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cathepsut's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A family of seven—parents, four kids and an imaginary friend—drive South from Belgium through France to a holiday in the sun. There are picknicks, fight between sisters, skinny dipping and a little family drama. Nice.
filipacarvalho's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
fushigimini's review against another edition
4.0
J'ai beaucoup aimé le principe de cette bande-dessiné, et même si je n'était pas née à cette époque j'ai apprécié suivre la famille Faldérault sur les routes du sud
carroq's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Slice of life books can be very hit or miss. This one follows a Belgian family as they go on their annual holiday, which this year involves a car ride through rural France. The family as a whole seems to work. The dynamics between them are interesting. None of the characters on their own really jumped out at me though. There are some rough patches during their trip, which helps keep the story going. I felt like it was forgettable though. In the end it wrapped up nicely. I like how things come around for the family.
The art style didn't do much for me. It's sort of cartoony, which doesn't always appeal to me. I think going that way fits well with some of the more fanciful elements. It really just comes down to personal preference on that aspect. This is a nice alternative to some of the superhero comics out there, but I don't think I would continue the series.
Slice of life books can be very hit or miss. This one follows a Belgian family as they go on their annual holiday, which this year involves a car ride through rural France. The family as a whole seems to work. The dynamics between them are interesting. None of the characters on their own really jumped out at me though. There are some rough patches during their trip, which helps keep the story going. I felt like it was forgettable though. In the end it wrapped up nicely. I like how things come around for the family.
The art style didn't do much for me. It's sort of cartoony, which doesn't always appeal to me. I think going that way fits well with some of the more fanciful elements. It really just comes down to personal preference on that aspect. This is a nice alternative to some of the superhero comics out there, but I don't think I would continue the series.
rita_readsalot's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lyrabelaqa's review against another edition
4.0
C'est mimi et familial. Je vais au moins lire le deux.
nataliya_x's review
4.0
It’s quite a challenge to walk a fine line between sweetness and sentimentality and never fall on the wrong side, trading sweetness for the maudlin. And yet Zidrou manages to avoid that pitfall seemingly effortlessly, bringing to life a simple story about a Belgian family taking a summer vacation in France in 1973.
It’s just that - a story of a family vacation. Mom and Dad with the weight of the unsaid between them, four kids acting like kids, one cramped Renault, one imaginary friend, a trip cut short — and through all that mundane but strangely fascinating stuff a surprisingly warm story of family and love unfolds. There are tents and fries and lack of seatbelts in the back seat of the cramped family car, and hilariously short shorts on Dad, and family skinny dipping without prude shame, and funerals, and bouquets, and the growing pains of reconciling the dreams of your past self with the reality of your present self. And it all is sweet and charming and decidedly not cloying.
And sometimes you need to feel the warmth of the August sun and the leisurely promise of riverside camping to really reflect on who you are and what you want and need.
It’s a slice of life that feels lovely and real and very comforting in its ordinary beauty.
4.5 stars.
————
Buddy read with Dennis, the comic book guru (and he loved it, too) (Although this book just begs to be called a “graphic novel”)
——————
Also posted on my blog.
——————
Recommended by: Dennis
It’s just that - a story of a family vacation. Mom and Dad with the weight of the unsaid between them, four kids acting like kids, one cramped Renault, one imaginary friend, a trip cut short — and through all that mundane but strangely fascinating stuff a surprisingly warm story of family and love unfolds. There are tents and fries and lack of seatbelts in the back seat of the cramped family car, and hilariously short shorts on Dad, and family skinny dipping without prude shame, and funerals, and bouquets, and the growing pains of reconciling the dreams of your past self with the reality of your present self. And it all is sweet and charming and decidedly not cloying.
And sometimes you need to feel the warmth of the August sun and the leisurely promise of riverside camping to really reflect on who you are and what you want and need.
It’s a slice of life that feels lovely and real and very comforting in its ordinary beauty.
“Belgians…”
4.5 stars.
————
Buddy read with Dennis, the comic book guru (and he loved it, too) (Although this book just begs to be called a “graphic novel”)
——————
Also posted on my blog.
——————
Recommended by: Dennis
villyidol's review
5.0
OT: Cap au Sud !
Wonderful little book.
The plot can basically be summarized as a Belgian family going on a summer vacation to France and returning back home early because of unforeseen circumstances. But within its mere 60 pages Zidrou makes you deeply care for his characters. You fall in love with the family, you are enchanted by how the parents are treating their kids, you feel for them when it becomes clear that marriage is a challenging thing, you cheer for them when they have to overcome problems. It’s mostly just ordinary things. But it’s written in such a way that it becomes something extraordinary.
A slice of life story at its very best.
4.5 stars, rounded up. My only complaint is that I wanted more. Not necessarily more content as it seems quite nicely balanced to me. But I just didn’t want to let go of the characters that early.
I stayed up until ridiculous o’clock in the morning to finish this. And now I’m really looking forward to my next Zidrou book. The guy is pretty good.
Buddy read with Nataliya, who wants to read another Zidrou book now as well.
Wonderful little book.
The plot can basically be summarized as a Belgian family going on a summer vacation to France and returning back home early because of unforeseen circumstances. But within its mere 60 pages Zidrou makes you deeply care for his characters. You fall in love with the family, you are enchanted by how the parents are treating their kids, you feel for them when it becomes clear that marriage is a challenging thing, you cheer for them when they have to overcome problems. It’s mostly just ordinary things. But it’s written in such a way that it becomes something extraordinary.
A slice of life story at its very best.
4.5 stars, rounded up. My only complaint is that I wanted more. Not necessarily more content as it seems quite nicely balanced to me. But I just didn’t want to let go of the characters that early.
I stayed up until ridiculous o’clock in the morning to finish this. And now I’m really looking forward to my next Zidrou book. The guy is pretty good.
Buddy read with Nataliya, who wants to read another Zidrou book now as well.