In this poignant, affirming, and beautifully illustrated journey, social media sensation Mr Skelly explores the ups and downs of existence and discovers the makings of a meaningful life.

“How lucky am I, to have lost what I wanted, to find what I deserved”

Join beloved Mr Skelly, a gentle skeleton wandering across lush landscapes and treacherous terrains, through times of joy, loss, grief and love, to find his family and – ultimately – a safe home.

Along the way, he discovers life lessons which help us remember what to hold onto and what to let go of, to realise how lucky we all are, because this beautifully fragile present moment is truly all we have.

Mr Skelly invites you to shift your lens, make peace with what you can’t control, appreciate what can’t be seen, and live your life to the utmost of your ability.

How Lucky Am I is a simple reminder that, in the end, we’re all made of the same bones. With gentle words and hand-painted imagery, this book hopes to shine a softer light on what’s often overlooked – and maybe, in doing so, help us remember what truly matters.

This book was an unexpected surprise. I don’t even know if I can call it a comic–it’s a series of beautiful paintings featuring Mr. Skelly, a skeleton, who shares thoughtful observations and reaffirmations about life. Interspersed with the art are little essays written by Watson that elaborate on the points made in the work.

Mr. Skelly looks familiar to me, but I don’t think I’ve seen him on social media. He has a warm, inviting presence despite being a representative of the death that will come for us all (memento mori). But in this book, he reflects on life and how we experience it.

The book opens in a beautiful city where Mr. Skelly is relaxing at home and making observations as to how lucky he is.

The settings jump around from lighthouses and the beach to abandoned buildings to beautiful flowered fields and resplendent forests. And in each panel, Mr. Skelly tells readers something sweet and reinforcing about life, and reminds us that our time on Earth isn’t very long, so perhaps we should live life to our fullest.

I think the artwork is beautiful. My NetGalley version was a low-res review copy, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the art at all. The colors are especially beautiful and comforting.

There was a statement I loved on every single page. The two that stood out to me:

“How lucky I am to be broken so the light could come in.”

“Once you realize you won’t be around forever, life becomes magical.”

“You can’t give your life more time, so give your time more life.”

I am so grateful I got a digital galley to review, but this work touched me enough that I’m going to get my own physical copy.

I’ve been scared of death all of my life. I don’t want it to come to me, but I know it can come any time. This book is like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket and examining your life while you make peace with the limited time you have, and how we should welcome the inevitable instead of fear it by living the best life we possibly can.

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How Lucky Am I was read as a digital galley copy for the purpose of review through NetGalley. It is available now from a variety of online and in-person booksellers, or you can buy direct.