bibliotequeish's review
3.0
This follows the lives of three very different people who are selected for a clinical trial. Their dishonesty at the outset of the story, lays the foundation for the side effects the drug will manifest.
An interesting premise, and a very fast read.
An interesting premise, and a very fast read.
neenor's review
3.0
Guinea Pigs is a quick, easy graphic novel to read, but at the same time highlights some of the many issues faced by the increasing medicalisation of society. The illustrations are great, and overall I would recommend it.
pryngols's review
4.0
As soon as I saw the title and cover I just knew I had to read this. It initially reminded me of Maniac that I recently saw on Netflix. As expected with any Europe Comics book, this one is full of awesome art! The establishing scenes are superb, with interesting and effective use of color schemes to differentiate time and places.
It’s about three random people signing up for a test run of a new breakthrough medicine that is supposed to solve all of humanity’s mental health problems. We begin a journey that takes a closer look at the pharmaceutical industry. It explores the issue of just how much of our medications really help us. It’s a question of research ethics—just when is it acceptable to sacrifice “guinea pigs” for the good of the greater population? How do we even quantify the pros and cons of results vs the side effects?
I love the unlikely friendship that was formed between the trio. All throughout the book you just know something big will happen, just not if it’s good or bad. I constantly worry about our main characters. That is how invested I was in the story. I can’t say the ending was what I expected, too. It’s overall a really great read with pleasant surprises.
Ultimately it’s a book on mental health. I love how it teaches us that inversing the symptom is not the automatic solution to any illness. We need to study, understand and embrace our fears and anxiety so we can function with them and not against. Escape is never the answer.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing a copy of this wonderful graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
It’s about three random people signing up for a test run of a new breakthrough medicine that is supposed to solve all of humanity’s mental health problems. We begin a journey that takes a closer look at the pharmaceutical industry. It explores the issue of just how much of our medications really help us. It’s a question of research ethics—just when is it acceptable to sacrifice “guinea pigs” for the good of the greater population? How do we even quantify the pros and cons of results vs the side effects?
I love the unlikely friendship that was formed between the trio. All throughout the book you just know something big will happen, just not if it’s good or bad. I constantly worry about our main characters. That is how invested I was in the story. I can’t say the ending was what I expected, too. It’s overall a really great read with pleasant surprises.
Ultimately it’s a book on mental health. I love how it teaches us that inversing the symptom is not the automatic solution to any illness. We need to study, understand and embrace our fears and anxiety so we can function with them and not against. Escape is never the answer.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing a copy of this wonderful graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
ljrinaldi's review
3.0
An interesting take on what would happen if you could take a drug that would not so much free you from your inhibitions, but make you into the opposite of what you currently are.
Do you want that? Would you want to go from being shy, to being outgoing? Would you want to go from being a pacifist to being aggressive?
Three subjects are chosen who have no idea what the drug will do, but when they find out, they do not want to give it up.
And interesting window into how people would react if they found they could do whatever they wanted to and would be good at it. And strangely, how the world around them reacts as well.
For, it is not just the drug company that wants them to stop being who they have become, but others as well.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Do you want that? Would you want to go from being shy, to being outgoing? Would you want to go from being a pacifist to being aggressive?
Three subjects are chosen who have no idea what the drug will do, but when they find out, they do not want to give it up.
And interesting window into how people would react if they found they could do whatever they wanted to and would be good at it. And strangely, how the world around them reacts as well.
For, it is not just the drug company that wants them to stop being who they have become, but others as well.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
gudzilla's review
3.0
guinea pig
noun
plural noun: guinea pigs
1. a domesticated tailless South American cavy, originally raised for food. It no longer occurs in the wild and is now typically kept as a pet or for laboratory research.
2. a person or thing used as a subject for experiment.
There is new revolutionary drug M2C2T has been created. Phase 1 of testing has been complete and now for Phase 2, it has to be tested on human. 2 men and 1 woman chosen as test subjects and 35,000 dollars after a month. This story is about how testing goes, how that affects individual and how their life changes after this.
It was nice concept and very neatly executed with great graphic design.
noun
plural noun: guinea pigs
1. a domesticated tailless South American cavy, originally raised for food. It no longer occurs in the wild and is now typically kept as a pet or for laboratory research.
2. a person or thing used as a subject for experiment.
There is new revolutionary drug M2C2T has been created. Phase 1 of testing has been complete and now for Phase 2, it has to be tested on human. 2 men and 1 woman chosen as test subjects and 35,000 dollars after a month. This story is about how testing goes, how that affects individual and how their life changes after this.
It was nice concept and very neatly executed with great graphic design.
quirkycatsfatstacks's review
4.0
I received a copy of Guinea Pigs through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Guinea Pigs is a graphic novel focused on the world of pharmaceutical drugs. I’ll be honest with you; it never once occurred to me to expect to see a graphic novel come from this particular branch of science. Maybe that was silly of me, I don’t know.
