Roaming
by Jillian Tamaki and
Mariko Tamaki
Drawn & Quarterly
444 pages
$40
Cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, the award-winning dynamic duo behind Skim and This One Summer, have teamed up again to explore the in-between space of adolescence and adulthood. Roaming is an observant, richly illustrated story about outgrowing old relationships and growing into new ones, all while figuring out who you are against the backdrop of a bustling metropolis.
The graphic novel reunites high school best friends Zoe and Dani, who are now freshman students at different colleges, in New York City over spring break of 2009. Joined by Dani’s unapologetically confident classmate, Fiona, the trio set out to roam the city for five days. Jillian’s masterful artistry transports readers to some of NYC’s most iconic locations—from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park to classic pizza joints and Chinese restaurants—allowing them to experience the rich and diverse culture of the city through the eyes of a tourist.
The drawings effortlessly instill a sense of wonder, especially as the trio from Canada first emerge from Pennsylvania station to be in awe of the Empire State Building and busy streets. Several pages showcase NYC as a fashion capital, from Fiona trying on clothes at St. Mark’s Place in East Village to Zoe wanting to visit the Uniqlo global flagship store in the SoHo shopping district.
As the trio spend more time together, it’s clear that much is changing around them. The Tamakis subtly cue readers to this theme in the opening pages by revealing small cracks in the long-term friendship between Zoe and Dani Zoe’s new buzzcut shocks Dani, who later asks if Zoe has “always hated her hair.” While Fiona fully embraces Zoe’s new look, Dani proceeds to reminisce over their senior semi-formal photos when Zoe had long and luscious hair, to which Fiona responds that Zoe’s hair “looks a million times better shaved.”
When Zoe becomes romantically entangled with Fiona, Dani frustratingly blurts out why their friendship is off-balance: “I wanted to come here and hang out with my best friend, but you’re like . . . not even you anymore.” As time progresses in the trip, each panel puts readers into both Zoe and Dani’s shoes. Through Zoe, we know what it’s like to be young and in love, and to fall for someone new so intensely. Through Dani, we experience the nostalgia for what once was, and how it feels to seemingly be left behind.
With Roaming, Mariko and Jillian have created yet another insightful, slice-of life masterpiece that weaves together an ever-changing, dynamic cityscape with characters who are also constantly evolving and struggling to embrace every version of themselves—past, present, and future.
