Review: On a Sunbeam

 

    In Stephanie Burt's "On a Sunbeam", the Sci-Fi Comic that Reimagines Utopia, there were several points made that I really enjoyed reading, such as the claim that this particular book should be given to autistic adults, queer teens, and people that genuinely enjoy sci-fi novels. Burt goes on to say that books like Walden's can offer "divine advice [just by coming across] a randomly chosen line or page". I believe that his line resonated with me the most since the whole purpose of novels (in my opinion) is to reach the reader in some way or another. In this case, "On a Sunbeam" stood out to me the most due to the exclusion of men, making me wonder what the purpose might've been for their exclusion and how that ties into queer narratives. I interpreted their exclusion as a way of allowing more of the spotlight to be placed on uncommonly shown identities such as non-speaking individuals. There's also a unique opportunity to highlight queer romances that experience hardships due to pressures (e.g., work) and divisions in races. The use of utopia might have helped create a different atmosphere for discussions of race, gender, and sexual identity. Similar to how humor and stand-up allow a "safer", more welcoming space for marginalized individuals, utopia seems to offer this as well. 

    I would definitely recommend this book, especially to people that aren't a part of the LGBTQ+ community and/or don't identify as BIPOC. This graphic novel offers a lot of chances for readers to resonate with the characters. I also believe that particular scenes are meant to "hit" people depending on what their experiences are. Either way, I would say this novel is worth reading! Lastly, I'd like to touch on the common themes of utopia-based novels. While they may be depicted as "perfect", no one is able to live a perfect life. This is made evident in this novel multiple times. The trauma narratives illustrated here are similar narratives shared among most utopian novels. I believe that's an important observation to make. 

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"On a Sunbeam", the Sci-Fi Comic that Reimagines Utopia