My reasons for reading Pumpkinheads are twofold. First, I’m not ready to let go of that Halloween feeling just yet, and second, I’m dramatically behind on my to read goal. Paired that means a revisit to this graphic novel on my shelf was obviously called for. Because why not read an autumnal adventure that celebrates friendship and a little romance?
When I first reviewed this one way back in 2019, I compared it a bit to two other shorter Rowell works that I loved – Kindred Spirits where Rowell explored capturing an adventure for posterity, and Midnights which features friends who could be more. I think those comparisons still hold, but this time the “one crazy night” of it all felt most pressing. These characters are in the early months of their senior years of high school, but Deja and Josiah’s friendship is contained at the Patch and only really exists for two months a year before they go back to their “normal” lives. With no next year to look forward to they are feeling different kinds of bittersweet, already missing the moment they are still in and not wanting their friendship to be over.
I love both the leads in this one. Josiah is such a delightful introvert who loves what he loves and takes pride in his work (his meltdown when they find the Succotash Hut in disarray is highly relatable content), and who isn’t really sure what all of the feelings he is feeling are all the time. He’s comfortable in the possibility of Fudge Girl and doesn’t want to disrupt the reality of what he and Deja have, even if it’s less than he would like. But first he’d have to figure out how to say that. Deja is his opposite – a social butterfly who has dated her way through all genders at the Patch but has also made sure to pair herself up with Josiah all these years.
This time around I was caught by the way in which Faith Erin Hicks uses the facial expressions of Deja to tell the reader what she isn’t saying out loud – specifically that her feelings for Josiah are more than purely friendly, but that she wants her friend to have what he wants. But that doesn’t mean that she isn’t hurting her own feelings a little bit along the way. Deja has concocted a plan that takes them away from the Succotash Hut they have staffed for the previous three falls and on an adventure around the Patch in search of the girl that Josiah has had a crush on, the Fudge Girl (so many fun pun names here). Deja and Josie go on a wild goose chase around the Patch to find her, and we are treated to the most fall has to offer while we get to learn more about our lead pair.
It hadn’t been published yet when I first read this one, but now it reminds me most of If the Fates Allow although I’m hard pressed to tell you why, other than there’s an emotional resonance that hits me hard with both, and now I want to re-read If the Fates Allow before the end of the year.
Bingo Space: Map. Maps of the Patch appear throughout and are delightful in their execution, and helpful in keeping the logistics of the adventure in the reader’s mind’s eye.
Bingo 6: Clown, Map, Wealth, Craft, Bird (Column 4)
Bingo 7: One, Map, You, 26, Or (Diagonal)
