I loved how at the ending two characters come together and it is left open to interpretation whether their relationship is platonic or romantic. Her style has a sketchy edge to it that goes hand in hand with Mariko’s narrative. In addition to loving Mariko Tamaki’s storytelling, I adored Jillian Tamaki’s illustrations.

Skim was a likeable and relatable character who is dealing with a lot of different emotions and can’t quite make sense of what she wants or who she wants to be. The narrative never felt moralistic or contrived and I loved the pacing of the story. Much of the story reads like a slice-of-live dealing with suicide, depression, alternative culture, sexuality, and first love. At times you can grow apart from a friend without any real ‘reason’. Additionally, just because you aren’t part of the popular clique, does not mean you are necessarily a nice person (take Skim’s BFF for example). Skim may be a bit of an outsider but, as we see, the social hierarchies within her school aren’t wholly inflexible (not all of the popular girls hate her or are portrayed as boy-crazed & vapid). I liked how this graphic novel avoids the usual teen coming-of-age tropes. When Skim develops an infatuation with one of her teachers, well, things get even more complicated for her. Skim herself sinks further into depression as her only friend becomes increasingly toxic. The staff is made newly aware of the importance of their students’ mental health and identify Skim, a quiet Goth, as someone to keep their eye on. Others cluster around Katie, their attempts at comforting her bordering on the oppressive. Some students are very much into performing their grief, exaggerating their connection to the boy and the impact that his death has had on them. When Katie Matthews, one of said popular girls, is dumped by her boyfriend who then goes on to commit suicide, well, the school is thrown into chaos. She has a best friend who is very much vocal about her dislike and contempt for the ‘popular’ girls or anything she deems mainstream. Kimberly Keiko Cameron, who goes by the nickname of ‘Skim’, is an aspiring Wiccan goth enrolled at a private girls school.

Skim captures the angst, confusion, heartache, and loneliness experienced by its titular character with empathy and insight. Who knew that I would come across something that would make me feel nostalgia for the mid-2000s? Skim is a compelling coming-of-age story that is bound to make you feel nostalgic for the mid-2000s (even if you, like me, didn’t strictly ‘come of age’ in that time).

Skim tamaki