Decelerate Blue by Adam Rapp and Mike Cavallaro is a thoughtful graphic novel about what it means to resist change for the sake of change, speed for the sake of speed, and "improvement" that might not be better than what predated it. The cover is an absolutely gorgeous palette of blue hues, which definitely accurately describes the style and mood of the book.
Decelerate Blue reads like The Giver meets In Time. In a world where speed and brevity reign above all else, Angela feels like a misfit. ...little does she know there's a (literal) underground resistance going on, where people do more than just stop and smell the roses. With overprotective parents who are deeply entrenched in their society's flawed ideals, Angela's quest to be accepted and understood in a place where she can take time to examine her reality is risky. But, not taking the chance to experience life as it was meant to be lived, with time for contemplation, is also taking a gamble. Given the chance to step back from modern society's relentless messages about who she should be and what she should do gives Angela the opportunity to find out who she really is, and what is worth risking for it.
The style of Cavallaro's art is powerful, with many bold expanses of black on the page. Shards of white space slice through the darkness, using stark contrast to dramatic effect. With colored page edges being so trendy in publishing right now, it is worth noting that, fittingly, the edges of Decelerate Blue's pages are a beautiful shade of blue, which is unnoticeable when looking at one individually, but they combine into a lovely mass when the book is closed.
Rapp's story is very timely. Kick the Boot--the fictional manifesto of the slow living alternative Angela discovers--is possibly the 1984 of her day. In today's political climate, this is a relevant and important graphic novel. Activism, social justice, and marginalization are all topics swirling around in our collective consciousness, and are used as elements of the story to great effect.
On a more personal level, once Angela realizes what she wants, she must struggle with the idea that not everyone she is close to shares her values. Similarly, there are many people who have begun to realize that their friends or family may have startlingly different beliefs (ones they may even find offensive), and are grappling with questions of how to continue relationships with those they care about in light of such differences, or how to accept that they should be severed in order to preserve what is most important to them as individuals. If any of this has been on your mind, check out Decelerate Blue. It may help you process the overwhelming state of current events while simultaneously providing the escape of doing so while spending time in a fictional world. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
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