Jennifer Lee’s “As I Dream of You” Explores Grief and Mythology Through a YA Lens

Is there nothing worse in this life than losing someone you love? Having to deal with the fallout of it, the wrenching grief, the relentless what-ifs; death is an unwanted gift that keeps giving. “As I Dream of You” depicts the dauntingness of the death of a loved one and what comes after. 

Written by “Frozen” and “Frozen 2” director and writer Jennifer Lee and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, this graphic novel is not only a beautiful ode to the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but a sweetly sad perspective on first love and loss.

Young Love Blooms

The story follows Franny and Sam’s charming love story from the beginning, their connection and bond, and an unfortunate untimely death that has a ripple effect throughout their town. Pham’s art does a brilliant job of showcasing their story without words, through sparing use of color and astounding visuals.

If you don’t know the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, it’s a sweet but sad tale of a musician who lost his love and went to the underworld to bring her back. Hades, loving Orpheus’ music so much, allowed him to take Eurydice with him, only on the condition that he didn’t look back at her until he reached the real world. Unfortunately, he looked back and lost her forever. It’s a lesson in doubting and lack of faith that really resonates in “As I Dream of You.”

The characters, the Pennsylvania town they live in, and their struggles feel so real; there’s a heartbeat pulsing through the entire story that keeps the reader invested even though we know tragedy is coming. Franny is new in town; she and Sam form a quick bond and fall in love. Both are lonely kids that have had to grow up faster than their peers because their single parents are too preoccupied with their own problems to be there for them 100%. 

Young Love Lost

Their young love feels almost too intense, sometimes, for how young they are, but that’s how first loves tend to feel in real life. Lee’s writing doesn’t hold back on the intensity and Pham’s art amplifies it with gorgeous pages and spreads of them exploring each other and their surroundings. Sam’s earnest care for the local chestnut trees and Franny’s soft self-restraint pair well together. When one of them dies in a tragic accident, the art hits you in the right places; a gut punch that grows into physical, emotional, and mental anguish. 

Franny and Sam in the dreamscape/underworld have the makings of something cinematic. There’s also a real sense of urgency as they desperately try to hold onto one another, which is impossible because the living can’t reside with the dead. While there’s some build-up to it, the heartbreaking twist towards the end still stings. It makes you go back and read the book a second time to catch the things you may have missed. It’s an almost “Sixth Sense”-style reveal that gives the book a narrative edge over just being a teenage love story.

The other characters in the town, like Trudy and Jimmy Gibson, are well-thought out and have their own little storylines that dovetail into Franny and Sam’s story. Mr. Gibson’s disability is, at first, presented as something to maybe feel a little sad over, but when it actually ties into the underworld part of the story, it becomes something more powerful. Lee and Pham treat every character with such care and consideration, it’s impressive. And although they seem to have abandoned the emotional care part of parenting, Franny’s mom and Sam’s dad have their own journeys where they evolve and grow in the face of a shocking death. 

Final Thoughts

Without spoiling too much (we want you to read it!), “As I Dream You” is a sweet, sorrowful look at how grief can cripple a person or kill their will to live. Losing a loved one is a slippery slope into a depression that’s hard to escape from and Lee captures that gracefully and without judgement. Franny and Sam are relatable in their sorrow, loneliness, and pure love for each other. Pham’s illustrations draw the reader deeper into the story that Lee has crafted and leave the audience wanting and wishing for more.

“As I Dream of You”is on sale starting May 5, 2026. 

Vanessa Young

I am a published writer, full-time editor, an events and entertainment reporter and mother of one. Comic books, drag queens, women’s basketball, queer films and TV shows are my bread and butter.