I love this. It was so nice and refreshing reading a graphic novel, and I can’t wait to read the next book from this author, or next graphic novel.

This was a really fascinating graphic novel memoir about a veteran who is a meat eater and his vegetarian animal rights activist girlfriend Coconut. At the beginning of the book, Michael and his girlfriend both eat meat. As the book progresses though, Coconut becomes a vegetarian and tries to convert Michael to be one as well. He, in turn, tries to get her to go back to eating meat by any means necessary. He even at one point, tries to hypnotize her while she's asleep. Things happen and I don't want to spoil anything but I would definitely recommend checking this graphic novel out. It was really great and I liked reading about how Michael and Coconut dealt with their differing opinions.

A quiet fun read. A fun and light way to inform oneself on veganism.
I really enjoyed the short story about a couple consisting of a meat-eater and a vegetarian. Throughout the story they both find their own way to veganism, containing all potential conflicts with a starting point like theirs.
I loved that the author gave some book recommendations on the topic at the end of the book and between chapters. I’ll definitely check some of them out.

A wonderful use of comics, colorful and personal storytelling, and a unique exploration in visual memoir. Well worth reading.

as a vegetarian myself i thought this would be an interesting read and it was. definitely insightful and honest.

i felt Michael’s hesitation (i have similar people in my life that have reservations about being vegetarian) and while Michael didn’t handle it the best way, you know he absolutely cared about Coconut and their relationship.

i was really happy to see so many different types of vegetarian people in the graphic novel! just living their best vegetarian lives 🥰

it’s definitely an interesting read and i recommend it, no matter if you are a meat eater or not!

Thanks to Street Noise Books and NetGalley for a review copy of this title.

This graphic novel is a memoir about how the author, a former veteran, became vegan. Michael was deeply in love with his girlfriend whom he refers to as "Coconut". Coconut had a tumultuous early relationship with food and was drawn to vegetarianism, veganism, and animal rights. Michael went along with her beliefs because he loved her. His traumatic past as a veteran made him resistant to fully committing to a cruelty-free diet, however. It was interesting to see how Michael's internal conflicts with vegetarianism and veganism played out. At times, the story seemed a little more graphic and preachy than necessary and I think it may turn some readers off, especially those that are on the fence about this lifestyle or are looking for excuses not to go meatless. Overall, I did enjoy it and found it to be engaging and thought-provoking.

This is a nice little glimpse into a part of someone's life. The art and the writing complemented each other very well and kept me interested the whole way through. I was drawn to this story since I'm vegan and my spouse is not. After reading I would recommend this book to those that are in relationships since at its core it is about how one should and shouldn't act in a relationship. Both the "meat-eating dirtbag" and "Coconut" (the girlfriend) tried to change each other and once they opened up honest communication their relationship was able to flourish. This is a quick read and I recommend it to those in relationships and those interested in vegetarianism and vegan relationships. Bonus there is a great cookie recipe included!

I received a ARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A graphic memoir about a young veteran who fell for a girl who becomes an animal rights activist/vegetarian during their relationship and the ensuing complications that spring forth because of it. So. I have decidedly mixed feelings about this graphic memoir. I did not think it was a bad book by any means but there was something about the narrative that rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I'm just too much of a meat-eating monster to get it.

Jokes aside, I think there was a lack of nuance to the memoir and some fairly problematic means, from both parties, of dealing with differing opinions and beliefs was glossed over and never really fully explored. I really liked the artwork, however, it was very reminiscent to early 2000's cartoons which complemented the story very well. Again, it wasn't a bad book and I enjoyed Anthony's narrative voice, I just wished he delved a bit deeper, instead having the memoir end with a quickly tied-up resolution.

In conclusion, a solely plant-based diet is not for me and likely never will be but I won't hate on any people who are about that life if they don't try to shame me out of my dietary choices.

I wasn't a huge fan of this one. I enjoyed the illustrations and some of the humor but overall it just wasn't for me.

A disappointing sort of end to an otherwise fabulous book. The art and illustrations within combined with the points the author was trying to make often hit home.

"Because when you love someone, like, really love someone, then you're liable to do anything to keep them in you life—anything."

