Follow Me In is a beautifully sad, part-memoir that follows the life of the author as she travels throughout Mexico with her boyfriend. As she learns about the various cultures Mexico has to offer, she begins to become more self reflective of her own relationship.
The story begins with her meeting up with her now ex-boyfriend. They discuss their current lives and her goal of writing a personal book that recounts their trek across the beautify country of Mexico. With his encouragement, she decides to share the story with her readers, both the good and the bad.
Leaving your job to backpack across a foreign country is no easy feat with or without someone to accompany you. This story shares the journey of the author and her boyfriend, the struggles they encountered while traversing through a country with a language that is not native to them. It’s also not afraid to get personal as we see the author come to terms with the painful fact that her boyfriend is an alcoholic.
Katriona Chapman is not afraid to shy away from the unglamorous parts of their trip. Readers will truly get a sense of what it feels like to be in a foreign country, both the ups and downs. You can feel their exhaustion as they jump from bus to bus, struggle to find a place to stay, and occasionally find an excursion to be disappointing.
The artwork is absolutely beautiful. It really captures the essence of Mexico, the vibrancy of the country. Every area they explore has a clear, distinct feel to it. There is also wonderful artwork that provides history lessons of the areas they are visiting. There’s even some nice illustrations that focus on the two learning Spanish and small details that bring the country to life in each panel. There is also a lovely contrast in color between the UK and Mexico that allows for such a positive representation of the country. While it is a colorful representation, Katriona also does not shy away from the issues the country faces and provides distinct visual differences to articulate those points.
This story is very personal to the author and it’s wonderful that she has chosen to share it. Not only does it provide a colorful depiction of the beautiful country of Mexico, it also provides the reader with the difficulty of self reflection. Everyone has gone through a moment in their lives where they start to see red flags in other’s behavior, where they must eventually come to terms with it. By discovering a foreign country, Katriona discovers the inner conflicts she has been putting off and must eventually face. We can all learn from the author’s struggles and from the adventure she embarks on.
If you have any interest in traveling to a foreign country, whether it be for a vacation or giving up your entire life as the author did, this is definitely a must read.
Follow Me In will be released at this year’s Thought Bubble Festival, along with two other Avery Hill titles; Kristyna Baczynski’s Retrograde Orbit and Tillie Walden’s On a Sunbeam. Share your thoughts in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!
