A story of identity, society, and family, PARALLEL follows Karl Kling, a gay man in the twentieth-century Germany, where homosexuality was still a crime until 1994.

PARALLEL, aptly, is a dual timeline graphic novel that follows Karl through his young adulthood through the demise of his second marriage, and the 1980s when Karl is retired and writing a letter to his daughter Hella, who he has not seen in decades.

The art is in this story is phenomenal and truly stunning. There are some stills that I would want framed on my wall.

The characters are well-developed, complex, and incredibly flawed as real people are. With the limited nature of the text in a graphic novel that is a tall order, but Lehmann certainly delivered.

Karl’s story is certainly one that has been shared by many actual people, whether it he in Germany or elsewhere, the 1980s or even today. This is a heartbreaking, heavy story of a man grappling with who he is and the pain and consequences pushed forward by a close-minded world.

A haunting story of a closeted gay man struggling to fit in during the 1950s. I occasionally had trouble differentiating between the characters, but other than that, I loved this book. It didn't gloss over the difficulties and trauma of being closeted, but it never fell into "trauma porn" territory, instead ending on a lovely and hopeful note. An essential addition to any LGBTQIA+ graphic novel collection.

I received an ARC from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Matthias Lehmann presents Parallel, a graphic novel that is the fictional memoir of Karl Kling. Karl recounts the difficulties of his life as a gay man between World War 2 and the 90s in Germany.

Karl's story is one that is reflective and often sad as his desperation to appear "normal" frequently blows up in his face and negatively affects his friends and family. The art style seemed suited to the type of story being told, even if it wasn't a personal favorite style. I'm not sure what I was entirely expecting of this graphic novel, but it was distinctly a different story what what I had imagined on receiving the ARC. I did appreciate the hopeful note that Lehmann chose to leave readers with, as much of Karl's life seemed to center on his lack of belonging.

I think Parallel did what it set out to do, but I don't necessarily think it was a story meant for me. I would, nevertheless, recommend it to interested readers as my qualms seem to be entirely matters of personal taste.

This was an interesting story for a graphic novel that I never thought about before. In the past, I have read a few stories about younger audiences exploring or coming out about their sexuality as they grow up, but I have never read a story about homosexuality being illegal elsewhere. The early start of LGBTQ+ rights is something that I do not think enough of writers explore as far as how it was illegal to be gay not only in the US, but in other countries as well, especially following Germany after WW2. Seeing Karl Kling's struggles with figuring out who he truly was post WW2 I thought really highlighted how others were struggling with keeping this kind of secret from ruining them or their families. Even after his daughter shows up after so many years of no contact, I would have loved to have seen more about their interactions and may see if she forgave him for his past. Overall, I thought it was very well-written and sincere about the struggles of homosexuality around that time, and I think it would be great if more people would explore this to reflect on the past.

2.5 ⭐️ rounded down.

This book was a heartbreaking tale of a closeted gay man in Germany following the end of WWII. Such a powerful story.

However, it was hard to connect with the characters in the story. Also at times the art style made it difficult to know who the characters were and on occasion, when it had switched from a flashback to the present.

The concept for this story appealed to me, and the cover looks amazing. I really wanted to like it. But, I’m just not sure the story was executed as well as it could have been so it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, ONI Press and Matthias Lehmann for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Parallel was an emotional and heartrending read. Told from the perspective of a man writing a letter to his estranged daughter, in the hopes of reconnecting and reconciling.

In his letter, Karl reflects back on his life as a gay man in 1950s Germany; from his want of a family to his love for men, and the dangers that entailed at the time. His hopes is that him finally being open and honest with his daughter, Hella, will restart their relationship and that she will visit him for his upcoming birthday.

Matthias Lehmann did an excellent job conveying the complex emotions and desires in Karl and those around him. The artwork was brilliant, it added a lot to the weight and atmosphere of the story.

This graphic novel was really touching and it had me rightly in my feels. It's one that will stay with me for a long time. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy to reread.

Arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I did like the plot of this one, but I found it a little difficult to keep up with the timeline! I rather hoped the past would be in one color and the present in another, but I was mistaken. That said, it was a lovely story about the struggles of living in a place and time where being gay is not allowed. The main character has some really realistic back and forth decisions to make regarding love, privacy, family, and friends.

