Ghost World (1993-1997) Review

Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Creator: Daniel Clowes

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Story

Ghost World follows Enid and Rebecca, two teen graduates of high school on the verge of adulthood, in the trials and tribulations they face in mundane, everyday life.

Review

Ghost World captures the uncertainty and rebellious spirit of adolescence primarily through the main cast, teen besties Enid and Rebecca, as well as in many of the quirky side characters and its episodic story format.

Blending elements of dark humour, existentialism, and the harsh realities of ‘growing up’, author Clowes creates a unique and quirky world with a well-realised main cast and a segmented narrative written with an emphasis on both the weird and wacky situations Enid and Rebecca face in their hometown and the overarching theme of transitioning into adult life.

The subdued cartoonish art style works well with the angsty and melodramatic tone of the comics where many of the stereotypes portrayed are literally caricatures of their real-world counterparts. One thing I didn’t quite understand was the greenish shading used throughout (at least in the version I got), it was an odd aesthetic choice that sometimes distracted from reading and gave the series a washed-out, grainy look in some parts.

Conclusion

Ghost World made for an interesting read, despite the genre not being my favourite and many of its colloquialisms and references going over my head. The series kept me engaged throughout and progressively got better per chapter, leading to an inevitable ending that’s poignant, a bit sad, and introspective.

^{~Giuseppe Gillespie July 2022}