Who Would Like This Book:
La Perdida is a standout for its vivid, authentic depiction of Mexico City and the emotional rollercoaster of searching for identity in a new place. Jessica Abel uses both the artwork and dialogue masterfully, giving us a true sense of place and the protagonist's tangled inner life. If you're drawn to character-driven stories, coming-of-age journeys, messy self-discovery, or simply love atmospheric, well-crafted graphic novels, this one's for you. It's a fresh window into expat life, cultural clashes, and what it means to really "find yourself," told with honesty and bold visuals.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the protagonist, Carla, frustrating or unlikable, and her choices can feel naïve to the point of being hard to root for. The pacing is slow at the start, and the shifting between English and Spanish (with footnotes) can be a bit clunky for those not used to bilingual storytelling. If you prefer stories with straightforward heroes or resolutions, or if language-switching in dialogue throws you off, this might not be your cup of tea. Some also felt that certain plot points leaned on stereotypes or ended up feeling melodramatic.
About:
A young woman named Carla embarks on a journey to Mexico in search of her roots, trying to immerse herself in the authentic Mexican experience. However, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous situation involving violence and crime, leading to a transformative but unexpected experience. The graphic novel explores themes of identity, culture clash, and personal growth through Carla's naive and flawed character, set against the backdrop of Mexico City. The story unfolds slowly, capturing the complexities of Carla's interactions with local characters and her struggles to navigate between her American heritage and Mexican surroundings.
The writing style of "La Perdida" by Jessica Abel is praised for its evocative use of language shifts, from English to Spanglish to Spanish, adding depth to the narrative and reflecting the protagonist's journey of self-discovery. The artwork, characterized by rough black and white sketches, effectively conveys mood and atmosphere, enhancing the reader's immersion into Carla's tumultuous experiences in Mexico.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
La Perdida includes themes and content such as drug use, violence, and discussions related to sexism and cultural tensions, which contribute to a high level of content warnings.
Has Romance?
While romance is present in La Perdida, it is not the central focus; instead, it serves to highlight Carla's search for identity.
From The Publisher:
From the Harvey and Lulu award-winning creator of Artbabe comes this riveting story of a young woman's misadventures in Mexico City. Carla, an American estranged from her Mexican father, heads to Mexico City to "find herself." She crashes with a former fling, Harry, who has been drinking his way through the capital in the great tradition of his heroes, William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac. Harry is good-humored about Carla's reappearance on his doorstep-until he realizes that Carla, who spends her days soaking in the city, exploring Frida Kahlo's house, and learning Spanish, has no intention of leaving.
When Harry and Carla's relationship of mutual tolerance reaches its inevitable end, she rejects his world of Anglo expats for her own set of friends: pretty-boy Oscar, who sells pot and dreams of being a DJ, and charismatic Memo, a left-wing, pseudo-intellectual ladies' man. Determined to experience the real Mexico, Carla turns a blind eye to her new friends' inconsistencies. But then she catches the eye of a drug don, el Gordo, and from that moment on her life gets a lot more complicated, and she is forced to confront the irreparable consequences of her willful innocence.
Jessica Abel's evocative black-and-white drawings and creative mix of English and Spanish bring Mexico City's past and present to life, unfurling Carla's dark history against the legacies of Burroughs and Kahlo. A story about the youthful desire to live an authentic life and the consequences of trusting easy answers, La Perdida -at once grounded in the particulars of life in Mexico and resonantly universal-is a story about finding oneself by getting lost.
What can you read after
La Perdida?
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