Lost at Sea

First of all I'd like to add to my review that I bought this because it was written by the creator of Scott Pilgrim and I'm a big fan of that story. Although comparing the 2 stories would be ridiculous and unfair one can't avoid the fact that if you read one comic and you LOVED it... well you definetely are going to expect the same for any other book of that author... unless that's what I believe.

Anyways I did enjoyed it and I would buy it again if I had the chance to. This book has more than it seems. You could read it several times at different ages and you will discover different things about it which makes it worth to have it.

I would recommend it to people who are reflexive.

The characters are great and I would have loved if I could get to know them better... their personalities were well balanced.

I hope this review is understandable because (as you can imagine) English is not my first language.

The title tells all really. This book is the story of a lonely girl who can't grasp reality. It picks up towards the end, but was not as satisfying as you would think. A nice grab for the price, but there are a lot better books around.

Before his international fan sensation of the Scott Pilgrim series, Bryan Lee O'Malley started out with a one-shot graphic novel titled Lost At Sea. First printed by Oni Press in black and white, it was later reprinted in color, similar to how they did with Scott Pilgrim.

Raleigh is a seemingly delusional teenage girl from Canada who has impulsively decided to catch a ride with three other people after coming down to California to see her "boyfriend". Her travelling companions on this road trip are two boys, Dave and Ian, plus the chainsmoking Stephanie. Along this long strange trip, Raleigh reflects on her life, and how she thinks her mother might have sold her sold away to a cat for to become a success in business. Whether or not there is any definitive otherworldly or supernatural backdrop to this is never really made clear. However through her experiences with her new buddies, Raleigh discovers a lot about herself as a person, and suddenly becomes sees things a little more positively.

Lost At Sea was intended as a single book, although there have been some short comic strips that expand on the characters in little vignettes. It's style and storytelling are very underground, something akin to watch you might find in an indie self-published mini-comic or zine. You can see the foundations of what eventually lead O'Malley to do in Scott Pilgrim, even though it's not intended to be as funny or filled with pop culture references. Definitely see about at least getting this from your local library if you're not already a fan of O'Malley's style.

Being a fan of Scott Pilgrim, i picked this up as a blind buy, and while i wasn't disappointed, it wasn't great either.

The story is essentially a look into a teenagers mind, with all the confusion, angst and heartbreak realistically realized. It does a great job at putting you in Raleigh's shoes, as the book unfolds much like her thoughts, jumbled up without much clarity. Some may find this structure to be annoying though, as there really isnt much plot to begin with. Thankfully, the art and visual storytelling does a good job at keeping things interesting, and the dialogue fits perfectly for the story it wants to tell.

The problem for me was that the book is just a look into a teenagers life, during the point where you feel lost and unaware of what to do with your life. Nothing more, nothing less.

I did enjoy how relatable Raleigh was, some might find the angst to be too much to take but it was heartfelt without being obnoxious for me. It captures the period of teenage confusion well, but doesnt do much with it, or has anything to say, which you can argue is much like Raleigh herself. The ending also comes rushed as the third act suddenly spins the plotless story into a final revelation that isnt much of a surprise.

Overall i would say this is a decent read if you can take some teenage angst, and want a more laid back character drama. The art is well drawn and the shades of pink in the color design add to the mood of the story. I just wish the story had more character development.

After loving the Scott Pilgrim series, I decided to seek out the authors other work which at the time was just this book. The art is about the same as in the SP books which is far from a bad thing. You don't get epic action choreography but you do still get funny, well written dialogue. The dialogue may actually be better than in SP. The story is interesting and I find myself thinking about it even after all these years. The story is a bit juvenile. Not in a bad way but I did want to get a copy to me little cousin before rereading it and seeing the curse words so early on. Anyways I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a laugh and anyone interest in O'Malley's non SP works (personally like it much better than Seconds and Snot-Girl)

The first thing you should know about eighteen-year-old Raleigh is that she doesn't have a soul.

She might have had one once, back in the day of diapers and innocence, but she lost it somewhere along the way. She can't quite remember where.

Raleigh gets by being soulless; kind of. But it's during a cross-country road trip with three of her classmates that Raleigh feels the acute loss. She doesn't do so well with people and socializing; and an accidental road trip, California to Canada, with Steph, Dave and Ian is highlighting all that's wrong with her.

Then there's the reason she was in California in the first place. Him. But she doesn't want to talk about Him. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

For right now Raleigh is content to sit in the backseat and let the world go by.

