That queer feminist Nicole Georges would call regressive right-wing meanie Dr. Laura Schlessinger for advice about how to navigate a family secret is what makes Nicole and her story so interesting and surprising. Maybe it's just me, but I had the idea that Nicole, a long-time maker of zines and minicomics, was tough and a little scary. (There's a good chance I have her minicomics collaborator Clutch McBastard to blame for that impression.) The Nicole I met in this graphic memoir is not scary; she's scared. Dr. Laura makes her cry, her mom makes her go silent, and she's easily hurt by her girlfriend, Radar.
Speaking of Radar, that relationship is more central to the memoir than Nicole's interaction with the title character. It also takes up more ink than the question that got her to call in to begin with. I think that's pretty great that a mainstream, education-focused publisher like Houghton Mifflin would put out a book that's more or less a lesbian relationship (and to some extent coming out) story. Nicole's relationship with her mother is also important--and sometimes painful to read (in a good way).