"Montoya dramatizes the agonies and ecstasies of the creative process, written and visual, with a quiet hilarity and, well, steely-eyed realism. The illustrations feel empowering because they demystify the process of drawing by showing preliminary thumbnail sketches next to fully worked-out drawings. Preparatory Notes for Future Masterpieces, like all of Montoya's books, helps us all to better understand the ways in which Chicanx history is American history."
—Bidisha Banerjee, Los Angeles Review of Books
". . . delightful postmodern illustrated novel.... Both entertaining and provocative, this [Preparatory Notes for Future Masterpieces] lampoons with a gentle touch."
—Publishers Weekly
"Channeling the spirit of Candide, Montoya's use of humor, pathos, and satire to tell the story of a misunderstood artist clamoring for his place in posterity and his voice to be heard, had me laughing from beginning to end."
—Reyna Grande, author of The Distance Between Us
"Montoya has found a way to deftly combine his storytelling ability with his artistic prowess in this single body of work that shapeshifts as it reveals. Preparatory Notes For Future Masterpieces is a compelling, fun, and intriguing read for thinkers, cultural warriors, and lovers of great literature alike. What we are witnessing here is a writer who is quickly reaching the height of his mastery!"
—Tim Z. Hernandez, author of All They Will Call You
"This graphic novel is a very ambitious and successful contribution to the story of Latinx people in the U.S., with an emphasis on our struggles to make our art in this society ... propulsive, candid, steamy, and full of life."
—Yxta Maya Murray, author of The World Doesn't Work That Way, but It Could
“From an artistic and critical perspective, Montoya’s varied output of art, literature, and criticism has helped further the Chicanx cause. Preparatory Notes for Future Masterpieces is a great example of what a multi-talented artist can do when they are not preoccupied by the constraints of the culture at large. . . . Hopefully this text will make it into the hands of many young writers from marginalized and working-class backgrounds.” —Daniel M. Mendoza, Rain Taxi