One of the best things to happen to storytelling through sequential art is the advent of the graphic memoir. From celebrities to travelogues to regular folks’ personal journeys, graphic memoirs allow readers to experience an illustrated slice of someone else’s life. I stumbled upon “Parenthesis” by Élodie Durand while perusing Hoopla’s Bonus Borrows for May. Translated from the French by Edward Gauvin, this graphic memoir follows the years Durand spent living with epilepsy. Durand’s art style is simple, leaning toward the abstract. Yet, it powerfully conveys both the story of her life and the emotions she felt while that story unfolded.
For those who don’t often read comics, this graphic memoir could be considered an intermediate level read. The text and dialogue are easy to follow, but much of it is written in a cursive font that isn’t the easiest to actually read. Fortunately, the artwork meshes perfectly with the text. This aids the conveyance of Durand’s personal and emotional experiences as she learned to live with epilepsy.
Of note, this book counts toward Task #23 (read a book by a disabled author) of this year’s Read Harder Challenge. It could also be used for Task #24 (pick a challenge from any of the previous years’ challenges to repeat), as read a graphic memoir was one of the tasks in recent years. This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to step out of their comfort zone and read something new and unique. “Parenthesis” offers readers a glimpse into life in another country while taking them through Durand’s moving journey from illness to recovery.
Three words that describe this book: Hopeful, Inspiring, Informative
You might want to pick this book up if: You like graphic novels, memoirs, or translated works.
-Joe
