Book Review
Title: Parasocial by Alex de Campi
Genre: Graphic Novel, Thriller, Psychological
Rating: 3 Stars
I requested this graphic novel purely based off its gorgeous cover but when I read the synopsis I was even more intrigued. It is marketed as a thriller with psychosexual elements which is right up my street and it follows an actor and an obsessive fan very reminiscent of Misery by Stephen King. My review for this isn’t going to be long since the book itself isn’t and I don’t tend to read graphic novels that much anyway. The opening portion was a little slow as we are introduced to Luke, an actor on a former hit television show which has now been cancelled and work is drying up for him. He is also struggling to be a husband and father which leads to his wife filing for divorce which he tries to keep secret but it eventually comes out. In between this we get a group chat between Lily and her friend as she is set to attend a convention where Luke will be.
At the convention Luke begins to realise how this show was his entire life and he isn’t sure what to do without it and since being kicked out he is living with friends and falling back into old habits. Afterwards when he is driving home he ends up in a minor car accident and a woman come to the rescue only to drug and kidnap him. When Luke wakes up he is confronted with an obsessed fan in Lily and tries his best to convince her they can be together like she wants but things don’t go according to plan and she ends up stabbing him.
After this Luke is more cautious but more honest as well, explaining to Lily that the version of him she saw on the show doesn’t exist and never has but in return for believing he does she makes Luke out to be a better person than he is. This is Luke essentially coming to terms with the mess his life has begun and accepting responsibility for it ending that way in the first place. Despite repeatedly asking Lily to take him to the hospital she refuses and ends up leaving Luke for dead but he manages to escape and make his way for help. Afterwards we get to see Luke moving on with a new chapter in his life but there is a ominous ending since Lily’s friends can’t get hold of her at all. Overall, the story and art style were great I just wanted more from it since it seemed a little rushed in places and I wanted something more along the lines of Misery rather than something full of action but it was good.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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