Thank you to #netgalley for the e-arc!

Age 16 is a heart-wrenching yet beautifully tender graphic novel about the lives of three generations of women, with themes of generational trauma, body image, (mild) eating disorder and the complicated relationship between a mother who tries her best but isn't communicative or expressive about her love and a daughter that feels criticized and inadequate all the time. This sort of "I did everything for you why do you not appreciate me""because you never told me" relationship is so common among Chinese families and so relatable. 

I found Rosalind's outburst from stress and hunger realistic, and her subsequent apologies to her friend and eventually ditching prom to hang out with fellow nerd friends endearing.

The ending made me shed a few tears. I still feel an overwhelming amount of emotions just thinking about it, as it reminds me of my own family, the toxic patterns and traits I've observed that we all share, my own complicated relationships with my parents and and my attempt to overcome generational trauma since I started working on my mental health a few years ago. 

I loved reading it and will be thinking about it for a long time.