This book talks about an Iraq war veteran and his vegan and animal rights activist gf "Coconut". Coconut tries to convert him into a vegetarian/vegan hence he fakes being vegan so he wouldn't lose her and even tries to convert her back into eating meat using hypnosis and other methods.

I LOVED THIS. I'm not vegetarian but my dad is so I relate to this on a spiritual level. The book was so interesting, I couldn't put it down. I've never seen any book talk about this issue before in such a good and intriguing way! Both of them were wrong at the beginning: Coconut forcing her bf to be vegan and him forcing her to eat meat but I liked how at the end both of them accepted each other's differences and their distinct point of views. Such a positive message!

In a Nutshell: This graphic novel took me by surprise! Hardhitting, humorous, helpful, heartening, honest. A must-read, but keep in mind that it is intense.

Synopsis:
Michael, an Iraq war veteran and the titular ‘dirtbag’, is completely in love with his girlfriend, Coconut. (Not her real name, obviously. But what a cute nickname!) Coconut is a vegetarian but is accepting of Michael’s preference for meat-based diet. However, when she attends a lecture by an animal rights activist and he declares in his summation, “Anyone who eats meat is a murderer’, Coconut switches to a higher level of awareness and becomes an activist for animal-friendly choices. What Michael does to combat this in his idiosyncratic ways forms the rest of the story.

Where the book worked for me:
😍 True story, true relationship, true hurdles in romance, true gaps in communication, true patch-ups. The entire memoir is based on the foundation of reality, and it shows.
😍 I appreciate how the author doesn’t get all judgemental, unlike other books on this topic. The arguments are logical and convincing, and the struggles of turning to vegetarian are shown honestly. There are some condemnatory scenes from Coconut’s and the animal activists’ point of view, but these serve to support the point of the story. And well, nothing they say is false, so we can’t really say that they are demeaning without a strong reason.
😍 I loved the connect between the author and Coconut. You can see so clearly that he loves her but he loves his steak too. His struggle comes across as very real. Their relationship is healthy, despite some questionable choices by both of them.
😍 The background of the lead couple adds a further depth to the story. Michael’s experiences as a war veteran are connected well with his thoughts on food choices. Similarly, Coconut’s traumatic childhood under an abusive mother reveals why she feels so passionately about issues. I loved how the author took care to highlight his then-girlfriend’s background as well rather than presenting her as an impulsive do-gooder.
😍 While the essence of the story is about the author’s experiences after Coconut becomes an activist, the book also covers various other themes such as PTSD, body-shaming, relationship struggles, and communication gaps. Of course, there is a load of data about animal rights and abuse also. All work nicely without making it seem like too much has been inserted into the plot.
😍 Imagine serving the above serious subjects with a healthy dose of humour! What a tough task! But done so well. The funny moments help ameliorate some of the content that is tougher to digest.
😍 After every few pages, there’s an illustration of a note, which contains varied stats. These informative notes are shocking and the most impactful.

Where the book could have worked better for me:
😢 The illustrations and content get somewhat gory for a few pages, especially towards the start. I realise why this was necessary, and nothing was over the top. I just wasn’t prepared for it. As I am sensitive about animals, I had to distance myself from some of the bloodier illustrations contained in this memoir so that I could make it through. It’s not for the soft-hearted.

Debut illustrator Chai Simone does a pretty good job of matching the author’s text with graphics. She has a distinctive way of drawing people that didn’t click much with me. However, put this down to a personal preference than a design flaw. Overall, no major complaints and her storyboarding, which is often offbeat, syncs well with the memoir.

Honestly, I grabbed this book only for that amusing title. I thought it would be a fun graphic novel to read. But I was surprised by how intense it became. It highlights such a serious topic in a very relatable manner, making the book unusual, enlightening, and impactful. I have been a vegetarian for 12 years of my life before I was compelled to move towards non-veg food again. (TL;DR: family pressure after marriage.) Even today, when my husband isn’t in town, I have an exclusively vegetarian diet. This book validates so many of my own feelings
If you are an avid meat eater, even if this book doesn’t convert you into a vegetarian, it will push you towards reconsidering your food choices towards a more planet-friendly and health-friendly diet.

Strongly recommended.

4.5 stars.

⚠ NOT TO BE READ WHILE EATING, even if you are having veg/vegan food.

My thanks to Street Noise Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.