Mall Goth

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Author(s)

Kate Leth

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

September 26, 2023

ISBN

978-1534476943

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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me gets a Y2K twist in this coming-of-age young adult graphic novel from acclaimed comic artist Kate Leth about a 2000s goth teen whose favorite part of her new town is the mall.

Liv Holme is not exactly thrilled to be moving to a new town with her mother. After all, high school can be brutal, even more so when you’re a fifteen-year-old, bisexual goth. But Liv is determined to be who she is, bullies or not. Still, being the new kid and the only out student brings her a lot of unwelcome attention, and Liv flounders in her search for community. The only person who makes time for her is one of teachers, but Liv isn’t sure how to feel about the way he behaves toward her.

Thankfully, she’s found the perfect escape: the mall. Under its fluorescent lights, Liv feels far away from her parents’ strained marriage and the peers who don’t understand her. Amid the bright storefronts, food court smell, and anonymous shoppers, Liv is safely one of the crowd and can enjoy the feeling of calling the shots in her own life for once.

With the help of her suburban refuge, Liv sets off on a journey of self-acceptance and learns to navigate the ups and downs of high school and to recognize true friendship.

Editor review

1 review

Good story, beautiful art

August 12, 2024

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

3.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Mall Goth has a synopsis that called to my little black, goth heart, so I knew I had to read it. I have very fond memories of hanging around the mall every Friday night, and the images instantly brought me back.

I loved the artwork! It has a very simplistic cartoon style and a nostalgic color pallet to fit the "goth" theme. There are a bunch of little details that caught my eye that I couldn't get enough of.

The book features IBS representation, as well as bisexual rep. We see Liv coping with the rejection she felt from her old friend circle for being bi. While I cannot personally say how hard this was back in the early 2000's, I can say that having this representation is important.

Another important matter covered in Mall Goth is inappropriate adult-minor relationships. Leth, in an authors note at beginning of the book, had said that this story was based on their experiences. They portrayed Liv’s emotions towards this aspect wonderfully, never romanticizing it, but carefully depicting a warning.

There is a lot going on in this graphic novel. From Liv's family moving to a new town, a new school, romances, an absent father, and more, I believe the story would have benefitted from being longer or a series. There just wasn't enough time for these different plot lines to be fully fleshed out, leaving me wanting more at the end.

I thought with the title "Mall Goth," more of the story would take place at the mall. While a small portion of it does take place in the mall, a majority of it takes place at school or off page all-together. That being said, I loved the scenes that did take place at the mall.

The cast of characters is decent, but I had a hard time getting to know them an actually liking any of them. Liv's mom and the security guard at the mall were both very nice and accepting. Liv's mom deserves a gold star.

All in all, this is a fun and colorful read, but also goes way beyond that leaving an impact on the reader.

*Content warning*
Grooming