lydiaer's review against another edition
5.0
This book will break your heart and heal it over again. While the book only starts a few minutes before the end of the story, it recaps fifteen years of a struggle against cancer. Additionally, the illustrations emphasize the emotions described by the character.
nakedsushi's review against another edition
5.0
A sad but sweet kids book about cancer. I really liked the watercolors and use of color in these pages.
strikkelaeser's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.75
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Wow, I am so happy I have a chance to read this book. I just had to read this book, for personal reasons. I was steeling myself for the inevitable tears that would be falling from my eyes. Yes, this would have a happy ending as the title says, but I knew I would cry when she would receive the happy news.
I agree fully with her on hospitals and their colour schemes. Indeed, they are done to make people calm, but if I am sick at a hospital I would rather see happy colours. Colours that warm me. Colours that make me smile and maybe forget being sick for just a tiny bit of time.
We see how our MC was diagnosed for leukemia after being very tired and having headaches. We see her stuck to machines as she is being tested.
We read about how she felt throughout treatment, how people looked at her with sad eyes, how they tried to encourage her and tell her happy words, while all she wanted was to be treated normally. Yes, she is sick but she is still herself. It was quite nice how they illustrated this scene. You saw dark text bubbles coming out of people, and scribblies land on our MC’s body. I do wonder why she thought that people would be disappointed in her if she didn’t get better. Why do you think that? That is not how that works. Sorry. At least not for me, so I was kind of shocked that she thought that. :(
We read about the parents, how her mom tried to make her room so much more homely, how her dad tried to ward away the sadness by bad humour (and loved how she eventually understood her dad’s bad humour was just a way to protect himself).
Wow, she didn’t even recognise that she was in love with Victor, instead thinking she was just getting new symptoms. Oh my goodness. Well, that is a nice surprise for her. No you are not getting new symptoms, congrats this is your first love (at least I am guessing it is as otherwise she would have recognised the symptoms). I loved reading on how Victor and see got closer and closer, and then had a laugh that when he visited her in the hospital he saw her bum through the nightgown and is now bragging about it. :P
I did think the story was a bit all over the place. I am sure people will be angry I said this, but we jump so much around. Like how we went from hey meet Maxine to Maxine is dead to Maxine is still alive to oh now we are burying her and back to finding out what is going on with our MC (will she get better or not). Same goes for Victor, he was suddenly introduced and then we head over to other things and then back to Victor. At times it really threw me out of the story, and that is a shame.
The waiting, oh boy, I was almost chewing my nails, would she get good news or not? I know the title of this book features a happy ending, but still I was just nervous! And then they are called and my nerves intensified. And yes, I cried at the moment she walked to the door with her parents, her family, Victor, Maxine behind her. How she said she would miss all those things and ended on Victor. :( Oh, man I was for sure she was sick due to how everything was said, but then that ending came, and yes, I was fully crying. OMG, congrats! That is fantastic news.
The art was really pretty, and I love the style, it captures everything, the emotions, perfectly.
All in all, even with the story kind of jumbled, I still loved reading it, and as I predicted, it made me cry. I would recommend this one.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Wow, I am so happy I have a chance to read this book. I just had to read this book, for personal reasons. I was steeling myself for the inevitable tears that would be falling from my eyes. Yes, this would have a happy ending as the title says, but I knew I would cry when she would receive the happy news.
I agree fully with her on hospitals and their colour schemes. Indeed, they are done to make people calm, but if I am sick at a hospital I would rather see happy colours. Colours that warm me. Colours that make me smile and maybe forget being sick for just a tiny bit of time.
We see how our MC was diagnosed for leukemia after being very tired and having headaches. We see her stuck to machines as she is being tested.
We read about how she felt throughout treatment, how people looked at her with sad eyes, how they tried to encourage her and tell her happy words, while all she wanted was to be treated normally. Yes, she is sick but she is still herself. It was quite nice how they illustrated this scene. You saw dark text bubbles coming out of people, and scribblies land on our MC’s body. I do wonder why she thought that people would be disappointed in her if she didn’t get better. Why do you think that? That is not how that works. Sorry. At least not for me, so I was kind of shocked that she thought that. :(
We read about the parents, how her mom tried to make her room so much more homely, how her dad tried to ward away the sadness by bad humour (and loved how she eventually understood her dad’s bad humour was just a way to protect himself).