`Lost At Sea' is a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley and first published in 2003 by Oni Press. It was republished in 2005.

I'm getting into graphic novels in a big way. Having recently read the brilliant `Saga' by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, which is probably at the extreme-end of the graphic spectrum, I wanted something a little different. I actually wanted something that was a YA-equivalent . . . so I stumbled across `Lost At Sea' by O'Malley (who found fame for his `Scott Pilgrim vs. The World' series) and I am now more even more enamoured of the graphic format.

`Lost At Sea' is a strange little novel about loneliness and teenageness. We meet Raleigh in the backseat of a car - sitting beside loud girl Steph (who sternly tells her she only has guy friends), and looking at the backs of Ian and Dave's heads. She vaguely knows these kids from school, but it was an accidental phone-call and the coincidence of them all being in California at the same time that landed her in the backseat.

Raleigh feels weird sitting amongst this tight-knit three-ringed friendship. Ian and Dave are both cute and cool; Dave nursing a broken-heart with cigarette smoke and Ian way too tightly-wound but with an endearing sense of humour. Steph wears flowers in her hair and her voice is constantly set to BELLOWS - she jumps on beds and hates Elvis. Seeing these three so close and so connected, Raleigh becomes hyper-aware of all that's wrong with her. For one thing; she has no soul. For another; she thinks a cat stole it when she was younger.

O'Malley's novel is a beautifully strange concoction that has many moments that beg you to suspend disbelief . . . but it is, overwhelmingly, an ode to being young and feeling completely, hopelessly and uselessly `Lost At Sea'.

True, this is a bit of an oddball novel (from Raleigh's soulless state, to her believing cats hold the key) - but the strangeness is part of the beauty when these three relative strangers agree to help her hunt for what's missing. And isn't that such a wonderful way to start a friendship? On the basis that someone might be a little bit crazy, but offering to help them anyway.

Don't get fooled by the craziness of Scott Pilgrim, Bryan Lee O'Malley knows how to build intense, beautiful and emotional stories. Seconds: A Graphic Novel and Lost At Sea are proof of it. Two intense and emotional stories starring in one case a young woman (for Seconds) and in another case a teenager (for Lost At Sea) looking for themselves and being helped into it through friends and random encounters.

Lost At Sea is at first intriguing. That's how it pulls you in, particularly as you're looking for a tint of supernatural if you've read more from the same author, and the unraveling of the story is only better for it.

This is not an action comic book, it's an emotional journey recommended to anyone as long as you don't have an aversion for O'Malley's art style.

Back when I was in grad school, if you were trying to write a paper and just spitballing ideas, a professor would ask you ”So what?” Basically, they wanted you to justify what you were trying to create. I hate to be overly critical, but I don’t think O’Malley really answers that with this finding-yourself road trip meditation. It was passable, but ethereal, a snowflake on my consciousness that has since passed. There is a passage near the end, the character is narrating the rest of the trip, and she says “Generally the rest of the story was probably more interesting if you were there and the jokes seemed funnier at the time.” I think this is true of the whole endeavor.

aleigh is a girl lost at sea. After her parents divorced and she lost her best friend, she is just floating around. She ends up on a road trip home from California to Canada with a bunch of kids she sort of knows from school. They might get back to Canada eventually, but until then Raleigh has to try and make new friends and move on from the past.

What the heck is with all the cats?!?!? Seriously? Is there something I just don't get? Is it just that cats are associated with souls, so it only makes sense? Did Raleigh really lose her soul and sisters to the devil? Why couldn't Raleigh at least open that damned letter before the end of the novel?!?!? *breath*
Okay, regardless of my slew of questions, I did really enjoy this book. Raleigh's stream of consciousness flowed smooth and true. There were a lot of things on her mind and she got it all out on the quiet road ahead of her and her car mates. I guess Bryan Lee O'Malley is just weird. Scott Pilgrim was weird and Lost at Sea is weird. Things happen that leave you scratching your head, but all the characters seem okay with what's happening, so you feel like you're the odd one not them. I did love the drawings of the cats and went they went to go find the cat with Raleigh's soul. That whole part was hilarious and completely realistic...mostly. I could totally see my friends and I searching, during the wee hours of the morning, for a cat that contains someone's missing soul. It's fun and free and ridculous, but some things you just do without too many questions. I recommend this if you enjoyed the Scoot Pilgrim books, even if you didn't read this anyway. Unless you hated the books, then maybe this won't be up your alley.