The story was interesting, I just wish that it had been told more in depth and we had gotten to know the characters a bit more. To me it felt like as soon as we were introduced to a new character they were no longer talked about so I had a hard time following. The art style also made the story kind of hard for me to follow between different times, places, and people as there was not a big distinction in my opinion. It was especially difficult for me to distinguish between what was happening in the past and the present as the characters in both timelines did not look that different from their past selves. However, I thought the art was really beautiful and well done! I also thought the concept and the story was really sweet and I love the topic that addresses being queer in the early 20th century and having to live somewhat of a double life. However, I did expect it to go more into detail about the wars and historical events happening during this time but it didn’t, I think if it had I would have liked it more but that is just my personal interest!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Even knowing the plot and general subject matter beforehand, I was surprised by just how difficult this was to get through. This is an incredibly sad and and at times frustrating story of a man making terrible choices and never seeming to learn from his mistakes, effectively alienating almost everyone in his life. Additionally, this is a very long graphic novel relative to most others which added to my difficulty finishing it. Although I generally finish graphic novels in one or two sittings, this took me at least 3 or 4 sittings and due to the content, was not something I necessarily looked forward to continuing.
Another thing I wanted to note was the art style. Because of how the novel is drawn, it is very hard to keep track of the characters and tell them apart from each other, especially as it switches between the different timelines. However, despite this difficulty the art style was absolutely beautiful and does a good job of accompanying the writing in telling this complicated story.

That is all not to say that it was not good necessarily. Telling the stories of queer history is important and often not happy, but because of the subject matter and the way it was told this was not personally something I enjoyed or particularly liked. However, because I appreciated the story and heart behind seeing more queer historical characters, I am in two minds over the rating and think I'm going to settle on 3 stars.

If you do not mind frustrating characters and sad stories and are looking to read a graphic novel pertaining to queer characters in history, I would recommend this!

This is a well-written graphic novel about Karl Kling, a gay man in post-WWII Germany struggling to balance his desire for a family with his attraction to men. Overall, the book is interesting, but some readers may find the pacing slow. Through a letter to his estranged daughter, the novel takes us through flashbacks of Karl’s life, highlighting the difficulties he faced in a society where homosexuality was prohibited. The author sensitively portrays the impact of Karl's sexuality on his family life, particularly his relationship with his second wife, who tried to accept him but not at the cost of their daughter. Overall, Parallel is an interesting and thought-provoking read.

3.5 stars^

I’ll be honest it’s the usually the title or descriptions that make me want to read a book but this one was defo the front cover!! Two simple pictures/drawings show so much meaning & emotions I couldn’t help but immediately connect. Especially with it being about queer people in such a homophobic time. But as good as it was, it was also equally heartbreaking.

The art style definitely matched the time period & vibe of the book, the only annoying thing is that it was hard to distinguish some of the characters from eachother but that’s nothing major & didn’t affect me being able to read it!

Anyway if you’re looking for a bittersweet queer story that will break your heart beyond repair then I recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book!

This was pretty good! Would have been a bit more hard-hitting if the art wasn't a bit distracting at times... But I still liked the way the story was told and the pacing of it! Ending was pretty good as well!

Can't really write a better review right now because my dad is currently at the hospital getting surgery, so I'm way too anxious to write a better one... Sorry about that!

I received this book courtesy or NetGalley, OniPress, and the author for my honest review.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this more. I was drawn in by the concept of the story. The story felt all over the place to me. With the title being “Parallel” I was expecting two sides to the story, and that was delivered, in my opinion it just wasn’t done cohesively. While I don’t understand the struggles of gay men in post-war Germany and can sympathize with having to hide who you are, Karl didn’t make himself very likeable. I had hoped to feel bad for him and commiserate but I was left feeling upset with his behavior. Again it may have been with the pacing of the story that makes him hard to like.

The art style was abrasive to me as well. Sometimes it was hard to tell which character you were looking at panel to panel based on the inconsistencies in the art.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Parallel by Matthias Lehmann invites us into the lives and loves of protagonist Karl, a closeted gay man in 20th century Germany. Torn between social expectations, stigma and his own desires, Karl ends up being a difficult character to empathise with or root for as he manages to hurt those around him time and again and struggles to display any real empathy.

Lehmann’s art style was the highlight of the novel for me, as it brought an ephemeral freeness to what was otherwise an-often-heavy narrative. The simplistic brushstrokes and character designs did often make it difficult to understand who was talking when multiple male characters were involved, however.

Parallel has a noble goal as a story, aiming to depict the impossible challenges and injustice faced by our queer elders. For me though, Karl’s overwhelming sense of shame and passivity made it hard to get invested. There’s a really nuanced portrayal of Karl’s conflicted feelings within Parallel, but for me it was subsumed by characters being too difficult to relate to.

this was a lovely graphic novel, with a very nice style and a very competent translation from the german. the story itself was fascinating, although i do with it had been fleshed out a little more. still, a very worthwhile read!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Parallel! All thoughts expressed are my own.

I was initially intimidated by the length (almost 500 pages) but this ended up being a very fast read for me, despite the content, and I was at the end before I knew it.
The timeline jumps back and forth as Karl addresses a letter to his estranged daughter and reflects on his life. This method of story telling, with linear flashbacks is something I'm particularly fond of so I really enjoyed that aspect of it.
This graphic novel was a deeply emotional, and intimate read. I would suggest making sure you're prepared to sit with your feelings for quite a bit afterwards. I cried more than once while reading it.
The characters were so complicated and layered. Nothing is ever black and white, and this really showcases that. I know I've got a lot of friends who appreciate queer stories that are messy, difficult, and sometimes morally ambiguous, so if you can handle the absolute gut punch Parellel delivers I would highly recommend it.
Please be mindful of the content warnings. Parallel covers many areas such as ptsd, homophobia, suicide, physical violence, cheating, and hate crimes.

