Some books whisper their meaning, while others paint their emotions in loud, sweeping strokes. Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden does both. It is a quiet storm—a road trip graphic novel that weaves together loss, trauma, and fleeting moments of connection. With its dreamlike art and poignant storytelling, this book is not just something you read; it’s something you feel.
From the very first page, there’s an unshakable sense of something unspoken, something just out of reach. The roads stretch endlessly, the sky shifts unpredictably, and silence carries the weight of a thousand words. This is not a story that unfolds in a straight line. It bends, drifts, and lingers in the spaces between moments, pulling you into its world like a memory you can’t quite place.
Are You Listening? doesn’t just tell a story—it invites you into one. And once you step inside, it’s impossible to leave unchanged.
A Road Trip Unlike Any Other
Bea is running. From what, she won’t say. Her past lingers behind her, heavy like a shadow she can’t escape. She doesn’t have a destination—only a need to keep moving, to leave everything familiar behind.
Lou, a mechanic, is driving. Not toward anything in particular, just away. She has her ghosts, but she doesn’t talk about them. She doesn’t need to. The road stretches out in front of her, empty and endless, a temporary refuge from memories she can’t outrun.
Their paths cross on a quiet night, under a sky too vast to feel safe beneath. Lou offers Bea a ride. No questions, no expectations. Just movement. Together, they slip into the rhythm of the road, two strangers bound by silence and the unspoken weight they carry.
Then, they find the cat.
Small, unassuming, curled up as if waiting for them. Bea scoops it into her arms and something shifts. Lou doesn’t argue. They take the cat with them. But this isn’t just any stray, and their journey is anything but ordinary.
The further they drive, the stranger things become.
Roads don’t always lead where they should. Towns appear and disappear like mirages. The landscape bends in ways that don’t make sense. One moment, it’s the real world—the next, something else entirely. The air hums with unspoken tension as if the universe itself is watching, listening, waiting.
But the real journey isn’t through Texas. It’s through grief, through trauma, through the kind of pain that sits in your chest long after the wounds have closed.
And with every mile, Bea and Lou start to understand—this trip isn’t about where they’re going. It’s about what they’re leaving behind.
Where to Get the Book
If you’re ready to experience this hauntingly beautiful journey for yourself, you can find Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden here on Amazon. This is a book that doesn’t just tell a story—it makes you feel it.
A Story That Listens The Emotional Depth of Are You Listening?
This book isn’t about grand revelations or sudden moments of clarity. Instead, it lingers in the quiet spaces, where pain isn’t spoken but felt. Bea and Lou don’t solve each other’s problems, nor do they try. However, they share something far more important—understanding. Through long silences and hesitant conversations, they offer each other a kind of refuge. Rather than searching for the right words, they sit with the weight of their pasts, allowing their wounds to exist without demanding explanations. In a world that often rushes to fix pain, Are You Listening? Reminds us that sometimes, simply being present is enough.
Walden captures trauma in ways that feel hauntingly real. The weight of unspoken emotions settles in the pauses between dialogue, in the way Bea’s shoulders tense, and in the way Lou grips the steering wheel just a little tighter. Their bond doesn’t form through dramatic confessions but through fleeting moments of connection—a shared glance, an unexpected laugh, or the quiet comfort of knowing someone is there. As they drive forward, their pain doesn’t disappear, yet it feels lighter with each mile. Healing, the book suggests, isn’t about finding answers. It’s about having someone beside you, even when the road ahead remains uncertain.
Art That Speaks Without Words Visual Storytelling in Are You Listening?
The visuals feel like a dream—fluid, surreal, and deeply emotional. From the very first page, the colors set the tone. Soft hues blend seamlessly, shifting with each moment. When Bea and Lou share warmth, the pages glow with gentle oranges and pinks. But as fear and uncertainty creep in, the colors fade into deep blues and purples, swallowing them in shadows. This constant shift is not just beautiful—it’s intentional, reflecting their internal struggles.
Moreover, silence plays a powerful role. Entire pages pass without a single word, yet they never feel empty. Instead, they carry unspoken pain, quiet understanding, and lingering tension. Shadows stretch across lonely roads, while headlights carve thin lines of hope through the darkness. The vast landscape feels both infinite and suffocating, mirroring the characters’ emotional state.
At the same time, the panel work creates an almost cinematic experience. Some scenes flow smoothly, like memories bleeding into one another. Others feel disjointed as if reality itself is bending. Roads twist impossibly, buildings vanish into thin air, and the cat they carry seems to exist between worlds. These elements blur the line between real and surreal, forcing the reader to question what is truly happening.
Ultimately, the art doesn’t just accompany the story—it is the story. Every color choice, every silent moment, and every shift in perspective carries meaning. Without these visuals, the emotions would not hit as hard. The loneliness, the fear, and the fragile hope—they all exist within the art, making the journey unforgettable.
Themes That Stay With You
This book is more than a road trip. It’s about survival—not in the physical sense, but emotionally.
- Grief and healing – Bea is searching for something, though she’s not sure what. Lou isn’t trying to fix her, just to be there.
- Queerness and identity – Walden’s queer characters feel authentic. Their identities are part of them, not their entire story.
- Reality and the surreal – The shifting landscapes blur what’s real and what isn’t. The cat they find is more than it seems.
What Critics Say
This Eisner Award-winning novel has received high praise.
- Publishers Weekly called it “a resonant, haunting meditation on grief, trauma, and human connection.”
- Kirkus Reviews described it as “a book that lingers like a half-remembered dream.”
- Readers on Goodreads have mixed interpretations. Some call it a masterpiece. Others find it abstract and unsettling. But that’s the magic—it means something different to everyone.
A Story That Listens Back Why Are You Listening?
Are You Listening? Isn’t a book that hands you answers? It doesn’t spell things out or tie up loose ends. Instead, it lingers—sitting beside you like an old friend who doesn’t need to say much to be understood.
As I turned each page, I felt more like a passenger than a reader. The story didn’t demand anything from me. It didn’t push me to feel a certain way or force conclusions. It simply existed, quiet but present, waiting for me to find my meaning.
Some books tell a story. This one listens. It listens to grief, to silence, to the words we can’t bring ourselves to say. It listens to the parts of us that still ache, the memories we carry, the weight we don’t always share.
And when I reached the last page, I realized something: it had been listening to me all along.
