When I read the first few pages of Sabrina, I did not know what to expect. I have read only three other graphic novels of the non-superhero variety: Fun Home, Persepolis, and Strange Fruit. While the three of these varied greatly in content and style, the two areas in which Sabrina is immediately different are pacing and artistic detail. 

    Beginning with the latter, the artistic style of Nick Drnaso is immediately striking; he uses dull tones, generic faces and bodies, and few background details. This is very effective in accomplishing two tasks: focusing attention on the characters and dialogue, and creating contrast when the artistic style changes, most notably when, in dream sequences, the page becomes black, with people and objects outlined in various bright colors. Because the artwork is so simplistic, it focuses attention on where there are details: for example, a change in the angle of the line that illustrates a character’s mouth is the only change between two panels, drawing attention to that character’s change in emotion between panels.

    The second area of difference is the pacing. Seemingly every page includes blank panels, signifying pauses in conversation. This use of blank panels is absolutely crucial in conveying emotion; where another book might simply use an ellipse in the dialogue in order to convey a pause, a blank panel is significantly more effective in signifying a pause, especially in conversations where Teddy’s trauma is a factor.