PHOTO BY REBECCA GREENFIELD
BOOK CLUB: THE IMPOSTOR'S DAUGHTER
Sex, lies, and comic strips in this new graphic memoir.
Laurie Sandell had a normal childhood—or so she thought.
Like most kids, she grew up idolizing her father, who dazzled her with stories of Vietnam heroism and academic one-upmanship. But as she got older, Sandell began to question their validity, and before long discovered that his life as she knew it was one big lie.
Although it might sound stranger than fiction, it’s the centerpiece of The Impostor’s Daughter, Sandell’s graphic memoir. The events in her life—having her identity stolen by her father, working as a hostess at a strip bar in Tokyo, befriending celebrities like Ashley Judd—often do sound as far-fetched as the stories her father regaled her with, only in her case, they actually happened.
As disconcerting as the premise is—one not all that far off from what Marisha Pessl wrote about in the equally-gripping novel Special Topics in Calamity Physics—the fact that it’s presented in comic strip form makes it a bit more playful. But even with the illustrated narrative, there’s always the lurking feeling that Sandell has somehow inherited her father’s knack for storytelling. Which just might be the book’s biggest strength; you’ll be so intent on finding out the truth, both about Sandell’s father and Sandell’s life, that you won’t be able to put The Impostor’s Daughter down.
REBECCA WILLA DAVIS
$16.49 at amazon.com
Like most kids, she grew up idolizing her father, who dazzled her with stories of Vietnam heroism and academic one-upmanship. But as she got older, Sandell began to question their validity, and before long discovered that his life as she knew it was one big lie.
Although it might sound stranger than fiction, it’s the centerpiece of The Impostor’s Daughter, Sandell’s graphic memoir. The events in her life—having her identity stolen by her father, working as a hostess at a strip bar in Tokyo, befriending celebrities like Ashley Judd—often do sound as far-fetched as the stories her father regaled her with, only in her case, they actually happened.
As disconcerting as the premise is—one not all that far off from what Marisha Pessl wrote about in the equally-gripping novel Special Topics in Calamity Physics—the fact that it’s presented in comic strip form makes it a bit more playful. But even with the illustrated narrative, there’s always the lurking feeling that Sandell has somehow inherited her father’s knack for storytelling. Which just might be the book’s biggest strength; you’ll be so intent on finding out the truth, both about Sandell’s father and Sandell’s life, that you won’t be able to put The Impostor’s Daughter down.
REBECCA WILLA DAVIS
$16.49 at amazon.com
This story was published on July 28, 2009.
CONTENT RATING:
( 2 )
( 2 )
kat
07/28/2009
This definitely looks like a cool read. Thanks, Nylon!
Callie
09/12/2009
An intriguing story, but the format is a bit too cutesy for my tastes. :/
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