Blue is the Warmest Color - Julie Maroh

Summary

In this tender, bittersweet, full-colour graphic novel, a young woman named Clémentine discovers herself and the elusive magic of love when she meets a confident blue-haired girl named Emma: a lesbian love story for the ages that bristles with the energy of youth and rebellion and the eternal light of desire.

First published in French by Belgium's Glénat, the book has won several awards, including the Audience Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival, Europe's largest.

Julie Maroh is an author and illustrator originally from northern France.

~~~

I have to say that this has become one of my favourite graphic novels of all time. The story whole-heartedly encapsulates attraction, first love and identity. The book is a diary of Clémentine's life from the early years of her adolescence all through her life and it is an amazing coming of age story. The illustrations serve the story in such a way that you see Clémentine's feelings bubbling up on the page. The use of colour as well as the emphasis put on perspective makes you see things through Clémentine's eyes, allowing you to watch her life unravel (and also ravel - which really should be a word), from her point of view.

Everything seems pretty good for Clémentine at first but when she meets Emma, her world turns upside down. She has to deal with her feelings and the fact that they don't seem to have any sort of relation to what her brain tells her she should feel. Clémentine has never been attracted to a girl before and she has some issues when dealing with it at first. I do think this is one of the best "coming out" type of stories (though I do dislike the term) because it shows you in words and images the effect such a realisation has on a person. It's as if you've lived all your life with an image of you, of life, of things, of everything and all of a sudden your life and this image, this certainty you've had all your life don't match up. And you find yourself having to choose between your heart and your mind and it is sometimes the hardest thing you will have to go through because either way you go, you could feel you are betraying yourself. 

I don't really want to say more about the book because I read it without knowing much and I cried big fat ugly tears from the first pages and I felt I was right there with Clémentine while she was going through these moments. 

I've read it in French but the English version is out in September this year from Arsenal Pulp Press and the film based on the opening chapters of the book has found a UK distributor (Curzon) so it should be in UK indie cinemas soon. The film has been praised by the critics and won the Palme d'Or at the Festival de Cannes but has received quite a lot of criticism over the shooting conditions and the fact that the director didn't thank the author, Julie Maroh, in his acceptance speech. Julie Maroh has written a blog post about the film and has pointed out the lack of realism of the love scenes as well as her issues with the film in general, so do give the graphic novel a chance whether you like the film or not.

Kick-Ass - Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

Title: Kick-Ass
Author: Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.


Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: 2010
Category: Graphic Novel


Source: Bought in Waterstones


Paperback: 216 pages


 
Summary from Amazon:

The greatest super hero story of all time is finally here! Acclaimed writer Mark Millar ("Wanted") and award-winning artist John Romita Jr. ("Amazing Spider-Man") unite for one of 21st century's most outrageous and acclaimed series! Dave Lizewski is just an ordinary American teenager. He has a MySpace page, he loves comic books, and he is unable to find a girlfriend. Then an idea hits him: why not become a real life super hero? Soon, his life will never be the same again. A major motion picture directed by Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman, "Kick-Ass" starts where other super hero stories draw the line, taking comic book realism to a whole new level! Warning: This title is for adults only!

~~~

 

 Massive love!

I absolutely loved the film and I have been meaning to read the graphic novel for such a long time! Then the Hit Girl cover of the graphic novel took me by surprise one day I was browsing in Waterstones and I just couldn't help it! I read it immediately and I really adored it!

So there is a lot of bad words and it is a wonder the graphic novel isn't dripping with actual blood from all the gory scenes present inside but what a masterpiece!

The story is about young Dave who is your stereotypical teenage nerd. He is good at school, could have a university chair in comic books and spends his free time online. One day he has a lightbulb moment where he wonders why anyone hasn't ever tried to be a superhero. And be honest with yourself, you have always dream to be a superhero and all your superhero dreams only stopped when you realised that puberty didn't bring you any super power.

His first attempt fails miserably and he is sent for months at the hospital.

What is brilliant is that Dave is a regular guy: no super power, no gifted butlers, not even a gazillion in the bank to buy impressive gadgets. Oh and definitely no sex appeal while wearing tights. He is a regular guy who will still try to be a superhero and whose only power is his determination. Thus Kick-Ass is born!

