You’re so right about Davis’ understanding of balance and page design. Even as a young cartoonist, there was something that felt “right” about her pages.

Speaking of balance, she has a balanced view of the world, being willing to see things from multiple angles. Her view of Crumb’s book was ultimately positive as she tried to understand things from his perspective, much like how she is able to become friends with many different kinds of people despite growing up in a sheltered, monocultural lifestyle.

One thing that struck me was the way Davis constructed dense pages without using panel borders. She has an almost instinctive sense of balance and layout which I found fascinating.

I also agree with you that the book gets much better in the second half, as Davis gains some clarity on her life while also maturing as an artist. The color strips about Jewish identity and her complex relationship with her mother particularly stand out, but even, as you say, the one page sketch strips occasionally struck a chord (like the one where’s she’s at the outdoor cafe).

My favorite strip in the book was her reaction to Crumb’s Genesis, which I think really captured my own mixed feelings about the book perfectly.