The main characters are…well they’re guinea pigs, if you want to put it bluntly. They’re the people that pharmaceutical companies test their new drugs on, to prove they’re safe for human consumption (and to correct the dosage as needed). It’s not the most comfortable thing to think about; especially when you considered all the unknown side effects that could arise. Ever notice those warning labels on your medications? Those are there because somebody testing the medication had that reaction. A little depressing, isn’t it?
Knowing this, I went into this book not exactly expecting a happy tale or a happy ending. I expected the series to be bleak, but maybe have a quirk or two. I got some of what I was expecting, but on the whole Guinea Pigs successfully managed to surprise me.
The twists and turns that this story took were completely unexpected. The way everything got flipped on its head…I never could have seen it coming. And yet they still managed to tell some of the story I was expecting, talk about the harsh reality behind testing. Admittedly it wasn’t as much as I expected, but this way was certainly more unique, and it felt less preachy too. So I’d consider that a success.
I’m glad I took the time to read Guinea Pigs, and honestly I sort of hope to see more from this creative team in the future. I think they have a lot of potential for surprising tales.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Guinea Pigs is a graphic novel focused on the world of pharmaceutical drugs. I’ll be honest with you; it never once occurred to me to expect to see a graphic novel come from this particular branch of science. Maybe that was silly of me, I don’t know.
The main characters are…well they’re guinea pigs, if you want to put it bluntly. They’re the people that pharmaceutical companies test their new drugs on, to prove they’re safe for human consumption (and to correct the dosage as needed). It’s not the most comfortable thing to think about; especially when you considered all the unknown side effects that could arise. Ever notice those warning labels on your medications? Those are there because somebody testing the medication had that reaction. A little depressing, isn’t it?
Knowing this, I went into this book not exactly expecting a happy tale or a happy ending. I expected the series to be bleak, but maybe have a quirk or two. I got some of what I was expecting, but on the whole Guinea Pigs successfully managed to surprise me.
The twists and turns that this story took were completely unexpected. The way everything got flipped on its head…I never could have seen it coming. And yet they still managed to tell some of the story I was expecting, talk about the harsh reality behind testing. Admittedly it wasn’t as much as I expected, but this way was certainly more unique, and it felt less preachy too. So I’d consider that a success.
I’m glad I took the time to read Guinea Pigs, and honestly I sort of hope to see more from this creative team in the future. I think they have a lot of potential for surprising tales.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
ktshpd's review
3.0
Interesting book. It follows a trio of people who test a new pharmaceutical. The beginning seemed like it was going to be Twilight Zone-stuff, but the storyline ends up somewhat conventionally. Good idea, but I wish it would have gone a different way about 1/3 of the way through.
ania_star's review
5.0
received from NetGalley
It was the perfect comic book for me. I love the storyline, especially the ending and looking forward to more parts.
Three people have been chosen for a pharmaceutical trial in exchange for quite a lot of money. THe have to stay at the facility and take the pill for a month, however, the pills have very interesting side effects. :)
It was the perfect comic book for me. I love the storyline, especially the ending and looking forward to more parts.
Three people have been chosen for a pharmaceutical trial in exchange for quite a lot of money. THe have to stay at the facility and take the pill for a month, however, the pills have very interesting side effects. :)
dkevanstoronto's review
3.0
A slick clean design, a sharp tense story, a nice unrolling of ideas. This book is good for a broad adult audience. It may have some derivative elements, but that's okay, it plays with expectations. There is also a nice helping of humour as well. I would recommend this book.
booksandaya's review
3.0
This graphic novel was definitely interesting to read.
A new drug was made in France and needed to be tested on people, and there were 3 volunteers. They took the drug and had trials and blood tests made on them, and we follow them for 3 weeks, how they react to the drug and if there is any side effects to it.
It discusses the effect of drugs on you and how it can change your life positively or negatively. It also delves deep into the meaning of life and what do you want to do with your life.
I have some mixed feelings about it. It was satisfying in the beginning of it, even thought it is only 96 pages. However, near the end it was rushed and I was confused by the end to be honest.
It has adult themes in it, so be aware of that before picking it up.
A new drug was made in France and needed to be tested on people, and there were 3 volunteers. They took the drug and had trials and blood tests made on them, and we follow them for 3 weeks, how they react to the drug and if there is any side effects to it.
It discusses the effect of drugs on you and how it can change your life positively or negatively. It also delves deep into the meaning of life and what do you want to do with your life.
I have some mixed feelings about it. It was satisfying in the beginning of it, even thought it is only 96 pages. However, near the end it was rushed and I was confused by the end to be honest.
It has adult themes in it, so be aware of that before picking it up.