Picture a storyteller who weaves words and images into a haunting tapestry of teenage angst—meet Forsyth Harmon! This American author and illustrator burst onto the literary scene with her debut novel Justine, a raw, illustrated coming-of-age tale that captures the messy beauty of 1990s girlhood. With a knack for blending sparse prose with evocative black-and-white drawings, Harmon’s work feels like flipping through a zine from your high school years, brimming with emotion and nostalgia.
Born and raised on Long Island, Harmon’s unique storytelling style challenges traditional novels, offering a multi-sensory dive into the complexities of adolescence. Her collaborations with literary stars like Catherine Lacey and Melissa Febos have cemented her as a visionary in contemporary literature. Ready to explore the world of a creator who’s redefining the novel? Let’s dive in!
The Making of Forsyth Harmon
Growing up in the small towns of Northport, Centerport, and Huntington Station on Long Island, Harmon was shaped by the cultural pulse of the late 1990s. The era’s media, with its relentless focus on idealized female bodies, left a lasting mark on her work. She honed her craft at Columbia University, earning both a BA and an MFA in creative writing. There, she began blending her love for writing and illustration, inspired by the raw honesty of authors like Susan Minot and the visual storytelling of graphic novels. Her early zines, filled with black-and-white sketches, hinted at the innovative style she’d later bring to her books.
Forsyth Harmon’s Unforgettable Stories
Harmon’s debut, Justine (2021), is a slim yet searing illustrated novel set in 1999 Long Island. It follows Ali, a lonely teenager who becomes infatuated with Justine, a charismatic checkout girl. Through Ali’s eyes, Harmon explores themes of repressed queerness, body image, and the destructive pull of teenage friendships. Her minimalist prose and delicate line drawings—of Diet Coke cans, crumpled loose-leaf, and Tamagotchis—create a vivid, nostalgic world that feels both universal and deeply personal.
Before Justine, Harmon illustrated The Art of the Affair (2017) by Catherine Lacey, a whimsical exploration of artistic and romantic entanglements. Her precise drawings of everyday objects added emotional depth to the text. She also lent her talents to Girlhood (2021) by Melissa Febos, an essay collection that probes the female experience. Harmon’s illustrations, featured in outlets like The Believer and Tin House, showcase her ability to make the mundane profound, turning a wilted bouquet or a cat’s stretch into a moment of quiet revelation.
Harmon’s style is defined by its restraint and emotional precision. She uses black-and-white illustrations to convey what her characters, like the repressed Ali, can’t express in words. Her work resonates with readers who crave stories that capture the messy, unspoken feelings of youth, making her a standout in contemporary fiction.
Why Forsyth Harmon Matters
Forsyth Harmon is redefining what a novel can be, blending text and visuals to create immersive, emotionally charged stories. Her focus on the nuances of girlhood—its obsessions, desires, and dangers—strikes a chord with readers navigating their own coming-of-age memories. By tackling themes like eating disorders and queer identity with unflinching honesty, she’s carved out a vital space in literature for underrepresented voices. Her collaborations with acclaimed writers have amplified her influence, proving that illustrated literature can be as powerful as traditional prose.
Harmon’s work also sparks a renewed interest in illustrated novels, a form that’s been overlooked since the 19th century. Her ability to evoke the 1990s with such clarity makes her a cultural touchstone for millennials and beyond, offering a lens into a pivotal era of American youth culture.
- Key Works: Justine, The Art of the Affair, Girlhood
- Education: BA and MFA from Columbia University
- Hometown: Long Island, New York
Snag Justine and dive into Forsyth Harmon’s haunting, illustrated world—a nostalgic, heart-wrenching journey you won’t forget!