Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story | Review

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story
Story and art by Sarah Myer
First Second, Published 6/27/23
Age rating: 14-18 years

Imagine trying to find your place in the world while others try to make you feel like you have little to no value due to their bigotry? In the graphic memoir, Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story, Sarah Myer tells their story of living as an adopted Korean-American in the American South. 

Sarah (who will be referred to as “they/them” in respect to their identity) has wonderful parents, a popular older sister (who was also adopted from South Korea), and a love for art and expression. During their childhood, Sarah is viewed as weird by other kids, and sometimes will act out. During this time, Sarah unfortunately experiences their first bouts of racism and bullying, which was very harsh to witness in this book. While their parents mean well, the family realizes that Sarah will face more hardships as they grow up, especially when it involves the racism that shrouds their small town. 

First, I have to mention that the Myers are awesome. They don’t take any of the criticisms and hatred lying down, especially Sarah’s father. They have their concerns about how to teach their daughters about identity, but the crowning factor is the love and support they show their daughters. This becomes more prominent when Sarah reaches high school, where the bullying and racism get more severe. Sarah is faced with impossible obstacles while trying to be themselves, and exploring their newfound love for anime and theater. Here is where Sarah feels like a monster is growing inside them, mostly because they don’t know how to express how they feel when the mostly White town judges Sarah at every opportunity. Thankfully, Sarah does find a support system and the inner strength to overcome the odds. 

How each feeling is detailed in Monstrous was extraordinarily done. The vivid colors and detail that Myer uses to tell their story will make an impact on the reader, as it did me. I found myself relating to Sarah in so many ways. Like Sarah, I grew up in a mostly-White small town that still, to this day, has issues with racism. I’m also an anime fan (have y’all read my reviews and seen my social media *LOL*), and had to learn how not to let the abuse get to me. Realizing that the racism and abuse is a reflection of their character and not mine is a superpower many of us need to possess. Sarah shows that in the reflection of the story through their now-adult eyes with beautiful artistry and storytelling, which does showcase the ugly they endured.

I highly recommend Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story for readers of all ages. We all have a monster within us, but as Sarah shows us in their story, the best way to fight the monster is with love for each other, and most importantly, ourselves.

Filed under: All Ages, Graphic Novels, Reviews, Young Adult