Marian Henley

A rape survivor shares her story with her son . . . and us. Simply told, it is in turns enraging and uplifting.

I used to regularly read Henley's "Maxine" strips in Comic Relief magazine, and you can see that same humor, energy and sass on display in her graphic memoir between its darker turns.

p.s., Just an FYI: Henley previously told an extremely abbreviated, two-page version of one section of this book in the anthology Drawing Power: Women's Stories of Sexual Violence, Harassment, and Survival.

This is a wonderful graphic memoir of Henley's attempts at international adoption at the age of 50, her extreme aversion to romantic commitment, and the decline in health of her father. I don't see how anyone could read it without tears streaming down their cheeks, as they did mine. Recommended for anyone wanting to read about how an accomplished woman lives her life, father daughter relationships, or the problems of adoption.

I picked up Marian Henley’s graphic-novel The Shiniest Jewel from my ever expanding review pile and thought, “I’ll get through this fast so I can move on to the more weighty stories that I’ve promised to review.” While The Shiniest Jewel is a fast read, it’s certainly not less weighty. Henley does an excellent job of involving the reader in her joy and despair, her fear and uncertainty. The graphic novel style fits well and her tone is a mixture of quirk and depth.

The Shiniest show more Jewel tells Marian Henley's tale of deciding she wants to adopt a child on the cusp of her 50th birthday. Along the middle-age highway are typical bumps (boyfriends and aging parents) and the reader quickly begins to hope for Henley's success.

I walked away from The Shiniest Jewel with dreams of adopting my own Russian baby and cheesy tears streaming down my face. Perhaps the thing that packs the most punch is not the death of Henley’s father or the difficult path to her son’s adoption, but the sense of beauty and depth in our everyday lives.

Recommended for those interested in adoption, those who like quick & uplifting tales of real life people making their way in the world, and those who enjoy graphic-novel nonfiction (a small genre indeed)

Review first published on Many A Quaint & Curious Volume show less

Marian Henley uses some familiar nursery rhyme figures to spin a heavy-handed and awkward satirical fable about resisting tyrants like Donald Trump. It’s a quick read, but even though I’m on her side politically I found it way too silly and very disappointing.

Not her best work, even if it is passionate and heartfelt. I recommend trying Finding the Light: A Mother's Journey from Trauma to Healing instead.

Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through show more NetGalley.com. show less