Ella and Madeleine are two girls who do not really realize the other likes them. All Ella does is start sweat oceans when she admires her from a far. But due to a stupid drunken event, Ella wakes up one morning and learns that she has stolen some things from the party from the night before. Because of Ella’s BFF, she is tossed together with Madeline the day after, but is caught red handed with the stash. But before that Madeline has made the confession some of her things have been stolen. Figuring her change of romance is over, Ella is in for a shock that will jump start her love life. The catch is, Madeline had stolen the items in the first place.
In a comedy of errors, love, tough friendship, and a heck of a lot of parties, our two girlfriends make out, fight, make up, return the stolen items, learn how to not lie to each other (and themselves), graduate high school and have a good time. Alice Oseman says in her back-cover comment that these two characters are complexly flawed and loveable. And they are. I do not know if I would be friends with Ella and Madeleine (or their other friends), but I know I would like to have friends this loyal. They seem to be the opposite sides of the coin to fill in the holes left from each other’s personalities.
With elements of Heartstopper’s humor, and the edge of Giant Days by John Allison and Lissa Treiman Thieves by Lucie Bryon is a slightly darker-but-still-light comedy for ages at least 14 and up. Funky illustrations that make me envious of the clothing the girls wear (even the every day things) and I love how Ella’s style is all over the place, and she is very proud of who she is. (And I love how her ears are not very realistic, but just freaking adorable). There are hints of sex (shoulders showing above the blankets, lots of kissing) and casual smoking, but all done for moving the story along, not for gratuitousness. I would have liked to have seen more diverse characters with size, but the personalities of everyone is a hoot.
