After reading Shutterbug Follies, I jumped into Jason Little’s second Bee book, Motel Art Improvement Service. The book has an interesting hook of a character altering paintings in motel rooms, and carries on the fun noir trappings of the previous volume. There’s a greater focus on relationships in the second book and the characters are weirder and more entertaining. Motel Art Improvement Service works very well as a self-contained story and showcases Jason’s excellent art and pacing. Taken together, the two books frame a strong coming of age narrative of a relatable, flawed protagonist.
A ten-page excerpt of the book is available on Jason’s website, and another eight pages are available through the publisher.
Eighteen–year–old Bee has finally saved up enough to embark on her long–planned cross–country bicycle trip. However, she doesn’t make it very far before disaster leaves her stranded at a motel. Her hormones surge when she meets a misunderstood young artist on a mission to “upgrade” the banal “artwork” that hangs on the walls of every motel room. Taking a job there as a housekeeper, Bee snoops around in the motel’s dirty laundry and finds herself entangled in a scary drug deal gone dangerously wrong.
Featuring gorgeous artwork balancing grit with cuteness, Motel Art Improvement Service explores crime, young love, and the purpose of art, in a story that’s equal parts thrilling, funny, and sexy!
