The structural composition of “My Boyfriend Came Back From the War” reminded me a lot of “Hegirascope”, with the exception of its use of a single screen. As one clicked on the textual link that interested them, a new window frame appeared on the screen, creating a visual mosaic of disjointed phrases. As I read through them, I got the impression of a conversation between a girl and her boyfriend who has just returned from deployment. I read phrases concerning infidelity, marriage, forgiveness, and trauma. The static nature of the large frame with the picture of the girl and her boyfriend to the left helped to secure their presence in the narrative – an aspect of “character preservation” that was never evident in “Hegirascope”. In contrast, the characters of “Hegirascope” changed with each new page on the screen. By keeping the couple in view of the text in “My Boyfriend Came From the War”, Lialina asserted their presence amidst the fleeting idioms that seemed to give an intimate glimpse into the couple’s frustrations.
In reference to its graphic layout, “My Boyfriend Came Back From the War” utilized multiple illustrative effects to create an atmosphere of darkness – perhaps an attempt by Lialina to amplify the viewer’s own obscurity when it came to interpreting the text. The monochromatic nature, miniature square story frames, and intense saturation of the screen all reminded me of a virtual comic book. As I went from square to square, the action of the narrative flowed from box to box (just like the progression of action in a comic book or graphic novel). Like “Hegirascope”, the story seemed disjointed – but at the same time, I could use the abstract fragments to create my own story that read of a lover’s betrayal and struggle to maintain her relationship with her estranged boyfriend. The chaos of the language reminded me of how someone suffering from post-traumatic syndrome might talk: disoriented, agitated, and deceived. It seemed like the text/conversation was being replayed in the mind of someone who felt disappointed and confused – most likely the mind of the jilted boyfriend. His struggle to understand his girlfriend’s infidelity paired with his return to a war-less society was an emotional coupling the young man was not yet prepared to endure. Lialina gives us a peek into this anxiety, replicating the chaos and alienation of her male protagonist.