Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley

In this standalone graphic novel by the author of the Scott Pilgrim series, the protagonist, Katie, discovers that she can correct past mistakes by eating magic mushrooms. Katie feels that, at 29 years old, her life is uninteresting and unaccomplished. Using the mushrooms, she repeatedly tries to perfect it, but, the harder she tries, the more things begin to go wrong. The novel explores themes of growing up, finding yourself and embracing your flaws. It hits many major aspects of life—love, work, friendship and regret. There are also some compelling supernatural elements that add another facet to the complex storyline. However, the story wasn’t all deep profound character growth; it still had humor and wit. I especially enjoyed the parts where Katie looked straight at the reader and argued with the narrator. Mr. O’Malley’s art style is slightly more cartoony than other graphic novels I’ve read and it lends itself well to his storytelling. Overall, I’d recommend this entertaining, aesthetically pleasing novel.