Spent: A Comic Novel

Bechdel (Fun Home) applies her sharp storytelling and incisive eye for human behavior to this pseudo-memoir about an artist attempting to come to terms with her past success while exploring future avenues of artistic evolution. As she attempts to complete her latest book, the protagonist—modeled after Bechdel herself—finds herself juggling more than a few drains on her time and energy. The political and environmental causes dear to her require near constant attention, her sister keeps asking for help finishing her own manuscript, her partner is on the verge of becoming a social media influencer, and she’s trying to develop and sell her idea for a reality show focused on helping people live more ethical lives. As the pressure builds, the fictional Bechdel finds herself compulsively overanalyzing her relationships, creative output, and daily life. Bechdel’s unflinching honesty proves utterly gripping, as her willingness to expose her own vulnerabilities make this inquest into the nature of ambition, self-discipline, and the complexity of sharing one’s life with both loved ones and the general public at once funny and poignant.