Kirby’s Lessons for Falling [in Love] was neither loved nor hated. I mean, Laura Gao did a lovely job of story, text and art, but at the same time, I was thinking, “Something is missing.” It moved quickly, has some new takes on familiar themes, and for the most part I like how things turned out. Yet, giving it a score is hard as I loved most of it, but there were places I did not.
Probably why I am having trouble figuring out a “good enough” score is that I am not completely a fan of all the characters, but I think that’s partly the point. They are representatives of real people who are flawed, imperfect, trying their best, making mistakes and loving hard. I think you are supposed to relate, see hopeful development and maybe root for them, but not necessarily think, “Hey! That’s my new BFF.” The character of Kirby has a lot to work out and the people around her are in her corner, even if Kirby can’t see it at first. And I feel the reader is learning by Kirby as she takes her journey.
Overall things are good, clever, and have fun details in the illustrious. They all make this coming of age/LGBTQ story fresh, but not necessarily completely original. I like the rock climbing aspects as I do not think I have ever seen that sport in a book before, let alone for girls. I think I was looking for another Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American, but this is fiction (though I am sure Gao put their own experiences and feelings into things) and not a memoir. Also, I wanted more about side characters, so maybe someday they will get a book, but for now, I like you know there is more to come, even if the readers are not going to parktake in that part of the journey.
