Scan barcode
mehsi's review against another edition
2.0
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
So this one sounded really nice and I was looking forward to reading it… I have to say it was a struggle to read. Which may have to do with how incomplete and chaotic it felt.
The biggest issue is how incomplete it is. Yes, this is an ARC. But let me tell you I reviewed hundreds of ARCs in the 6 years I have had my blog… and only a handful of them were incomplete. This one had textbubbles with the text very ugly put in (you could clearly see it was a rectangle of text that at times also went over the illustrations), there were handwritten parts that were blurry/not readable, the art felt very unfinished we begin with colour art and just a few pages later everything is sketches and without colour, but confusingly at times we get some pretty art and sometimes even colour art between things as well…. So confusing. It is just a shame as it really put me off from reading. It took me two days to read this one. Two days. That is long for me.
The story was OK, it is an autobiographical story about the artist. About her youth, about her siblings (how she had a better relationship with the youngest kids than with her brother), about her parents, the clashes between her parents, but also the clashes between her mom and the kids, we see how she loves drawing and loses her time in it. We see her go to art clubs, get good grades for art, though her parents are still not always approving of it, which I found a shame. If my kid had a talent I would make sure he can develop it. Of course, also having to do other school stuff as those are important as well, but definitely making sure that my kid could grow in what they love. I loved seeing France and Paris and all the surrounding areas. It was definitely interesting to read her go through her options, to rebel against her parents, and I love that she could talk to her dad about her choices. Her mum was all you need to do x study and y study, but her dad just wanted her to be happy and feel OK.
I also really liked that she found someone to love and I loved that they made long distance work. I kind of would have liked to see if they had gotten married as this book ends after she makes her decision on becoming a teacher. It just felt a bit abrupt and I would have liked some more to this book.
But yeah, the incompleteness and the chaoticness of the book really put me off so I cannot rate the book that high. A shame. The story was pretty good and I liked Sylvie.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So this one sounded really nice and I was looking forward to reading it… I have to say it was a struggle to read. Which may have to do with how incomplete and chaotic it felt.
The biggest issue is how incomplete it is. Yes, this is an ARC. But let me tell you I reviewed hundreds of ARCs in the 6 years I have had my blog… and only a handful of them were incomplete. This one had textbubbles with the text very ugly put in (you could clearly see it was a rectangle of text that at times also went over the illustrations), there were handwritten parts that were blurry/not readable, the art felt very unfinished we begin with colour art and just a few pages later everything is sketches and without colour, but confusingly at times we get some pretty art and sometimes even colour art between things as well…. So confusing. It is just a shame as it really put me off from reading. It took me two days to read this one. Two days. That is long for me.
The story was OK, it is an autobiographical story about the artist. About her youth, about her siblings (how she had a better relationship with the youngest kids than with her brother), about her parents, the clashes between her parents, but also the clashes between her mom and the kids, we see how she loves drawing and loses her time in it. We see her go to art clubs, get good grades for art, though her parents are still not always approving of it, which I found a shame. If my kid had a talent I would make sure he can develop it. Of course, also having to do other school stuff as those are important as well, but definitely making sure that my kid could grow in what they love. I loved seeing France and Paris and all the surrounding areas. It was definitely interesting to read her go through her options, to rebel against her parents, and I love that she could talk to her dad about her choices. Her mum was all you need to do x study and y study, but her dad just wanted her to be happy and feel OK.
I also really liked that she found someone to love and I loved that they made long distance work. I kind of would have liked to see if they had gotten married as this book ends after she makes her decision on becoming a teacher. It just felt a bit abrupt and I would have liked some more to this book.
But yeah, the incompleteness and the chaoticness of the book really put me off so I cannot rate the book that high. A shame. The story was pretty good and I liked Sylvie.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
avonleagal's review against another edition
5.0
i love this book. the art style is so cute and i relate highly to not knowing what to do with your life. go read it <3
jwinchell's review
4.0
Really sweet but I think I may forget the specifics of Sylvie’s story over time. What will stay with me is that this is an accessible, honest memoir about creativity, art, growing up, and making your way in the world. I loved the way the chapters made up themes about her life.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
4.0
A great combination of growing up and looking back. The author shares her experience, which is universal. The process of maturing, negotiating family life, choosing your path, and making new friends. I look forward to the sequel.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this easy to read graphic novel that was autobiographical. I loved reading about someone growing up in France. Sylvie’s struggle to be seen as a true French person when she was born in Casablanca. She also struggles with knowing what she’s supposed to do for her future at a young age and fought with her brother like most siblings do. I found the whole story relatable.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up at the library because I found the cover simple yet whimsical. This is a graphic memoir divided into sections of the young Kantorovitz's life. The young Sylvie grew up in France, but was born in Moracco. This, along with being Jewish, make her feel outside of her classmates.
Sylvie finds her place among the papers and pens in her dad's office. She loves drawing and finds peace when she is creating art.
I found the simple drawings peaceful and easy on the eye. The text coupled with the images make this easy to follow.
I liked the various vignettes in Kantorovitz's life from her childhood into what direction she'd like to go in her studies when matriculating. The ending alludes to a second (possibly a third) volume.
Sylvie finds her place among the papers and pens in her dad's office. She loves drawing and finds peace when she is creating art.
I found the simple drawings peaceful and easy on the eye. The text coupled with the images make this easy to follow.
I liked the various vignettes in Kantorovitz's life from her childhood into what direction she'd like to go in her studies when matriculating. The ending alludes to a second (possibly a third) volume.
roseannmvp's review against another edition
5.0
What a fabulous graphic memoir! I enjoyed every page, her characters, her humor, her internal conflicts. I saw much of myself in this book, having a very similar mother! LOL
Every child has multiple ideas of "what they want to be when they grow up" and this is just one person's journey, but rendered with tenderness and honesty.
Loved it!
Every child has multiple ideas of "what they want to be when they grow up" and this is just one person's journey, but rendered with tenderness and honesty.
Loved it!
shinesalot's review against another edition
5.0
Somehow...reading about how this author/illustrator grew up in France was extremely relatable. I have never been to France, but Sylvie struggles with her relationship with her mother (boy could I relate!), not fitting in, and finding herself.
I love how the narrative flows. The reader isn’t whisked away but rather we float through the events of Sylvie’s child/teen hood at the perfect pace. Just enough details (both through illustrations and words) to keep turning the pages.
Excellent graphic novel.
I love how the narrative flows. The reader isn’t whisked away but rather we float through the events of Sylvie’s child/teen hood at the perfect pace. Just enough details (both through illustrations and words) to keep turning the pages.
Excellent graphic novel.
thenextgenlib's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this easy to read graphic novel that was autobiographical. I loved reading about someone growing up in France. Sylvie’s struggle to be seen as a true French person when she was born in Casablanca. She also struggles with knowing what she’s supposed to do for her future at a young age and fought with her brother like most siblings do. I found the whole story relatable.