Book cover of In: A Graphic Novel

Book description

A poignant and witty graphic novel by a leading New Yorker cartoonist, following a millennial's journey from performing his life to truly connecting with people

Nick, a young illustrator, can’t shake the feeling that there is some hidden realm of human interaction beyond his reach. He haunts lookalike fussy, silly,…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked In as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Of all the graphic novels I read last year – and I read around fifty – this was easily my favorite.

It’s a beautiful and bittersweet portrait of modern life that describes, with heartbreaking accuracy, a young illustrator’s struggle with his mother’s illness and his own ennui. McPhail’s delicately lined graphite drawings are delightful, the humor is spot on, and the protagonist’s yearning for personal connection in a world of social media and online dating apps is deeply relatable.

This is a book that I will read again and again and which I urge you to read as well. It’s…

It blew me away with its emotional richness.

I found myself sobbing at several points throughout the book as the protagonist/narrator struggled to find ways to connect with the people in his life, from acquaintances to beloved family members.

McPhail captured a challenge that is all too familiar—how to engage in real ways in a world that more often fosters alienation and division.

I loved the book so much that I immediately read it a second time after I finished it. 

If you love In...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like In?

Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like In.

Browse books like In

Book cover of Beautiful World, Where Are You
Book cover of Gold Fame Citrus
Book cover of It's Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You're Single

Share your top 3 reads of 2026!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

166

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like In, you might also like...

Book cover of The Tao of Poison

The Tao of Poison by Isham Cook,

A poisonous maiden, a Daoist sex cult, and a violent insurgency.

The polyandrous Yan family in China's rural Shaanxi Province takes in two carpenter brothers. When one brother is convicted of murder after killing their neighbor in a dispute, a constable threatens to expose the family's rumored polyandry and extorts…

Book cover of Big Ideas... For Small Businesses: Simple, Practical Tools and Tactics to Help Your Small Business Grow

Big Ideas... For Small Businesses by John Lamerton,

Big Ideas… for Small Businesses is a straight-talking, no-nonsense guide to growing a small business without sacrificing your lifestyle. Written by a former civil servant turned entrepreneur, the book challenges hustle culture and instead champions the idea of an "ambitious lifestyle business" - one that provides freedom and financial stability,…

5 book lists we think you will like!