JUST BETWEEN US

A teen figure skating champion winds up training for the Olympics alongside her biggest rival.

Lydia Chen, an 18-year-old Chinese American skating phenomenon, is unmatched in technical precision but lacking in artistry. Elaine Yee, 20, a Malaysian skater and Lydia’s biggest competition, has mesmerizing performance skills but struggles with clean technique. Their rivalry began three years ago during a fateful encounter at the Grand Prix, and since then it’s only intensified under the spotlight of media and skating world scrutiny. When Elaine joins Lydia’s training camp in Boston 267 days before their projected Olympic debuts, tensions run high. Each skater is thrown off by the other’s presence, and their personalities clash mightily: Lydia is cold and guarded, whereas Elaine is well-liked and cheerful. But beneath their friction lies an unspoken understanding of the sheer drive and sacrifice it takes to be the best. Gradually, a bond develops that neither girl expects, but every slow-burn step toward romance leads to the unavoidable question: How do you fall for someone who might someday take everything from you? The illustrations in Kon’s debut are the standout: The skating sequences are full of reverence for both the beauty and athleticism of the sport. Each black-and-white panel bursts with movement, expression, and atmosphere as the story tenderly explores themes of queerness, ambition, and mutual pining.

An emotional graphic novel about two girls reaching for gold—and each other.