Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary
*Starred Review* At 15, Tina discovers existentialism and applies it to her own world. The youngest of three children of upper-middle-class, transplanted-to-Southern-California Indian parents, Tina attends a private school where deep thinking, Porsches, and skateboards are all on the list of what’s cool. On weekends she gets roped into visits with her extended family, her parents’ friends, and even a party to celebrate her brother’s soon-to-fail engagement. Her sister avoids meeting with their mother’s consulting matchmaker by getting stoned. And Tina’s longtime best friend dumps her for the popular crowd. Worse, Tina has got a crush on a skater dude whose casual messages are impossible to interpret. Her lone source of satisfaction during this ego-chafing year of school comes from a class project to keep an “existential diary.” Kashyap’s story is clever as well as genuinely felt: Tina’s crush introduces her to the music of Neil Young, saying he is as “super-deep” as the existentialists; Tina lands the lead role in a staging of Rashomon and discovers the pervasive nature of truth as nonsingular; her atheist mom approves her purchase of a plug-in glowing Krishna. Araki’s quirky black-and-white art suits the story well and amplifies the tide of events: the drunken conversations between Tina’s mother and aunt; Tina taking on the challenge of approaching new and potential friends; planning with her sister for their brother’s disengagement party. A complete package that gives both Sartre and Tina their due. Grades 9-12. --Francisca Goldsmith