First Line:
"I have a lot on my mind and not a lot to do so it's going to come out, all of it, and then, then, it may begin to make a sort of sense."

Favorite Lines:
"Hey, wake up. We have to go find Raleigh's soul, it's in a cat."

I shouldn't like this book. The high school narrative and bouncy plot should have steered me away. Somehow I ended up loving it. The book managed to be an accurate and entertaining story of an 18 year old without falling back on humor or sexuality. At first you think this graphic novel may appear stupid and invaluable, but near the end of the book O'Malley feeds you all the answers. Following the climax, a perfect circle is created, leaving the reader satisfied that they stayed reading such an odd piece of work.

While not as funny as Scott Pilgrim, Lost at Sea is a powerful book. It captures the raw emotion of an 18 year old, and for college students it will really hit home. The narrative is identical to how we used to speak in High School (trying to be a talented writer, but coming off confused and haphazard). Essentially Lost at Sea is a mystery. What you find in this mystery will most likely be within yourself. That is why I call it an experience. Lost at Sea gives grace to all the wierd feelings you had or have as an adolescent. O'Malley is a powerful artist.

Four college age kids are driving back home for the holidays. Three of them are good friends while the fourth, the girl and main character of the story Raleigh, is a casual acquaintance. It becomes clear from her silence that Raleigh is a troubled girl and as the journey goes on they begin to discover that Raleigh's silence is due to a broken heart from a recently ended relationship.

This is the first book I've read of Bryan Lee O'Malley and I'll say it's not bad. While the drawings are alright at best (manga heavy with few individual touches to distinguish it from other manga art), the story is at times compelling and other times cliche. The overall story of Raleigh and her internal monologue is ok, but her surreal search for a soul lends the story itself an element of intrigue.

However if you look at the rest of the book you see how cliche the rest of it is. Teen sarcasm spots the script like acne, while overly precious emo moments like waking up in the middle of the night and saying "we've got to look for my soul - I think it's in a cat" make for cringe-worthy moments. Imagine if someone did that to you - I think I'd tell them to shut up and go back to sleep. Of course that wouldn't lend itself well to the story so the four wake up and wander the town in the middle of the night trying to catch cats. Ergh.

It's these moments of unbelievably twee actions that let down the book. That and the fact that the story is centred around a broken heart. Remember that sketch from "Family Guy" where they satirise teen dramas? "Nothing in your life will ever be more important than what's going on right here, right now, by this locker!" - "High school is such a serious thing... these problems matter!". It's like that. You want to tell Raleigh that hey a broken heart sucks and first love is both euphoric and shattering but you get over it. Overall it's not that important and sooner rather than later you'll look back and wonder what the hell it was all about.

"Lost at Sea" is an alright book that feels at times too much like a cartoon version of "Dawson's Creek". Two of the four characters never become more than cyphers while the remaining two have their moments but ultimately feel shallow and their actions contrived. Not a terrible book but not good enough to make me want to read more from O'Malley.

Originally seen on Emily Reads Everything

When I really love an author, I find myself searching out their other books. The first book series I ever read by Bryan O’Malley was Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, which is probably his most famous book. However, it didn’t make me go looking for more. Then twitter recommended me Seconds earlier this year. That was the book that hooked me on Bryan O’Malley and I started looking for more.

Lost at Sea is his first graphic novel, so I’m late to the party. I don’t want to compare it to his others because it is so incredibly different.

I loved Seconds because it was fanciful and it dealt in What If? I love thinking about how each decision that we make affects our future and the different paths that might have been.

Lost at Sea on the other hand is almost contemporary. It tells the story of a road trip at the end of high school that was never meant to happen. It’s a coming of age story. What I loved about it though was how it so clearly and eloquently showcases how we never see ourselves the way the outside world sees us. When you are stuck inside yourself, you are always your own worse critic. Its so hard to be realistic about yourself, when you can remember every stupid thing that you ever did. The way you see yourself and the way other people see you are very different things.

This is a reminder that everyone needs from time to time.

I loved this. Bryan Lee O'Malley has such an interesting take on teens. His dialogue isn't forced and the kid's actions are all realistic, even when they're not. Here, we meet Raleigh who's dealing with a multitude of issues in her own way as she heads back to Canada with classmates she barely knows. So, it doesn't sound riveting but its a great read.

