The Vertical Sea by Brian Freschi and Ilaria Urbinati (2022)
By all appearances, India has a perfect life. She loves her job as an elementary school teacher and she’s in a passionate relationship with her boyfriend. She also suffers from debilitating panic attacks that raise suspicions among her co-workers, students’ parents, and even her boyfriend whether she’s able to function. Brian Freschi’s storyline and Ilaria Urbinati’s watercolor artwork pull no punches, putting you right in the middles of India’s plight. The Vertical Sea is frequently absorbing, as India opens up to a therapist even as she fights for her career and relationship. Unfortunately, The Vertical Sea is also undermined by an ending that feels surprisingly neat and perfunctory given the rawness of the preceding pages.
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