Then Dave meets other real people who kind of really kick ass in ways he could never do. He meets Hit Girl and Big Daddy who can really throw punches and who are not afraid to kill people in the most "ewww" ways. I obviously *adore* Hit Girl as a character.

There is a trong sense of family in it. Dave has lost his mother and cares about his dad. The relatonship between Hit Girl and Big Daddy is just fascinating.

The illustrations are brilliant and I was really awestruck in front of the few full-page illustrations of Hit Girl. The contrast between her youth and the apocalyptic massacre backgrounds or the crudeness of her dialogues are very striking.

I like how the graphic novel truly illustrates the importance and impact of social media in today's society and for teenagers in particular and how this touches to fame and popularity. It is an amazing depiction of youth in this sense.

The film version differs from the graphic novel and though most scenes are exactly the same way, the ending and the tone of the graphic novel is darker.

This is an absolute must-read for anyone who is into graphic novels and likes its illustrations on the gory side of the force.

Info: There is more than explicit content so it isn't suitable for young audiences.

Scarlett Dedd - Cathy Brett

Title: Scarlett Dedd

Author: Cathy Brett

Publisher: Headline

Release Date: September 2010

Category: Young Adult/Graphic Novel

Source: Sent to me for review by Headline

Paperback: 270 pages

Summary from Amazon:

You're dead Scarlett...

Previously a poor taste jibe from school frenemies, now a statement of fact. 

Scarlett is absolutely mortified (in more ways than one) to discover that she's accidentally killed herself while trying to get out of a school trip. Even worse, she's taken her entire family with her.
Life as a ghost is pretty dull - if only some of her friends were dead too...

~~~~~

Before, there were books with boring straight lines and the odd illustration or two. Then, there was Cathy Brett! I haven't been able to look at a book the same way ever since I finished Scarlett Dedd. Cathy Brett has more than maximise the use of that weird medium that is a book to create something absolutely awesome. 

The story revolves around zombie-looking Scarlett Dedd (yes, she already heard the dead Dedd joke, no need to say it again). She is a teenager (aka self-centered, lacking confidence and mainly not very bright), and, to avoid a class trip to France (which is understandable), she accidentally kills herself and all her family. Yes, indeed, it is entirely accidental.

She becomes a ghost and gradually comes to term with her new state and abilities. Her only problem is how alone she feels. She would really like one of her friends Rip, JP, Taz or the hot broody Psycho to hang out with her. Wait, when you think about it, there might be a solution for that...

I was unsure what I would find in this book as it is slightly unique, not entirely a novel and not entirely a graphic novel either. But whichever it is, I love it!

The characters are all amazingly hilarious and true to form. I can see real teenagers who hang out doing hardly anything interesting but thinking it might change the world (and make them super famous and rich in the process). I feel that it is the strongest point: all the characters have a very distinct personality and it is simply fascinating to read about them. 


I am loving the whole ghost situation, how they talk to each other and what they can or can't do. There are spooky moments but the general tone of the book is more on the comical side of the force.


The illustrations are amazing. Not only do they add a visual image (duh!) to the text, but they actually insert themselves in the text, and the text itself becomes an illustration at times. It is really fascinating since you hardly realize that the book is part text part illustrations at the end, it becomes Scarlett's story.




This is an absolutely brilliant (graphic) novel. It will appeal to older readers as well as younger (fans of the Goosebumps series in particular) and it is definitely an original experience especially if you are not a regular fan of classical graphic novels/comic books. I can't wait to read Cathy Brett's other book Ember Fury!!

Monkey Nuts: The Diamond Egg of Wonders - The Etherington Brothers

Title: Monkey Nuts: The Diamond Egg of Wonders
(Book 1 of Monkey Nuts series)
Author: Robin and Lawrence Etherington

Publisher: David Fickling Books (Random House Children's Books)

Category: Graphic Novel

Release Date: September 2010

Source: Received for review from Random House

HB: 63 pages

Summary from Amazon:

Welcome to the Isla de Monstera, home of the world's only tap-dancing, banana-loving, rust-fighting, coconut-talking, and crime-busting organisation...Monkey Nuts! In their very first adventure, Sid, Rivet and Chief Tuft are forced to do battle against a horde of random oddballs and weirdos. When a mysterious signal begins to drive the local loonies into a crazy rage, the Monkey Nuts team have no choice but to grab their masks and get heroic! This title presents monster-catching action from the DFC Library.

