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40 pages 1 hour read

Here

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Adult | Published in 2014

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Book Brief

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Richard McGuire

Here

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Adult | Published in 2014
Book Details
Pages

300

Format

Graphic Novel/Book • Fiction

Setting

Living Room • Various Eras

Theme
Publication Year

2014

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

14-18 years

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Super Short Summary

Here by Richard McGuire is a graphic novel that depicts moments in the same suburban New Jersey living room from 3,000,500,000 BC to 10,175 AD. It presents various time periods through panels-within-panels that showcase interconnected narratives and events, offering juxtapositions that weave across time to illustrate the transient nature of human life and the enduring presence of nature.

Contemplative

Nostalgic

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

4.2

14,072 ratings

81%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Richard McGuire's Here is a visually inventive graphic novel that explores the passage of time within a single room. Reviewers praise its unique artwork and profound narrative structure, emphasizing the emotional depth and historical breadth. Some, however, find the format disorienting and the story fragmented. Overall, its innovative approach to storytelling leaves a strong impact.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Here?

A reader who would enjoy Richard McGuire's Here is one who appreciates innovative storytelling through visual art. Fans of Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth or Alison Bechdel's Fun Home will enjoy McGuire's exploration of time through a single room. The book is perfect for those who love graphic novels and conceptual narratives.

4.2

14,072 ratings

81%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Character List

The Woman in the Pink Dress

A woman who appears in both the early and late sections of the narrative, searching for a yellow book, thereby framing much of the story's setting and timeline.

A group of four people sitting on a couch in 1989, who engage in telling a darkly humorous joke that provokes laughter and an unexpected reaction.

A family first appearing in 1959, whose members are arranged on a couch for a photo, with subsequent panels capturing their aging process through the years until 1983.

Three individuals from the Archeological Society who visit a house in 1986, interested in potential Indigenous artifacts on the site, with one member wearing a shirt reading "Future Transitional Fossil."

Two characters from 1609 appearing in a forest scene, with the man telling a story about a dangerous forest beast, sharing a significant moment in the narrative.

The son of Benjamin Franklin and a supporter of the British crown in 1775, who is anxious about a reunion with his father and son due to political differences.

A revolutionary figure and father of William Franklin, who visits his son in 1775 and engages in a politically charged dinner conversation reflecting the tensions of the time.

A couple who sets up a picnic on a colonial house's lawn, with the man choosing to paint a ridge instead of the woman, creating an unspoken tension between them.

A builder from 1907 who is shown in multiple panels working on the house's construction, highlighting the various tasks involved in its creation.

A character from 2214, potentially artificial, who uses a projector to conduct a tour of the house, discussing once-common items as historical artifacts.

A father who, in 2005, is confined to a pullout couch due to a broken hip and shares a moment with his son, offering a warning about aging.

Book Details
Pages

300

Format

Graphic Novel/Book • Fiction

Setting

Living Room • Various Eras

Theme
Publication Year

2014

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

14-18 years

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