Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Numb to This: Memoir of a Mass Shooting by Kindra Neely. This graphic memoir is about Kindra Neely, a survivor of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon on October 1, 2015. Although she had been close to gun violence before when she lived in Texas as a child and a house down the street was targeted in a drive-by shooting, she never expected it to happen to her. After the mass shooting, Kindra struggled with panic attacks, PTSD, and depression. Whenever she would take steps towards healing, a new mass shooting would bring back her feelings of fear, pointlessness, and hopelessness. Even when she participated in the March for Our Lives, she felt no one was listening. Eventually, she found a path toward hope through art, helping others, and sharing her story.

This graphic memoir was so raw, but I enjoyed learning what life is really like for the survivors of mass shootings. I liked how the text was sparse, so it made the book relatively quick to read. I also thought the illustrations were absolutely gorgeous. After the mass shooting at Umqua Community College, Kindra created a mural of dragonflies representing each of the victims and these dragonflies were some of the most beautiful pictures in the whole book. I also loved the use of color throughout and how she represented her feelings in any given moment. Additionally, I found Kindra's thoughts about how the country was reacting interesting because she showed how being a survivor is very different than being an outsider. Although Kindra's story is dark because she attempted suicide at one point, I was amazed by her resilience and how she found healing through art. Not to mention, I think she is brave for sharing her story. Anyone who is interested in learning about a real-life survivor of a mass shooting should read Numb to This.