Readers, writers and librarians, rejoice! Tom Gauld (Department of Mind-Blowing Theories) presents a collection of comics perfect for anyone who might have a towering stack of books near their bed or perhaps even an expensive degree in English literature. Revenge of the Librarians showcases the inventive wit of the Eisner-winning cartoonist and, whether lambasting the habits of a "working" writer (looking at birds from the window, going on long walks, napping) or reframing classics to suit new occasions, this collection is a delightful series of inside jokes for the literary-minded.
Gauld's clean-lined, uncluttered lettering and art are seemingly simple, but the concepts and cartoons that convey them work together to great effect. One deceptively straightforward piece, "My Reading Year," functions like a multilayered Venn diagram, with sections designated for "Books I Keep Quiet About" and "Books I Hated" and "Books I Feel I Should Have Enjoyed," each with small areas of overlap that every bookish person will recognize.
This collection also provides a wry look at the pandemic lockdown through various storybook or writerly lenses, such as the comic that follows a bookstore cat through the various stages of closure and reopening activities. (Hint: the cat's experience doesn't change much, and sleep is a constant.) However, the best marriage of these elements comes in the comic entitled "Waiting for Godot to Join the Zoom Meeting": Vladimir and Estragon sit mostly silent on separate screens before asking, "Shall we go?" and then concluding, "Yes, let's go." Reader, I guffawed. --Sara Beth West, freelance reviewer and librarian