A tries to maintain their own identity in this graphic adaptation of Levithan’s bestselling 2012 novel by the same name.
Every day, A wakes up in a new body. They’ve had this uncontrollable ability since birth and have grown used to keeping people at a distance—that is, until A wakes up in Justin’s body and spends a romantic day at the beach with Rhiannon, Justin’s girlfriend. Unable to forget her, A conspires to spend more time with her. As Nathan, A attends a party and exchanges emails with Rhiannon, finally building an ongoing relationship. Unfortunately, Nathan remembers being a spectator in his own body and tells people he believes he was possessed by a demon. Rhiannon does some investigating, realizes A’s story doesn’t add up, and A reveals the truth. Despite her growing feelings, Rhiannon doubts their relationship could work due to A’s constant body-hopping. Questions of consent and selfhood are explicitly addressed through A’s body swapping, making A an incredibly relatable protagonist and the premise as intriguing and relevant as ever. Because A wakes up in a different body every day, it can be difficult at times to spot which character they are currently inhabiting, but this is overall a very successful adaptation. The racially diverse cast is drawn in an expressive style, and the use of light and shadow and the varied color palette are highly effective.
Demands readers’ attention and does not let go.
(Graphic fiction. 12-18)