I bought this book at Comic Con and read the first little bit in my hotel room. Once I saw a lot of scene taking place in a car traveling long distances, I decided to save it for the ride home, but anyway I started off by getting sidetracked!

In short, Raleigh is someone I know very closely. Her moments of social anxiety, confusion, and romantic dealings with a boy who lives far away and whom she met on the internet all remind me of a certain somebody I know very well. With that said, I have to say that Bryan Lee O'Malley perfectly captures what that kind of girl is. How she acts, talks, and presents herself to her friends feels so very authentic. I would say that you ignore the 1-star review that states this book misrepresents teenage girls. It's not that it misrepresents them. It's just that it choose to represent two (of many) kinds of girls, but more specifically that awkward, anxious, confused 18 year old. Shamelessly lifting from the back cover of the book, I'd have to say that this short statement sums up why I recommend this book to my friends: "If you've ever been 18 or confused, perhaps you should read this book."

Back when I was in grad school, if you were trying to write a paper and just spitballing ideas, a professor would ask you ”So what?” Basically, they wanted you to justify what you were trying to create. I hate to be overly critical, but I don’t think O’Malley really answers that with this finding-yourself road trip meditation. It was passable, but ethereal, a snowflake on my consciousness that has since passed. There is a passage near the end, the character is narrating the rest of the trip, and she says “Generally the rest of the story was probably more interesting if you were there and the jokes seemed funnier at the time.” I think this is true of the whole endeavor.

aleigh is a girl lost at sea. After her parents divorced and she lost her best friend, she is just floating around. She ends up on a road trip home from California to Canada with a bunch of kids she sort of knows from school. They might get back to Canada eventually, but until then Raleigh has to try and make new friends and move on from the past.

What the heck is with all the cats?!?!? Seriously? Is there something I just don't get? Is it just that cats are associated with souls, so it only makes sense? Did Raleigh really lose her soul and sisters to the devil? Why couldn't Raleigh at least open that damned letter before the end of the novel?!?!? *breath*
Okay, regardless of my slew of questions, I did really enjoy this book. Raleigh's stream of consciousness flowed smooth and true. There were a lot of things on her mind and she got it all out on the quiet road ahead of her and her car mates. I guess Bryan Lee O'Malley is just weird. Scott Pilgrim was weird and Lost at Sea is weird. Things happen that leave you scratching your head, but all the characters seem okay with what's happening, so you feel like you're the odd one not them. I did love the drawings of the cats and went they went to go find the cat with Raleigh's soul. That whole part was hilarious and completely realistic...mostly. I could totally see my friends and I searching, during the wee hours of the morning, for a cat that contains someone's missing soul. It's fun and free and ridculous, but some things you just do without too many questions. I recommend this if you enjoyed the Scoot Pilgrim books, even if you didn't read this anyway. Unless you hated the books, then maybe this won't be up your alley.

First Line:
"I have a lot on my mind and not a lot to do so it's going to come out, all of it, and then, then, it may begin to make a sort of sense."

Favorite Lines:
"Hey, wake up. We have to go find Raleigh's soul, it's in a cat."

I shouldn't like this book. The high school narrative and bouncy plot should have steered me away. Somehow I ended up loving it. The book managed to be an accurate and entertaining story of an 18 year old without falling back on humor or sexuality. At first you think this graphic novel may appear stupid and invaluable, but near the end of the book O'Malley feeds you all the answers. Following the climax, a perfect circle is created, leaving the reader satisfied that they stayed reading such an odd piece of work.

While not as funny as Scott Pilgrim, Lost at Sea is a powerful book. It captures the raw emotion of an 18 year old, and for college students it will really hit home. The narrative is identical to how we used to speak in High School (trying to be a talented writer, but coming off confused and haphazard). Essentially Lost at Sea is a mystery. What you find in this mystery will most likely be within yourself. That is why I call it an experience. Lost at Sea gives grace to all the wierd feelings you had or have as an adolescent. O'Malley is a powerful artist.

Four college age kids are driving back home for the holidays. Three of them are good friends while the fourth, the girl and main character of the story Raleigh, is a casual acquaintance. It becomes clear from her silence that Raleigh is a troubled girl and as the journey goes on they begin to discover that Raleigh's silence is due to a broken heart from a recently ended relationship.

