Ingrid Chabbert

A very rich story about trying for a long time to have a child, and then miscarrying; the grief and depression that follow are beautifully depicted in grayscale pages, followed by the book returning to color. The fact that the couple involved are both female is not even mentioned in the text, it's merely depicted in the art - an of course, why would I need to say anything about this sort of thing. However, the story is slightly surreal, because a good deal of it is the pregnant woman's show more dreams and nightmares, depicted as vividly and solidly as her everyday life. I spent a good deal of my time trying to figure out what was going on in _this_ bit - is this real, or a dream, or part of the story she's writing, or...?? I'm glad I read it but I don't think I'd bother to reread. show less

‘’Sometimes we drown drinking in the sea. A sea as red as a heart that’s stopped beating. We look up from an underwater crossroads - return to the surface or let go.’’

A young woman is trying to have a baby. Things don’t go as she planned, her wife is her rock, her loyal supporter, her hope. But she cannot drive away the nightmares that have been hunting our narrator, the images of a lone boat, the images of drowning. Of suicide. When tragedy strikes, the couple will need each show more other more than ever but all the love in the world won’t help the young woman recover unless she believes in hope and in herself.

In this extraordinary graphic novel by Ingrid Chabbert, a young woman tries to cope with grief and hope. With the need for a child and the strength to move on. Her wife and her great love for writing are the pillars that she can lean on and find security. The novel is based on the writer’s personal experience and I cannot even begin to fathom the ordeal she must have gone through. I admire her, I am in awe in front of her courage, her bravery, her decision to turn the back on the nightmare that refuses to leave her in peace and her determination not to let go. It is exactly these stories that give us the strength to overcome dark moments of despair. If all else fades, books can save our souls.

I don’t think technicalities have any meaning here but on an artistic level, this graphic novel is perfection. In my opinion. The dialogue is realistic, the illustrations are vivid, poignant and quietly beautiful. The depiction of the changing of the seasons is extraordinary and the ability of the artist to capture the feelings of the mother is awe-inspiring. On a personal note, I was excited to see Chania, one of the most picturesque cities in Greece, beautifully illustrated by Carole Maurel.

This is a graphic novel, a work of Art, that should be read by everyone. A sad but beautiful, haunting hymn to love, inner strength and hope.

Many thanks to Archaia and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com show less

On his first day at school, the narrator of this Spanish picture-book falls helplessly in love with Sylvia, the girl sitting in the desk in front of his. Unfortunately, Sylvia only has eyes for the birds, whom she observes from afar. Gaining a new appreciation for these avian creatures, the narrator decides that if he is to win his lady love's heart, he must dress up as one himself...

Originally published in Spain as El dia en que me converti en un pájaro, this lovely book from French show more author Ingrid Chabbert and Spanish illustrator Raúl Nieto Guridi - credited only as Guridi on the cover - offers an interesting, open-ended tale of first love, and the extraordinary lengths to which we will go to attract the attention of the beloved. I found the narrative here very appealing - perhaps because of its quirky quality? - and thought the artwork, created with pencil and photoshop, was beautiful. I'm not sure to whom I would recommend this one though... perhaps to those, like me, interested in picture-books in translation, or perhaps to those looking for children's stories that address first love? show less

I admire the painful story of loss and recovery at the center of this book, especially since it is told from the perspective of a lesbian couple, an angle I have not seen before. However, the dream and fantasy sequences, writing samples from the protagonist’s journal, and heavy-handed metaphors just sank this book into a sea of pretentiousness. It also suffered in comparison to the unadorned and moving style of the graphic memoir I had read earlier the same day: Dear Scarlet: The Story of show more My Postpartum Depression. show less