Wow, she didn’t even recognise that she was in love with Victor, instead thinking she was just getting new symptoms. Oh my goodness. Well, that is a nice surprise for her. No you are not getting new symptoms, congrats this is your first love (at least I am guessing it is as otherwise she would have recognised the symptoms). I loved reading on how Victor and see got closer and closer, and then had a laugh that when he visited her in the hospital he saw her bum through the nightgown and is now bragging about it. :P
I did think the story was a bit all over the place. I am sure people will be angry I said this, but we jump so much around. Like how we went from hey meet Maxine to Maxine is dead to Maxine is still alive to oh now we are burying her and back to finding out what is going on with our MC (will she get better or not). Same goes for Victor, he was suddenly introduced and then we head over to other things and then back to Victor. At times it really threw me out of the story, and that is a shame.
The waiting, oh boy, I was almost chewing my nails, would she get good news or not? I know the title of this book features a happy ending, but still I was just nervous! And then they are called and my nerves intensified. And yes, I cried at the moment she walked to the door with her parents, her family, Victor, Maxine behind her. How she said she would miss all those things and ended on Victor. :( Oh, man I was for sure she was sick due to how everything was said, but then that ending came, and yes, I was fully crying. OMG, congrats! That is fantastic news.
The art was really pretty, and I love the style, it captures everything, the emotions, perfectly.
All in all, even with the story kind of jumbled, I still loved reading it, and as I predicted, it made me cry. I would recommend this one.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
chloemills's review against another edition
5.0
I've just finished reading this book and I'm blown away by it. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also truthful. I can only imagine what it's like to go through this, as a teenager, as a parent or sibling but while it is under 50 pages I felt connected to each and every person mentioned in this story. The illustration is stunning, in a beautiful watercolour style and was able to show the contrast between feelings so well. This might be under 50 pages is it an incredible book, I think this should be shared far and wide. I gave this 5 stars with no hesitation. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
gotathingforthings's review against another edition
4.0
This is a graphic novel about a teenage girl with cancer, she is waiting for the response from the doctor of what her faith will be. Meanwhile, we get a story of her life and her thoughts on growing up sick.
I thought this story was really cute and touching. It is quite short, and I read it really quickly. It still manages to bring a punch and get you in the feels. The illustrations are unique and really brings forward the emotions in the story.
The ending is told to us in the title, but that is okay. The story gives hope. And I think that was most point. That through all the suffering and hard life this girl has had, finally she can breathe and be free for a time. We don’t find out what happens to her after, so I’m hoping she is well.
All in all, a short, touching and cute story, with the illustrations that fits perfectly. And an hopeful ending. 3.75/5 stars!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with this eArc.
I thought this story was really cute and touching. It is quite short, and I read it really quickly. It still manages to bring a punch and get you in the feels. The illustrations are unique and really brings forward the emotions in the story.
The ending is told to us in the title, but that is okay. The story gives hope. And I think that was most point. That through all the suffering and hard life this girl has had, finally she can breathe and be free for a time. We don’t find out what happens to her after, so I’m hoping she is well.
All in all, a short, touching and cute story, with the illustrations that fits perfectly. And an hopeful ending. 3.75/5 stars!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with this eArc.
cbagni's review against another edition
4.0
Very touching, quick read, nice watercolor art! I thought it was a memoir, but it’s not—a bit disappointed by that. Regardless, nice little story. Would be a good gift for someone dealing with cancer…as the explanation at the end says, so many stories about cancer have sad endings, despite the high and growing survival rate, and this is a rare story that doesn’t. It gives you hope!
coutures1513's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
C’était doux et beau, c’est une histoire qui donne espoir. Je ne donne pas plus de 3 étoiles, car ce n’est pas une histoire qui va me marquer, mais je la recommande !
chelseamartinez's review against another edition
2.0
A short, straightforward tale in monochrome plums and grays. The afterword explains a motivation for this story, and I'm on the fence about whether the whole things feels pro forma even before that.