I feel such kinship with Knisley, she wrote every word and included every fact I needed to hear. I’m going to reread the HELL out of this book if and when I plan on dealing with pregnancy. Also the recommendations in the back for futher reading/listening/snacking, YES PLEASE

And the inclusive language she uses is so well done and much appreciated

Reads a bit like Dancing at the Pity Party ( )

I've long been a fan of Lucy Knisley's autobiographical comics following them from college onwards (I started with her squid halloween costume on Livejournal, and [b:Salvaged Parts|11256615|Salvaged Parts|Lucy Knisley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1350840665l/11256615._SX50_.jpg|16183315] was something I clung to after a bad breakup, though she and John eventually reconciled later obviously), but haven't kept up with recent publications though I do recall this happening in real time from her instagram. I picked up Kid Gloves and [b:Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood|44280838|Go to Sleep (I Miss You) Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood|Lucy Knisley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563490954l/44280838._SX50_.jpg|68794394] last time we were at Powells though, as I'm currently in the middle of my own pregnancy! In many ways, she feels parasocially like a peer who's a few years ahead of me in terms of life stages.

Like previous graphic novels, Kid Gloves is part memoir from trying to conceive through a very traumatic birth (tw: miscarriage, pre-eclampsia to eclampsia, ob-gyn ignoring concerns), part survey on the current research and history of the topic (birth and maternity care). I recognize that sounds like a downer, but it's accompanied by her humor and warm graphics even when cartoon!Lucy is puking her guts out with what's probably hyperemesis gravidarum. The style shifts appropriately with tone when we dip into John's perspective for Pal's birth via emergency c-section.

One theme that repeats in both Lucy's personal experience and extant research is how stark the silence and ignorance is on miscarriages and maternal mortality. The former are very common (1/4 pregnancies) but are societal taboo to discuss, leaving many to suffer alone until they open up and discover in quiet conversations that actually, many people around them have similar experiences. I've found this is true for reproductive traumas in general, which makes it SO FRUSTRATING when legislation and policy are made assuming that issues never come up, and everything'll be fine/get over it/etc. There's a religious-tinged expectation (in the United States at least) that as a feminine-dominant state, pregnancy should involve suffering and potential martyrdom when bringing forth new life. Lucy mentions that the overwhelming majority of state and federal funding for "maternal and child health" goes towards babies with only 6% for maternal care. Personally, in voluntarily choosing to be pregnant I've grown sharply more in favor of policies that do not sacrifice pregnant patients, especially considering maternal mortality rates have INCREASED over recent years in the United States. Lucy's approachable comics bring these underdiscussed, serious topics to a general audience and I do think readers who don't have kids or are childfree should still consider giving this a read.

On a happier note, Linney sightings! what a great cat. ( )

A beautifully drawn and informative and well-written book about pregnancy, women's health, many of the struggles women in face as patients. It deals with a lot of painful topics really well. Overall, great read! ( )

This autobiographical graphic novel focuses on the author's experiences with miscarriage and pregnancy. She also writes about her experiences with birth control and ties in some light (and probably Eurocentric) research on the history of childbirth, pregnancy, miscarriages, and more.

My background: I don't have children and don't ever plan to. My sister, meanwhile has had three, and almost hemorrhaged to death after the birth of one of them. I am very firmly pro-choice. I haven't read any of Knisley's other works and avoided this graphic novel for a while because the cover made it look it would present a very fluffy and idealized look at pregnancy and childbirth.

Yeah, the author's experiences were pretty much the opposite of fluffy and idealized. First there were her miscarriages, then horrible morning sickness during her successful pregnancy. Things only got worse after she gave birth and was diagnosed with eclampsia - not a surprise to readers, since she noted her multiple signs of preeclampsia during her descriptions of her pregnancy.

For the author, the little person at the end of all of those experiences was worth it, although she also made sure to not present pregnancy as a state everyone with a uterus wants/should want to experience at some point.

One thing that comes up a little but is otherwise mostly glossed over: US medical insurance. At one point, the author is sent home from the hospital while she is clearly still too ill, simply because insurance wouldn't cover additional time spent at the hospital since the doctor already signed the release papers and was too busy to stop by and reassess the situation. Which was horrible and utterly believable to anyone who's ever dealt with the US healthcare system, but it got me to thinking about the massive medical debt that the author surely must have racked up that was somehow never mentioned as a concern. That said, at the start of this graphic novel the author wrote that her baby was now four weeks old - maybe not enough time to get slammed with the bills on top of everything else?

Overall I thought this was an excellent read that would have been harrowing and deeply stressful if it hadn't shown from the start that everything was going to turn out okay.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

I have always felt like Lucy Knisley is the big sister I wish I had. I had a few older step sisters over the years, but as seems to be the case with most American families these days, we didn’t keep in touch when our respective parents split. So on Lucy I rely. French Milk I read before studying abroad, Displacement to help me cope with my grandmother’s aging on a family trip to the Bahamas, Something New arrived shortly before I got married… and now, as my husband and I contemplate having children, Lucy has come through for me once again, releasing Kid Gloves.

When I begged our publisher rep for an early copy, the rep with whom I’ve had many conversations about our childbearing decisions, warned me that it wasn’t a glowing recommendation either way, but a chronicle of Lucy’s unique experience, which was exactly what I needed. Lucy’s honest depictions of her life have offered me more guidance and wisdom than any other author of the last decade of my reading life.

As my friends have, and try to have, children, I find myself wondering if I want to join their ranks or if I would be happier as Aunt Sarah. When my nephew was born in late 2017, I revisited my feelings once again, and found myself happily Aunt Sarah, happy to hand him back to my brother- and sister-in-law. Lucy’s memoir has helped me understand my own feelings and it is truly a spectacular book.

It is perfect. Her best yet, and I’ve read every single one. Lucy’s son, “Pal,” is now a social media darling in his own right, and Lucy, and her husband John, faced miscarriages, depression, anxiety, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia to have their son and Lucy details each of these experiences in Kid Gloves with, at times, excruciating and raw emotional detail. It is a beautiful graphic novel memoir, the style typical of Lucy’s other books, but she’s really knocked it out of the park with the emotional content this time. ( )