THE COLLEGE TRY

Book Cover

Rachel Del Rio describes herself as “42, childless and single,” and while her comedy career is thriving and her lesbian best friend, Scout McDonough, is supportive, she’s insecure about her personal life. She’s reluctant to attend her 20th college reunion—everyone “who isn’t gay or a crackpot is married with kids.” Rachel finds an unsigned love letter and decides it must be from Jason Smith, her sophomore-year boyfriend; when she’s magically transported back in time 22 years, she decides it’s an opportunity to win him back. She can also do better by her friends, own up to her self-centered behavior, and possibly even save someone’s life. Rachel is missing the full picture, however, and she’ll have to figure everything out before she’s transported back to her adult life. The book doesn’t unpack some internalized misogyny or unhealthy coping behaviors, like excessive drinking. This queer-friendly story also includes frequent positive Harry Potter references in the past timeline, and readers may be surprised that Rachel, who’s distinguished by her sharp tongue and no-holds-barred language, doesn’t mention this irony, particularly given her commentary on other societal cultural shifts. The full-color art has a nostalgic feeling reminiscent of comics from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Rachel has tan skin and black hair, Scout presents white, and Jason has brown skin.

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