I listened to the audiobook while reading along with the physical graphic novel, and I think that’s the sweet spot for enjoying this format. Spent calls back to Bechdel’s earlier Dykes to Watch Out For with a familiar cast of characters and that sharp, witty writing style she’s known for. Because of this, there’s less for the eye to linger over compared to her more layered and thematically complex works like Fun Home, Are You My Mother, and The Secret to Superhuman Strength.

That said, it still feels a little strange to experience a graphic novel through audio alone—this is a story meant to be seen as much as it’s meant to be heard. When paired together, though, the audio and the visuals create a richer, more immersive reading experience that’s absolutely worth your time.

Love the cover! The bright colors are catchy. I have never listened to a graphic novel before, but I enjoyed this book. It was about people living in the time of Covid and visiting others, but getting tested before you were allowed in their house. It was also about relationships, and how couples or thruples (not sure of spelling) have a relationship that works when communication is open,
Listening to this book was good, but I could stop and come back to it. It was not suspenseful, just the day and life of a couple and their friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Content warnings from readers on Storygraph: Graphic: Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia; Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Cursing; Minor: Abortion, Transphobia, Infertility

I do have to say that with this audiobook, which features a cast of three, sometimes I had a hard time following along. I’m not sure if it’s because it is adapted from a graphic novel or what. There were many things that I did like along the way, though, starting with the satirical look at the life of in New England with one’s found family.

With a goat farm as a backdrop (seriously!), this a darkly comic self-interrogation with an LGBTQIA+ lens also covers the climate anxiety that anyone with a brain and a heart feels. I had a hard time trying to figure out how the sexual content related to money and financial stuff, but the author clearly was trying to make a connection

I believe that it would have served me better if I had just read the graphic novel. There were a lot of good plot points, but in audio form, they didn’t quite mesh.

A bit slow to start, but this is the kind of decades-later revisit every beloved IP should hope for. The polar opposite of "And Just Like That..."

I haven’t read the graphic novel, but this audiobook adaption didn’t work for me at all. I’m not sure wether it’s the book in general or the format, but I felt like the plot was a bit of a mess and lacked structure.

So good! I wasn’t sure how this would translate to audio format, but it was so much fun. The full cast was great, and her dry wit was delivered flawlessly. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and her ability to poke fun of and hold deep affection for people and the things they care about is so singular.

This is a Graphic Novel. I read this book, and I listen to the audiobook. I think that the audiobook was done really well. I found the pictures were very cute, and I did get pulled in this story. I did find it looking on the negative side of everything which did get on my nerves. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

This is a very readable comic. It flows smoothly and has a way of sounding like you are having a conversation with a friend. The Audiobook has a full cast and is definitely adapted for more clarity, but it does make it hard to follow along with the text (My preferred way of reading anything, including graphics). That aside, I did have a hard time understanding the point of this story. It might be my own deficiency, but I couldn't grasp how any of the sex stuff connected with any of the financial stuff even though the narrative was trying HARD to make the connection. Because without a connection, there is no narrative... and so... to me... there was no narrative. It just feels like a day in the life of Alison Bechdel. If that sounds fun to you, then this might be for you. If you are, however, looking for some interesting story about money and sex, well... this might be for you if you can make it make some sense. I couldn't.

I loved it! This one is perfect timing for our political world now. It’s a relevant, enlightening, and fun read outside of all the uncertainty and blatant fear we have growing for the future. Loved the art style and how easy and fun it is to read a book with a serious subject!

Bechdel is always a good read but this was a ton of fun on audio. I smiled and giggled several times at the antics and going-ons of this eclectic group of friends. The addition of sound effects was perfect and the full cast of narrators each did a really nice job.

I was a bit skeptical about an audiobook version of Alison Bechdel's new graphic novel, but this was spot on. I waited to write the review until I also saw the print version just to compare.

This is much more a graphic audio than a simple audiobook. Birds are chirping. Cats are crying. Multiple cats are crying in different voices! The images are told in a way that allows the reader to imagine in their head a full picture without feeling like someone is dictating a picture. There are multiple voices playing various characters. Their intonation is always perfect.

The whole book is cute and funny even though the book deals with protesting, getting arrested, family divided by politics, self-deprecating thoughts that lead to jealousy and depression, farm life while multiple goats are all delivering kids at the exact same moment (okay, that is still funny even as I write it as stressful occurrence), all while the world is self-destructing.

The book takes place during the first Trump Presidency; however, it seems even more relevant today.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me an advanced copy of the audio version of this book. I was very pleasantly surprised!

I had already read the physical copy of Spent when I got the audiobook version, and I was just really curious to see what a narrated graphic novel would be like. While I do think you miss out on some of the story in this format, but in general, I really enjoyed the narration!

this was such a good audiobook? i was 100% sure id' want to read the comic version as well, but this was exquisite. im not going to say anything about the irony of leaving this review on goodreads given the content in this book. that said, it's an examination we've all done before: how do we exist in margins (whatever you think they are) of society? can you really decouple your self from all the hard lines drawn for you? i'll also say this: i felt a bit insane reading this book given how close it is in time. it's also a bit of a catch-up with old friends, esp if you've read bechdel's work. i loved every moment of it!

Spent: A Comic Novel is a heavily fictionalized slice-of-life graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. Released 20th May 2025 by HarperCollins on their Mariner imprint, it's 275 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. Audiobook due out 15th July 2025 from the same publisher.

To the folks who already know the author's work, this is much the same: intricate, intimately drawn, wryly self-deprecating, sardonic. To folks who aren't familiar, this is probably not the best introduction as it lies outside her oeuvre's development up to this point. This book is a lot calmer, less outraged/angsty, and more gently introspective (and almost not-at-all scathing).

The audiobook (what an odd concept, an audiobook of a graphic novel), isn't entirely successful as a standalone. It's narrated by the author herself, along with a large cast of supplementary voices and is enhanced by music and sound effects. It's certainly possible to mostly get the gist of what's going on, but really should be listened to in conjunction with the graphic novel at the very least. Unabridged recording run time: 4 hours, 39 minutes.

Four stars (three for the audiobook). It would be an excellent choice for public or post-secondary library collections, home use, gifting, as well as making some support literature lists for selected classroom analysis (gender studies, writing, etc). It's enjoyable and funny/poignant in places.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.