‘Parallel’ isn’t a fluffy happily-ever-after graphic novel, despite what the cover shows. Matthias Lehmann exposes the life-endangering difficulties of being gay in an era where homosexuality is a sin. I want to preference that there is a fair amount of triggers here including homophobia (derogatory words, police brutality) and suicide. However, it’s incredibly important to understand history especially since the LGBTQ+ community still faces many of the same discriminations today.

We follow Karl who is torn between his desire for men and his family (wife and child). The story switches between his present state as a retiree writing a letter to his daughter who disowned him, and his past. Karl continuously tries to adhere to societal norms, ignore his pull towards men, and accept his heterosexual marriage. Through Karl’s life experience he learns that hiding your true self is not the way to live, but sometimes it is the only way to survive.

Note: This review will be posted on @tealiterature sometime in May. Link will be added.

Mathias Lehmann’s “Parallel” is a gripping and emotionally moving graphic novel about a gay man’s life after WWII. Karl comes out of the war, and he wants to start a brand new life for himself. As a gay man, he has no real options except the stifling confines of heterosexual marriage unless he wants to be arrested. Lehmann’s graphic novel shows what a repressive and homophobic society can do to a gay man. Karl is bullied and arrested, and he repeatedly tries to live a heterosexual life. Lehmann does a fantastic job of highlighting how a gay man in fifties Germany (and beyond) would have to constantly be on guard as not to reveal his sexuality. A look, a word, or a small gesture could get a gay man arrested. Lehmann ties this into a post-War Germany where everyone is on edge and looking to rebuild their lives. They see the gay men as the ultimate betrayal of the typical German family.

The book does not turn Karl into a martyr or some superhuman character. He’s a flawed man who lives through a hellish time in his life and in German’s history. He causes pain for those around him because he can not be himself. I especially appreciated how Lehmann writes the character of Karl’s wife, Liselotte because she is allowed to have her own voice and depth of feeling. She’s not just the wronged wife. She’s a woman who has also learned to accept the life she’s been given but she refused to be a victim.

I have a few minor quibbles with the book. There are a couple of very minor typos (around three if I remember correctly) in the book. They don’t spoil anything, but they are there. There are also a few times when I was not sure who was speaking. In the beginning of the novel, I was confused by two female characters who looked a bit alike. As the story goes on, I didn’t have that problem.

As a side note, I think the cover is gorgeous.
#Parallel #Netgalley #Mathiaslehmann #gaylit #gaygraphicnovel

Parallel by Matthias Lehmann is a graphic novel that challenges readers to sympathize with a character who is anything but likable.

The story follows Karl, a former member of the German military, and his life as a closeted gay man. It might make some readers uncomfortable that, conscripted or not, Karl was a member of the army during World War II. This book is a reflection on his life and the decisions that have left him estranged from his daughter. Through a letter, we learn of the series of events that left Karl with broken marriages, incomplete relationships, and the price paid for being unwilling or unable to live your truth.

I found Karl to be a mostly unlikeable character. There are times when he seems selfish and delusional to the point of narcism. However, despite his numerous flaws, the author manages to humanize him, making readers feel for him deeply. The tragedy of his life seems Shakespearean at times. And the story shows just how much pain and suffering could be avoided if people were allowed to be themselves. The book aptly earns the title Parallel as the audience bounces between the past and the present. This story has so many layers that discussing them without giving away the plot is difficult. There is a complex morality in all the characters in this novel. However, that's what draws me into narratives like this one. It's easy to write good stories about good people, but it is much more challenging to get your audience to buy in when your protagonist is kind of a hapless jerk.

I wasn't blown away by the art, but I liked it well enough. The settings were the most enjoyable part for me. The facial expression was more impressionistic, but Lehmann really nails body language. There were some frames that really captured the immensity of the scene. However, it almost felt like those are where he focused his efforts, while artistically, he treated the rest of the frames like filler to get to the big moments. The storyboarding was impeccable, though. It moved the reader through the narrative in an almost movie-like manner (which is what good graphic novels do.) The last image is perfect.

Parallel would be an excellent read for anyone who likes a morally challenging storyline. It's great for readers who love character-driven storytelling and enjoy slower-paced, almost meandering narratives.

This story was heartbreaking and a sense of loneliness hung over both stories; past and present for Karl. Karl was an incredibly flawed main character but it was interesting to see the differences in his point of view when he was young versus old. I can’t say I liked him because it was so frustrating to watch him make the same mistakes; but he was written morally gray for a reason and it told an important story. That being said, I struggled to differentiate at times between the characters due to the art style. I wish we got to learn more about the family he found later in life but I liked the little blips we did see