This is the first book I've read of Bryan Lee O'Malley and I'll say it's not bad. While the drawings are alright at best (manga heavy with few individual touches to distinguish it from other manga art), the story is at times compelling and other times cliche. The overall story of Raleigh and her internal monologue is ok, but her surreal search for a soul lends the story itself an element of intrigue.

However if you look at the rest of the book you see how cliche the rest of it is. Teen sarcasm spots the script like acne, while overly precious emo moments like waking up in the middle of the night and saying "we've got to look for my soul - I think it's in a cat" make for cringe-worthy moments. Imagine if someone did that to you - I think I'd tell them to shut up and go back to sleep. Of course that wouldn't lend itself well to the story so the four wake up and wander the town in the middle of the night trying to catch cats. Ergh.

It's these moments of unbelievably twee actions that let down the book. That and the fact that the story is centred around a broken heart. Remember that sketch from "Family Guy" where they satirise teen dramas? "Nothing in your life will ever be more important than what's going on right here, right now, by this locker!" - "High school is such a serious thing... these problems matter!". It's like that. You want to tell Raleigh that hey a broken heart sucks and first love is both euphoric and shattering but you get over it. Overall it's not that important and sooner rather than later you'll look back and wonder what the hell it was all about.

"Lost at Sea" is an alright book that feels at times too much like a cartoon version of "Dawson's Creek". Two of the four characters never become more than cyphers while the remaining two have their moments but ultimately feel shallow and their actions contrived. Not a terrible book but not good enough to make me want to read more from O'Malley.

Originally seen on Emily Reads Everything

When I really love an author, I find myself searching out their other books. The first book series I ever read by Bryan O’Malley was Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, which is probably his most famous book. However, it didn’t make me go looking for more. Then twitter recommended me Seconds earlier this year. That was the book that hooked me on Bryan O’Malley and I started looking for more.

Lost at Sea is his first graphic novel, so I’m late to the party. I don’t want to compare it to his others because it is so incredibly different.

I loved Seconds because it was fanciful and it dealt in What If? I love thinking about how each decision that we make affects our future and the different paths that might have been.

Lost at Sea on the other hand is almost contemporary. It tells the story of a road trip at the end of high school that was never meant to happen. It’s a coming of age story. What I loved about it though was how it so clearly and eloquently showcases how we never see ourselves the way the outside world sees us. When you are stuck inside yourself, you are always your own worse critic. Its so hard to be realistic about yourself, when you can remember every stupid thing that you ever did. The way you see yourself and the way other people see you are very different things.

This is a reminder that everyone needs from time to time.

I loved this. Bryan Lee O'Malley has such an interesting take on teens. His dialogue isn't forced and the kid's actions are all realistic, even when they're not. Here, we meet Raleigh who's dealing with a multitude of issues in her own way as she heads back to Canada with classmates she barely knows. So, it doesn't sound riveting but its a great read.

I bought this book at Comic Con and read the first little bit in my hotel room. Once I saw a lot of scene taking place in a car traveling long distances, I decided to save it for the ride home, but anyway I started off by getting sidetracked!

In short, Raleigh is someone I know very closely. Her moments of social anxiety, confusion, and romantic dealings with a boy who lives far away and whom she met on the internet all remind me of a certain somebody I know very well. With that said, I have to say that Bryan Lee O'Malley perfectly captures what that kind of girl is. How she acts, talks, and presents herself to her friends feels so very authentic. I would say that you ignore the 1-star review that states this book misrepresents teenage girls. It's not that it misrepresents them. It's just that it choose to represent two (of many) kinds of girls, but more specifically that awkward, anxious, confused 18 year old. Shamelessly lifting from the back cover of the book, I'd have to say that this short statement sums up why I recommend this book to my friends: "If you've ever been 18 or confused, perhaps you should read this book."

Having read the Scott Pilgrim series, I saw that O'Malley had written only one other book so I decided to see if it was any different than the Scott books. It certainly is. This is the story of a girl on a journey, a road trip and her immense angst as she tries to figure out what her life means. She feels she has no soul and searches for it in a cat. Very strange with lots of crazy symbolism if you want to take the time to try and analyze it. But, to me, just random wanderings of an existential nature. I got bored halfway through, but carried on and did have a laugh at the chasing of cats at night as Raleigh tried to stare into their eyes looking for her soul. One thing I may not have mentioned before though is that I do enjoy O'Malley's art; it has a manga vibe to it but is definitely Western and the simple facial expressions show a lot of emotion.

