When I finally got my hands on a copy of "Blankets", I was very curious whether this critically praised "illustrated novel" was really worth the small fortune I had paid for it. And, what can I say? It simply left me stunned. Rarely have I read a comic book that not only manages to connect such beautiful drawings with a story this tender and yet utterly gripping, but also incorporates the painful strains of growing up, first love and fundamentalist religious beliefs. In fact, even "real" novels (i.e. the ones without pictures) ;-) often fall short of the great narrative skills of Craig Thompson. The landscapes perfectly reflect the emotions and phantastic dreams and horrors of the protagonist and likewise undermine his artistic ambition, melting words and pictures into an unseparable unity - a beautiful tapestry spread over almost 600 pages. Interestingly enough, the story is not told chronologically, but rather in a jumble of associations: the chronological coming of age storyline is repeatedly intercut by flashbacks into Craig's past. On the one hand, this allows the reader to learn more about his upbringing, but also shows a lot about the important relationship with his brother Phil, his love of drawing or the several layers of shame that has been planted within him.
I read the entire book in one sitting, and it really left me thinking, mostly about the cruelties that people can do to each other, and how such a rigid fundamentalist upbringing can scar a person for life, but also about the beauty of the world and love. It's a bitter sweet story, and yet it never simplifies matters: there's no ultimate message that proclaims the inexistence of God. Rather, faith in God remains, but the protagonist (and the author as well) are finally emancipated from the strict teaching of their former church.