedback is only to stop this title from adversely affecting my netgalley feedback rate. If in the future I have the opportunity to read this title, I will post a proper review here.

I really liked the art style of this comic but it ended up being a DNF for me

I lost interest about halfway though and I thought I might finish it later but I just never felt like it

The story couldn’t hold my attention, it felt kind of boring.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graphic Universe for access to a digital copy of Unretouchable by Sofia Szamosi in exchange for an honest review.

CW: disordered eating, body image, self esteem, see full list on StoryGraph

This was a great coming-of-age graphic novel that explores the ideas of normative discontent, low self-esteem, and how our daily interactions with the media can influence our personal relationships with food and body.

Graphic novels are such a fantastic way to explore these ideas particularly because the visual depictions and artwork can really bring gravity to the severity and pervasiveness of malcontent with our bodies.

This was an important graphic novel. It's only the second graphic novel ive read but it was very deep and dark. I liked it!

Whoa–this look into fashion and photography, including body image, eating disorders, and photoshopping, dives into this world of harm, specifically around social media, in a way like I haven’t read before. An important message in an emotional graphic novel.

Unretouchable tells the story of Olive, a girl who is spending the summer before college at a digital imaging internship for a major fashion magazine. Olive has a presence on social media and has always retouched her images to look better. She quickly realizes how many people in the world do the exact same thing.

I did not expect to like this graphic novel as much as I did. While I am not the biggest fan of the art style, the story is what grabbed my attention from the beginning. I think almost everyone in the world has had some issues with self-image and self-confidence, especially due to social media. I think this is an extremely valuable lesson that needs to be taught and I have already added a physical copy of this book to my cart so I can display it on my bookshelves in my classroom. This is one anyone could relate to.

4/5 Stars

'Unretouchable' with story and art by Sofia Szamosi is the story of a young girl interning at a fashion magazine.

Olive wants to be an artist, but her mother wants her to get paid, so she gets her a job as an intern at a fashion magazine working with the digital imaging team. She learns how much images are manipulated. She also learns about virtual models, which leads her to go on a social media fast and re-evaluate how she views herself and the world.

The story feels like an important one for young people to read as they are bombarded with fakery that makes them question body image. The story is the right balance of fact and fiction. The art is busy, but in a really good way that balances text and art.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Unretouchable is a graphic memoir by Sofia Szamosi who wanted to become an artist and became an intern for a fashion magazine. This internship allowed her to see the amount of touch-ups that are done in the media that make people strive for unrealistic goals. This is not just in social media and print, but as she discovers, this is everywhere. Eventually Szamosi realizes she can control her reaction to these images and creates her Unretouchables, her own series of art. This was an important and affirming memoir about how to filter and respond to media images that are inescapable.

5 stars~

A very beautifully-illustrated graphic novel that covers some important subjects in a way that is also entertaining and interesting - I really liked the illustration style as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group, Graphic Universe ™ for the ARC!

"But...there are some people who are just that beautiful, right?"

"Pretty much every image you see out in the world has been edited, I guarantee it."

When Olive accepts an internship at a hot fashion magazine, she learns the tricks of the trade, and also gets a lesson in what is real, and what is illusion.

Szamosi presents a fascinating look at the beauty industry, while also examining the effects of social media on women's self-esteem. Olive is a character so believable, I was honestly surprised to see this wasn't a graphic memoir. I'm looking forward to more by this author/artist.

Olivia has just graduated high school and, living with her mom in New York City, decides to join an internship for the summer before heading to art school. She joins a group of image editors for one of the fashion industry’s biggest names. Here, she discovers that sometimes there’s not a lot of truth in images, even of some of her idols on social media. Olivia struggles with her own self-image and her social media addiction, trying to find a balance in her life.

This was a great read with an important message that I quite enjoyed. Olivia was realistic and relatable, and the entire plot was as well. I loved the message of this work. It was a criticism of social media and the commercialization of images/beauty, but the author wasn’t just negative about it and how awful it can be. Instead, the work included a call to be critical of social images, to enjoy social media but not to rely on it or compare yourself to what you see, and to be honest with yourself and others. I LOVED this message.

The art style was a perfect choice for this story. It was somewhat simplistic and that, combined with the use of black and white, really emphasized and complimented the story. When a new character was introduced, there was a drawing of them that took up a whole page with different bubbles of texts describing their characteristics and personalities, which was a unique and fun way to introduce characters.

I highly recommend this read to everyone, but especially for younger folks who are heavily involved in social media. My thanks to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review this wonderful work.

I was provided with a complementary copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This semiautobiographical graphic novel, in sharp and vivid black and white, was both hilarious and thought provoking. I loved how it discussed the issues relating to social media (and media in general) particularly in terms of reality vs illusion and photo editing. It was sweet, but had a good deal of emotional punch as well. The characters were all very fun, and a major character was a trans girl! This book honestly charmed me.

Olive is wondering how she will make a living as an artist. Her mother gets her a “coveted internship” at a digital photography company. The glamor is quickly replaced by disappointment as Olive learns how much the fashion industry relies on image editing software and virtual models to create the physical perfection. Olive’s internship becomes a personal journey as she tries to disengage from the internet and learn to accept herself.

This graphic novel exposes the dark side of fashion photography. The black and white illustration are done perfectly for this story. It has a witty candor. It’s a tribute to self acceptance.

I loved this book. I absolutely loved this book. I want to read it again and again. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

At the beginning of this book, I was very unsure of whether or not I would like it. It started off very juvenile, and in a few ways I felt like I was reading a children's book. As I got farther through the story though, I started liking it much better. It had a great message, and really showed how toxic social media is when pertaining to body positivity. I also enjoyed the art style immensely, because it was really unique.

A story of the intricacy of a young woman and her experience navigating through social media and its portrayal of women.

It's very relatable to current issues of body images, identities and self-love. Definitely, a good book to pick up.

Thank you NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this!