'Of Her Own Design' is a fun, touching, cute and versatile little graphic novel. It is a teenage girl's coming-of-age story, where she is an aspiring writer, but is suffering through writer's block. Much is going on in her life: the possibility of moving away, being forced into the middle of her parents' tug-of-war fights, her childhood best friend suddenly turning against her and becoming a mean girl once high school starts, and her crush on a girl, who's a mechanic. It is like a modern sitcom, except there are no lighthearted laughs, only tragic truths.
Oh, and there is a mysterious bookshop that appears from nowhere, and a magic pen from the shop's bookseller, and with that pen the girl writes three different genre stories in one night, to help her process and cope with her problems. These stories end up taking over her real world, her small town, the next day, via portals.The growing up metaphor is obvious throughout, as is the commentary on escapism through fantasy, but it's nice to see the teenage girl protagonist, whose name is Brie Page, through her own inner strength, ingenuity, and perseverance, progress and deal with it all - the supernatural and fantastical, and the stressful changes in the real world, and working everything out with the people in her life. The whole book can be silly, messy and sporadic, but ultimately deep, clever and creative. Even subtle and understated in some areas.
'Of Her Own Design' is funny, wild, and sad, especially for any reader who is or has been a teenager, in the face of any kind of change that's like the end of the world to them. The stress and hardship - the feelings, the high, fluctuating emotions and thoughts - they are real and direct. No wonder so many people cling to escapism, as therapy.
The art starts off sketchy, sharp, shadowy, and in black and white; in a classic style. Then it literally gets colour - gains its colours, actually - as the story and characters progress, and it has a modern, bright, endearing cell shaded style by the end. The different stories/worlds that Brie writes (three in one night!) and then enters are in different art styles, and it's great. In one world, Brie is an elf queen in an epic fantasy world and looks like Merida from Pixar's 'Brave', bow and all, and in another she is a space pirate captain, and in another she is a hopeless romantic in a Jane Austen narrative. (There's a final boss world/story at the end, which I won't spoil.)
Brie is a shy, insecure and overwhelmed teen, but she will reveal what an awesome, imaginative, cunning and brave redheaded heroine she is. It's to be expected, as redheads make the best kinds of heroines. She is a dear, a sensitive soul, and very talented, if only she could believe in herself, and stay focused. But not too absorbed in her writing - her worlds, her creations - that she avoids reality altogether.
It is Brie's life. It is her decisions, her fate, which she will make independently, of her own design.
The plot of 'Of Her Own Design' isn't anything new, but it especially reminds me of the YA novel 'Reverie' by Ryan La Sala - LBGTQ+ lead, LBGTQ+ gender-nonconforming antagonist (in this case, they use they/them pronouns), fantasy novel worlds created by human imagination that affect the real world etc. - except this comic makes more sense, isn't nearly as complicated, and its characters are likeable. And it's fun.
Ironically, in writing about a book about writing, I think I'm going to show restraint and write less about it now, and end it here:
In an abrupt conclusion, 'Of Her Own Design' is an underrated, lost diamond in the rough of a graphic novel from 2024. I was lucky to have found out it existed from all my long and exhaustive Goodreads searches. Spread the word - the magic words! - give it visibility, give it a chance in the ever-increasing graphic novel market. Don't leave this twinkling little treasure buried! Its creators deserve the ruby recognition!
If you like stories about stories - and writing and creativity and escapism from life and the metaphors therein - then check out 'Of Her Own Design'. Also recommended if you like graphic novels such as 'Tiffany's Griffon'', 'Page by Paige'' (hey, the protagonists even have similar names!), and 'My Favorite Thing Is Monsters''.
A sweet and passionate gem of a comic book, with a lot of heart, talent and hard work behind it.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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