Guilt is a topic that’s often hard to describe much less visualize. Yet, Anna Meyer has found a way to do just that with her debut graphic novel, Saint Catherine, a story that examines religious guilt through a visually stunning perspective. Catherine is an adult adult woman living with roommates who has never missed a Sunday mass. Growing up Catholic with her devout family has left it’s marks, and it becomes very clear that Catherine’s relationship with the religion is a bit complex. Things grow even more complicated when Catherine does miss a Sunday mass and a demon pops up in her life, calling into questions her “goodness.” As Catherine grapples with this unconventional existence, she begins to learn more about herself and the truth behind her demons.
Telling this specific story as a graphic novel does extraordinary work as guilt is not an entity we can readily imagine. Meyer’s artistic rendering of the demon plaguing Catherine gives shape, weight, and dialogue to a topic that often times feels impossible to describe. Moreover, the religious iteration of guilt can be an even harder topic to discuss, yet Meyer’s story unpacks many of the nuances around this silent battle between self and rhetoric.
Catherine is a woman who struggles to feel confident in the things and people she loves give the shadow of her family’s Catholic background. In particular, her relationship with her mother seems to make this shadow loom even larger over Catherine, adding to the already taxing state of existence she experiences once the demon enters her life. However, the demon’s incessant commentary regarding Catherine’s morality works in a way that gives Catherine pause as she must evaluate what really matters most to her. This is a hard truth that many of us who have wrestled with Catholic guilt know all too well.
Visually stunning and deeply endearing, Saint Catherine is a graphic novel that touched my heart and soul for the earnest conversations it fosters. The artistic rendering of guilt through demonic possession and Catherine’s character arc feel notable within this narrative space of creative storytelling. Hard to put down and thoroughly enjoyable, Saint Catherine is a nuanced addition to the conversations around religious trauma.
Saint Catherine by Anna Meyer releases on April 29th from 23rd St. Books.
