Pashmina

A graphic novel is a book-length work of fiction that is illustrated and organized into panels like a comic book. Although graphic novels are similar to comic books, the term “comic book” usually refers to periodicals rather than standalone novels. Graphic novels are also distinct from other types of illustrated books because their illustrations often convey information that is not present in the text itself. Because the text and images are designed to interact in unique ways and to produce complex and often implicit meanings, it is vital for readers to pay attention to the illustrations as well as the words. Ignoring the illustrations of a graphic novel will often lead to a compromised understanding of the story, whereas it’s possible to ignore the pictures in certain illustrated books and still comprehend the plot. Some graphic novels are collaborative projects that are authored by one person and illustrated by another, but because Pashmina is both authored and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, she has full control over the novel’s final form.

Given this unique interaction between image and text, graphic novels often utilize specialized strategies to produce meaning. For example, graphic novels do not typically utilize dialogue tags or quotation marks as regular novels do. Instead, dialogue is conveyed with speech bubbles that are visually attributed to the appropriate character. Some graphic novels also use thought bubbles to provide access to certain characters’ private thoughts and motivations. Additionally, graphic novels sometimes include narration that is not spoken by any character; this narration is often visually set apart from the action, and it is sometimes placed at the top of each panel, written in a different color, or placed in rectangles rather than bubbles. Although most sections of a graphic novel are typically organized into panels of consistent size, some panels may be larger than others to increase tension, emphasis, or other emotional content. Some graphic novels are illustrated in color, and others are illustrated in black and white; however, Pashmina is unique because while most sections are illustrated in black and white, some sections employ color to emphasize the protagonist’s reaction to the shifting setting (or other important moments).