It’s not just the Easter break on the horizon. With a handful of public holidays lined up (in South Africa at least) that means more downtime for many, and, with it these days, the increased chance for doomscrolling. One of the best ways to avoid being sucked down that dark vortex is the distraction of reading something else – in particular something born out of the positive force of human creativity. Bonus points if it isn’t relentlessly gloomy.
Which brings us to Good Luck to Us All (full title Good Luck to Us All: A graphic memoir of sorts) from writer and artist Karen Vermeulen, and publisher Catalyst Press. Like its subtitle suggests, the book is an illustrated slice of life. More specifically, it’s a quirky personal reflection from a thirtysomething single cat lady living in Cape Town; someone who feels like they’re only aping what it is to be an accomplished grown-up and modern woman.
Available since mid February, Good Luck to Us All is the debut adult title from Vermeulen, who has already illustrated two Catalyst Press children’s books, It’s Just Skin, Silly! (2023) and Wanjiku, Child of Mine (2024), along with titles targeting older adolescents, like Small Mercies (2020) and The Cedarville Shop and the Wheelbarrow Swap (2022), and an assortment of covers.
Seven years in the making, Good Luck to Us All starts off light and fluffy enough, with the expected anecdotes about modern dating (that’s where the title comes from) and feeling out of place in a yoga class. However, as you progress through the substantial 240-page tome, you’re likely to encounter sharper insights and anecdotes amidst the breezy, self-referential humour. Chapters on COVID era lockdown with a toxic ex, and complicated feelings about an unwanted ectopic pregnancy introduce a memorable rawness, while, on the flipside, Vermeulen’s accounts of sanity-testing meditation retreats and the no-f*^$s-given antics of her beloved Siberian cat Sir Henry provide genuine laughs. FYI: the curvy and dynamic art style, paired with a restricted but warm colour palette, is a given throughout the book.
We live in wild times, and Good Luck to Us All zooms in on one woman navigating the craziness. It’s not always fresh in its perspectives but it is very relatable, and guaranteed to produce a smile or five.
Available in paperback format, Good Luck to Us All is priced at $19.95 / R325. You can find and purchase it through Bookshop.org, as well as Indiepubs here, if you want to support your local bookstores. Meanwhile, your best bets in South Africa are going direct to Loot.co.za or The Book Lounge.