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boggremlin's review
3.0
Fantastic artwork chronicling the author's fragmented memories of her life with epilepsy.
ogreart's review
3.0
This was a hard book to read. Literally. I had a hard time with the cursive font that was used for this book. It was also hard to read Onan emotional level. The illness she struggled with scares the pants off of me. It is one of my worst nightmares. Seeing how she persevered was inspiring.
I received a free electronic copy of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I received a free electronic copy of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
morleemac's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
3rian's review
5.0
"Our memory is our coherence, our reason, our feeling, even our action. Without it, we are nothing." - Luis Buñuel
This is a beautifully-crafted graphic novel that struck me as a perfect example of storytelling within this medium. If you've never read one before, I'd recommend this memoir as one for you to consider.
When she was in her 20s, the author is told by her family that she's been having moments where she'd temporarily space out. With no memory of these incidents, she's initially resistant to their concerns until the memory gaps get worse (as does her mood). She agrees to see a neurologist.
What follows is a powerful and moving depiction of her experience with a brain tumor and its profound impact on her life. Her writing (translated from French) is direct and honest, explaining the deluge of emotions that would come with the realization of not being able to trust your own brain, as well as having to come to terms with a new version of yourself. Her beautiful imaginative art, rendered in black and white, helped me appreciate what that can feel like:
There are also some stark single page sketches and doodles that the author had made at the time, trying to capture her feelings for herself. Very moving to see in context of the narrative.
One of the best graphic novels I've read in ages. Truly compelling, highly recommended.
This is a beautifully-crafted graphic novel that struck me as a perfect example of storytelling within this medium. If you've never read one before, I'd recommend this memoir as one for you to consider.
When she was in her 20s, the author is told by her family that she's been having moments where she'd temporarily space out. With no memory of these incidents, she's initially resistant to their concerns until the memory gaps get worse (as does her mood). She agrees to see a neurologist.
What follows is a powerful and moving depiction of her experience with a brain tumor and its profound impact on her life. Her writing (translated from French) is direct and honest, explaining the deluge of emotions that would come with the realization of not being able to trust your own brain, as well as having to come to terms with a new version of yourself. Her beautiful imaginative art, rendered in black and white, helped me appreciate what that can feel like:
There are also some stark single page sketches and doodles that the author had made at the time, trying to capture her feelings for herself. Very moving to see in context of the narrative.
One of the best graphic novels I've read in ages. Truly compelling, highly recommended.
rebecca_huerta's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
uosdwisrdewoh's review
4.0
In this fascinating memoir of epilepsy, Élodie Durand takes you into the terrifying world of her brain fighting against her. She forgets moments between seizures and soon finds that she becomes unmoored without a solid tapestry of memories. Where this book could have been tedious and repetitive, she finds innovative graphic techniques to explore the facets of this malady. At one point, the doctors become squat characters roving across her brain, discussing the options for treatment. At another low point in her life, when she found herself failing even the most basic neurological tests, a hideous specter in shadow laughs at her attempts, her own twisted self-image mocking her. Such techniques help her to convey the depths of despair she was cast into, wonderfully conveying the annihilating power of this illness. Many illness memoirs fall, necessarily so, into a cycle of hospital after hospital, doctor visit after doctor visit, but Durand breaks that cycle and delivers something special.