03/21/2026
Friends of Dartmouth Book Exchange Book Reviews.
Call Me Bill by Lynette Richards
The reasonable assumption that Bill who died in the sinking of the SS Atlantic in 1873 (and was discovered to be female) is also the Bill "lady sailor" of various contemporary newspaper accounts sets up this historical graphic novel. Bill's story is an apparently much-needed reminder that q***r folks have always been around and don't bother anyone (except authority figures who enforce gender roles). However, as the author notes, all we know for certain is that Bill liked to wear men's clothing and generally live as a man - their gender identity and sexuality are unknown (and contemporary newspaper accounts lean towards the sensational). I also appreciated this accessible and entertaining bit of maritime history (though, like much maritime history, it's rather grim).
The Bill of this story is a progressive darling. There's a context of anti-slavery efforts (Bill is American) and Victorian feminism, and I suppose that's possible, though it leans toward preachy. However, that may be appropriate for the targeted YA audience, and it's historical record that Bill's last act was saving others from the shipwreck.
Keeping in mind that I read few graphic novels and have little basis for comparison, the artwork is good - appropriate to the overall story, tone, and scenes. The format allows easy blending of contemporary newspaper accounts, imagery, and imagined documents. The lettering was occasionally challenging to read.
Overall, an accessible, attractive, and valuable contribution to maritime history and q***r visibility.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8448227411
