The Jellyfish

The judges shared, “Boum's “The Jellyfish” takes a powerful approach to depicting progressive vision loss. It is not solely a story about disability; the primary narrative is intertwined with issues of familial dynamics and romantic relationships. This graphic novel truly capitalizes on the affordances of the graphic genre, with the main character's progressive blindness taking the materialized form of a jellyfish floating inside her eye. As the narrative progresses, the jellyfish multiply and obscure more of the book itself, encroaching on vision both for the protagonist and the reader. The end result is a deeply immersive experience. Creative choices and art style make a specific and possibly unfamiliar experience feel personal to the reader. Boum creates an impressive visual work infused within a quiet, easy read and a focus that makes the story relatable.”