New Swedish Books, Autumn 2018 1
New Swedish Books 36 Psycho Girl The title is pro
bably best understood with a hint of irony; there’s nothing different or abnormal about the 22-year-old main character in Agnes Jakobsson’s graphic novel. However, the title captures the self-hate that the young Agnes feels when, time and time again and against her better judgment, she returns to the arms of 30-plus-year-old Lillis, despite his self-centredness, emotional coldness, uncontrolled drinking and manipulative lies. Psycho Girl is a highly typical story that’s easy to identify with, about being young, insecure, and yearning for intimacy. But in the end it is also a story of how you can find strength within yourself, turn your back on something, and walk away. Psycho Girl is firmly planted in the territory of black and white, autobiographically inspired indie comics. Agnes Jakobsson impresses with a drawing style that feels both accomplished and personal. There is a disarming comedic quality to her expressive, gently caricatured characters that softens the darkness of the story. Psycho Girl is told with a confidence that is rare to find in a debut.