I’m not sure what I was expecting from this graphic novel. There was something about the title that made me think it was a demon fantasy. However, it is a biography of the author and illustrator as looking back on their life and breaking the 4th wall, about being transgendered in a time when it was not as visible as it is now. This book follows the character from age 11 to about age 19-20ish and it’s set at a middle grade reading level. There’s something in here for everyone. One doesn’t have to be trans, one just must be an ally, or open minded, to enjoy this book. What is neat is within the book, the author living their trans life now is talking to their younger self and saying it will be OK, or it’s going to change, or it’ll get better you have to live through this to get to the good stuff. Overall, this was a great read with great illustrations, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next. ( )

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/ovqGyQRLZN4

Enjoy! ( )

What an amazing Graphic Novel, following the transition of a teen to his true self. To be able to also hear from Lewis’ family and friends was very helpful. To learn about the struggles Lewis had as a young girl, fighting to be what he truly was meant to be. I loved the illustrations too and definitely learned a lot that I didn’t know before. Definitely one for the library collections. ( )

Welcome to St. Hell is a groundbreaking memoir about being a trans teen. Lois/Lewis has a few things to say to his younger teen self. He knows she hates her body. He knows she's confused about who to snog. He knows she's really a he and will ultimately realize this... but she's going to go through a whole lot of mess (some of it funny, some of it not funny at all) to get to that point. Lewis is trying to tell her this... but she's refusing to listen.

In Welcome to St. Hell, author-illustrator Lewis Hancox takes readers on the hilarious, heartbreaking, and healing path he took to make it past trauma, confusion, hurt, and dubious fashion choices in order to become the man he was meant to be.

When I began reading I wondered whether the comic would be preachy. It isn't. The author kept his hometown anonymous by calling is St. Hell in the comic and the high school he attended was called St. Hell High School. I felt so bad for him when he was taunted by his classmates. Young kids can be way too critical. However, he did find friends that accepted him and some of them came out publicly with different sexual orientations after high school.

The artwork created the humor in the novel. We see Lois/Lewis trying several actions to hide her feminine body shape. He works out in order to get rid of his curves and diets heavily that he has to be treated for anorexia. He finally admits to his mother that he is trying to get rid of his feminine shape because he feels like a boy. The author is lucky that his mother accepted him when he came out and, in fact, encouraged some of his behaviors because, inside, she knew that he was different.

This is a thoughtful memoir that taught me alot about the struggle of trans people. ( )

Lewis Hancox gives a straightforward account of his life as a trans man in northern England during the early 2000s. He keeps the tone relatively light and jaunty even as he deals with heavy topics like bullying, homophobia, transphobia and eating disorders.

Side note: It always makes me feel weirdly happy to realize that a book like this that looks like a comic book I'd buy in the 1980's or 90's from a small indy publisher with a print run of one or two thousand copies and that might have four or ten sporadic issues over the course of several years is a 300-page original graphic novel from one of the largest publishers on the planet. ( )