~~~~~~~~

This is one of the craziest and funniest graphic novel I have ever read! When I first saw the cover I was a bit dubious as to what on earth a walking coffee-making robot and a banana-obsessed monkey wearing masks could possibly be a part of, but I read the first bubble and laughed out loud. It set the tone for the entire graphic novel and I had so much fun reading Rivet (robot) and Sid (monkey)'s adventures.

Sid and Rivet (who don't know each other at the beginning of the story) live in the peaceful Isla de la Montera which is suddenly attacked by many strange foes. The two become friends and, with Chief Tuft (which is a... uh... coconut), create Monkey Nuts to fight crime and protect their beloved island from the evil Eric *cough* I mean Lord Terra (he changed his name to Lord Terra to sound more evil!).


You will not stop laughing in this adventure and you will definitely marvel at the illustrations. The Etherington Brothers are extremely talented and each page is a pleasure to discover (especially since tiny characters and references are hidden in some pages). All the characters are *awesome* from our heroes to the numerous evil foes. The story is very fast-paced and is perfect for younger readers since the book is divided in little chapters/adventures for each new villain. 
I am recommanding this graphic novel to anyone who likes having a good laugh and enjoys reading about the eccentric adventures of even more eccentric characters!


There is only one problem: it stops way too soon and you will be left craving for some more!

Thank you to Lauren and Random House for sending me this!

The Spider Moon (Bk1) - Kate Brown

Title: The Spider Moon
(Book 1)
Author: Kate Brown

Publisher: David Fickling Books (Random House)

Category: Graphic Novel, YA

Release Date: 2010

Source: Given to me by Random House 

Hardback : 78 pages

Summary from Amazon:

They tell a prophecy of our homelands being crushed by a falling sky. That fate has been a shadow over our people ever since. The end has begun ...in my lifetime. Bekka and her people are facing the end of times. They must do all in their power to save themselves from the fate they believe is theirs. But destiny is like a tightly coiled snake. Which Bekka must unfurl without getting bitten ...

~~~~~~~~

I don't read a lot of graphic novels, but I love reading fascinating stories with great illustrations. It took me one glance to fall for this graphic novel, the cover is *gorgeous*. The colours just make me want to dive in the sea!


The story centres around a fantasy world which is about to end (hello environmental theme!) and the need to find another place and another way to live. The main character is a young girl named Bekka who has her own personality and doesn't let herself get chewed on by anyone else. She has a pet - a Dodecapod named Fii - which follows her everywhere. From the beginning of the story, you know that something big and frightening is about to happen to this world, and it makes you even more passionate about it when you discover its beautiful landscapes (and especially underwaterscapes) and its inhabitants.


The style is very original, you can clearly spot some manga influences in there. I love the fact that the characters change expressions all the time which makes the story so much more vivid. The way the pages are organised is also - I find - very original, and it changes from the graphic novel pages divided in equal squares. 


I absolutely loved the underwater illustrations and colours, it is simply wow. By the way, Bekka's people have this physical thing called webbed fingers which enables them to swim easily underwater. Which is awesome. (And yes, I secretly want webbed fingers myself)


I can't wait to read the new adventures of Bekka and the Prince Kaliel, because I can feel a romance building up there, where they travel to new places and try to find a way to save their world. Prince Kaliel comes from another people than Bekka and has other physical features specific to his people, which are equally awesome!

Anyways, this is a very quick read which offers beautiful images and a very promising story, you will definitely fall for Bekka and her world. 

Here is an interview I found on YouTube of the amazing Kate Brown, where she talks about The Spider Moon, her work as a graphic novel artist as well as her tips on becoming one:

Thank you so much to Random House for making me discover the talented Kate Brown and the adventures of Bekka!

Lost in Translation #1 - Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Hello everyone !

I am going to start the Lost in Translation meme today (actually, this is the second time I'm starting it since my first article erased itself mysteriously yesterday, the little bugger).

The LiT meme, hosted here, will appeal to the international reader in you to discover foreign books and even encourage you to read some books in their original language !

I will be presenting French and Italian authors and books since I speak those two languages. The whole thing is rather more sophisticated than I first imagined: the three first books on which I wanted to write an article were translated but not available in bookshops or online. Which is a bummer really, because the books were awesome.

Anyways! Since I like living dangerously (hey, I drink up to 5 cups of tea a day, clearly I know no fear), I will be writing a French LiT post during the first 15 days of the month and an Italian LiT post in the second half of the month. Other bloggers can join in whenever they want and adapt the meme to any other languages.

The meme has a few (logical) rules :
-Check the translation of the book and specify it in the article
-Check the availability of the book depending on territories and bookstores/libraries/online and specify it in the article
-It would also be nice to make a parenthesis on the level required to read the book in its original language
-And finally, Enjoy and Spread the love ! 

I am starting the meme with a French LiT post on one of the most talented and original graphic novel artist France has known and my personal favorite: 

Persepolis 
by Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi is an Iranian-born French artist that has published (in French) a 4 volume autobiographical graphic novel called Persepolis. I won't be telling you her biography, because, clearly, that would be a spoiler for the autobiographical graphic novels ! Persepolis was adapted on the big screen by Marjane herself and Vincent Parronnaud. The film got the Special Jury Prize in 2007 from the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated in 2008 for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.


Even if you are not a graphic novel fan, I can guarantee you will love Persepolis. This book tells you the cool and rebellious story you always wished you had. This book is about growing up in the most difficult setting there is: Iran in the 1980s. I would give you a little history of the events, but I think Marjane teaches you about the history and the politics of Iran way better than anyone ever will !

This book not only makes you learn what happened in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979, but it also shows you how people reacted to the new regime.
One of the most important aspect of the book is for me the various strong female figures. There is obviously the funny and unique Marjane who wants to become a Prophet when she grows up. There is her mother who is, with her father, very politicised against the Islamist regime. And finally Marjane's incredible grandmother, who wears jasmine flowers in her shirts and gives Marjane advices she will live up to. You will see, that being a woman in one of the hardest societies in the world isn't about giving up.

The book is not only incredibly interesting, it is thoroughly entertaining because there is always humour, even in the darkest parts of the story. Reading these books, you will see the story of one of the most ancient civilisations unfold beneath your eyes, you will see this society evolve from one of the most modern societies of the regions to one of the most traditional in a few years, you will see people fighting for their very right to live. 

Style:

As you can see, the entire book is in black and white (though the animation film is in color), and even though the style is very sober, it is an actual choice: the graphic novel is mainly centred on the story and the characters rather than on the drawing in itself. Don't get me wrong, you do feel the lyrical aspect some pages take. It echoes in the meaning of the story where Marjane is caught between the Iranian tradition and her attraction towards modernity, and where she is an Iranian in Europe and a European in Iran.

On a more general note, this style (including the black and white graphics) is typical of the Alternative comics/graphic novels movement which has started worldwide in the 1980s. Marjane Satrapi, together with a new wave of French graphic novel artists, are published from the 1990s by L'Association (literally, the Association) who is renowned worldwide for the originality and diversity of its authors. L'Association has a rigorously artist-centred approach in terms of its productions: they are against the fanzines and create various types of graphic novels which tend to look more like novels than comics. They have different collections which have themselves their own characteristics. L'Association gained momentum in mainstream literature in France and worldwide through commercial and critical success of, among others, Persepolis.

Language corner:

For the adventurous part of you *especially those wearing the Indiana Jones hat*, this is the ideal type of book to read in its original version. If you have studied French for a few years and would like to improve your level, graphic novels are the best way, since the language is generally quite simple and goes straight to the point without getting lost in never-ending descriptions, and the images can help you interpret some words you don't understand.

Did I mention I love this book ? Since you obviously fell in love with this book too and can't wait to read it (and since I am, all in all, a very nice person), I'll give you some tips on where to find it:

Getting the book:

IN ENGLISH: 
- Online: Amazon (.com and .co.uk)
- Bookstores UK: I saw it in Waterstones
- Bookstores US: Barnes and Nobles
IN FRENCH:
- Online: French Amazon (in French), the megastore Fnac (in French)
- Bookstores UK: list and info here
- Bookstores US: list and info here
Note: The UK and US version have 2 volumes or one, not 4.

All the illustrations present in this post were made by Marjane Satrapi and are part of Persepolis.

To take part in the meme :

- Write your name

- The name of your blog

- In parenthesis if it is the first or second time you participate

- In parenthesis which language it is
- Link to the LiT post, not your blog !

Exemple: Caroline @ Portrait of a Woman (1, French)

If what you post doesn't look like that, I will retaliate. Live in fear.