"Lost At Sea" is easily the best work from the "coming-of-age" genre that I have ever read. The story follows eighteen year old Raleigh as she embarks on a road trip from California to her hometown in Vancouver. During this time, she laments over her past with memories of her new boyfriend, Stillman, her former best friend, her parents, and the notion that she has no soul, which she thinks was sold to the Devil by her mother when she was 14 (she also believes that her soul was implanted into a cat). The novel explores the the "clumsiness, isolation, and aimlessness of adolescence" (as described by Craig Thompson, creator of "Blankets"), captured in Bryan O'Malley's amazing dialogue and fantastic artwork. The story is very beautiful and expressive with sort of an "avant-garde" feel, compiled with an "almost anime" style of artwork that perfectly fits it's "coming-of-age" genre. Overall, a perfect score of ten out of ten!

For every yin, there is a yang. For every left, a right. For every Sonny, a Cher. And for every Scott Pilgrim, there is a Raleigh. Whereas Bryan Lee O'Malley's Proustian epic 'Scott Pilgrim' features a protagonist who dives headfirst into every situation with all the overblown confidence of youth, Raleigh (the main character in 'Lost at Sea') suffers silently, waylaid by her own doubts and insecurities. O'Malley's penchant for taking a straightforward narrative idea - in this case, the good old-fashioned road trip story - and subverting it to a point of almost unrecognisability is clearly evident in this, the author's first graphic novel. The road trip itself fades into the background, as Raleigh struggles with her inability to communicate with her travelling companions. Their trip is punctuated not by tourist destinations but by the visions of cats which follow Raleigh on her journey. Raleigh's mother sold her daughter's soul to these cats in exchange for her mother's personal success, so these cats become, by extension, responsible for the young girl's failure - her failure to connect. Through an internal monologue spoken to an unknown 'you', the wide-eyed Raleigh addresses - albeit obliquely - the sorrow of puberty, the yearning for acceptance, the fear of derision.

It's a brilliant book, full of genuine understanding and pathos and told with an artist's eye for detail. And hey, it's got cute cartoon cats in it - what could be better than that?

Great coming of age graphic novel. The artwork is very much O'Malley, and the story in the same line as some of his other works. It is refreshing to see coming of age stories done as respectfully and original as Lost at Sea. Great read!

All I can really say about this book is that it's possibly the best thing I've ever read.
But let's get into some more detail. First off is the art, which is, to say the least, supurb. I never felt as if it was too bland or too artsy, it falls right into a nice little place of near perfection.
But enough of that, let's talk about the story itself. The story stars Raleigh, a confused eighteen year old girl who finds herself on a road trip with three of her classmates who she doesn't even know. What follows is a story of confusion, discovery, love, friendship, and more.
With awesome art and an excellent story, I highly recomend Lost At Sea.
Note: It is VERY vulgar, so don't get this if you hate vulgarity.

Bryan Lee O'Malley masterfully weaves love, loss, and family into a visually delightful and often humorous graphic novel that follows a solemn girl named Raleigh while on a roadtrip with schoolmates.

At first we aren't presented with why Raleigh and the others are on their trip, but as the book progresses we discover a bit more to the simple little girl than we thought. Mentioning most details would ruin the story and moments that are contained within. They're simple, pure, and easily related to.

Sometimes things just turn out the way they do without much reason, and Lost at Sea captures such an occurrence. It is a brief glimpse into the life of a kid with so much on her mind.

A radical departure from the zany action packed comedy fest which Scott Pilgrim offers, Lost at Sea focuses on a softer side of storytelling, yet with similar mastery over the field, O'Malley pulls the reader in and keeps them enthralled from beginning to end.

There's a little bit of Raleigh in all of us, and it would be a shame if you didn't learn a bit about her by giving this novel a read.

I came to Bryan Lee O'Malley's Lost at Sea after reading his two other books (Volumes One & Two of the Scott Pilgrim series) and thus, am of two minds about Lost at Sea. This is a very different book in both tone and humour than Scott Pilgrim. It's more somber, the art and feel are less stylized, the main character is prone to multiple page internal monologues about her feelings. In light of the Scott Pilgrim series it is easy to see that Lost at Sea came first. It is obviously an early work.

This does not make it bad.

Lost at Sea is about a girl (Raleigh) whose soul may or may not have been stolen by a cat, going home to her mother with friends that she doesn't even know. It is a story about self-discovery, about finding both yourself and the rest of the world all at the same time. At times heartbreakingly earnest, at times lightly comic it is a 160 page exercise in raw emotion. It would be wrong to dismiss Lost at Sea as cliched, to look at it's basic premise (girl finds herself and her friends on road trip home) and make assumptions about what it has to say and, more importantly, how it says it. O'Malley is an excellent writer, and he handles the obvious moments in Lost at Sea without a wink or nudge, he doesn't make these characters a joke to the reader, he honestly portrays their feelings in the way that they feel them. And that is the best part about Lost at Sea, when you're 18 and lost you think you're the only one and O'Malley write Raleigh as though she is.

Coming to this story after having read Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1-6, I thought I knew what to expect from O'Malley, but he takes on a much more subtle approach in this work. The artwork is simple, but expressive, and the story line is relatable but at the same time surreal. I highly recommend it for anyone that's ever been a teenager lost in thought.

With too much time on her hands, Raleigh sets out on an unintentional adventure to explore what she knows the least about: herself. Accompanied by three of her best acquiantances she falls into deep personal thought on the long journey home through Western America. Will she ever find comfort and contentment with her troubles?

A great graphic novel stretching deep into the muddled mind of a teenage girl. With a style that perfectly encapsulates the awkward, unclear emotions of growing up, each page sinks in and reminds the reader of familiar fears and questions. Lost at Sea captures the basic thoughts of every young adult and translates them beautifully into a delightful story of being lost and being found.

Such an amazing piece f work.I would definitely recommend this as a gift to any one fresh out of high school. I wish i had this book when i was much younger because it wouldve helped me get through a lot of things during that time in my life.

An earlier work by Bryan Lee O'Malley (creator of Scott Pilgrim) that may appeal to those with a soft spot for morose, angst filled tales of soul searching - and while I typically do - this one falls short of delivering. The art, however, is stellar and in some ways superior to the styling of 'Scott Pilgrim.'

i was given this by a friend of mine, and this what got me really interested in graphic novels. The story is beautiful so dreaming the characters are awesome and most of all though the artwork is SO simple yet it is so full of expression. Bryan gave life to those characters with just black lines, magnificent.

Just a beautiful, intelligent, amazing journey of a book. Maybe you've never taken a road trip from California to Canada with three strangers, a trip full of cats, new friendships and lost souls, but Lost at Sea will make you nostalgic for that time you did. And that's a very good thing.

This story has all the elements of a wonderful, modern-alternative graphic novel. Bryan Lee O'Malley understands the mind of the new age of teenage perfectly. This story reminds us that we are all a bit crazy, but that's ok. My only complaints would be the overuse of the "f bomb" and that we weren't better introduced to the other characters. Some of the resolution would have been more meaningful had we felt more close to the other protagonists.

This is a very cute and funny book. It tells the story of a troubled teenager who claims her soul has been stolen by a cat. She end up on a road trip with some classmates she hardly knows. A voyage that allows her to discover what "true" friendship is and that oddness is actually normality. ^___-

The author's style is not as mature as in his later series (Scott Pilgrim) but his drawings already oozes coolness :p

This book did an excellent job portraying a young person trying to make space for herself in her world while feeling like an outcast and perhaps even dealing with depression. It blends the strange and the very real with skill and empathy. Worth buying, and a short read.

I'm sorry to say, after reading Scott Pilgrim, and couldn't put it down, i went back to his earlier stuff.
Lost At Sea just tries WAY too hard. It's scattered, boring, and the "crazy" characters just seem so forced into acting that way. It was his jumping off point, but skip this and go to Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life

I'm a fan of Brian O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim so I thought I would try to read this, his earlier foray into the graphic novel. I was very disappointed. The book is rambling and attempts too hard to be 'deep' and 'dark.' In particular, the characterisation of the teenage female is slightly disturbing and poorly written. The main character, Raleigh, is a young woman in trouble and her imagination and thoughts are so unlike a teenage females that I get the feeling the author may be mystified by women in general and thinks they truly think like this! Absurd. Yes, being a young teenage girl is rough but the author tackles the subject with obvious lack of expertise. The language is harsh with the use of the 'f' word in abundance, trying to make the story more authentic with little success. The only thing to recommend it is the cuteness of O'Malley's artwork which is a stark contrast to the sad story that unwinds and ends rather abruptly. I do NOT recommend this to any younger females because you'll just leave the book feeling much more depressed. O'Malley has progressed quite a bit however and his later works are much better.