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susannnochka's review against another edition
2.0
1) It feels weird to rate someone's cancer memoir.
2) Essentially, it's a real-life sexandthecity-type fairy tale, but with a really great and detailed account, in graphic novel form, of one woman's experience with diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Her cartoon drawings of the cancer cells are pretty great, and the way she relates the details of ongoing treatment is probably very helpful for a lot of women in a similar boat.
2a) I like fairy tales. I like graphic novels. Not a fan of Sex and the City. I hated all the drawings of the author's shoes. But she's the cartoonist for Glamour magazine, so...
3) I liked a lot about this book, but my enjoyment was fairly limited by the author's NY existence and monied privilege. True, she goes through the horrible experience of a cancer diagnosis without health insurance-- but she does it in a couple hundred pairs of very expensive shoes and with a partner who is a loving, well-off, Maserati-driving, restaurant-owning chef. Not to mention massive amounts of social support. And a doting mother (whom she refers to, over and over, as her "(s)mother," which made me grind my teeth) who goes with her to each and every chemo appointment.
3a) As a social work intern in an outpatient cancer center, I am regularly being reminded that cancer sucks for everyone, and that everyone's experience of said suckage is valid. Um. Maybe up to a point. This author does have some excellent moments of gaining perspective about how lucky she is, but most of the patients I end up seeing have so few resources that I can't even imagine anyone I could recommend this book to. Except maybe next year's intern...
4) I have Audre Lorde's The Cancer Journals on my nightstand as my next book in line. I might have to read something else first as a brain cleanser.
2) Essentially, it's a real-life sexandthecity-type fairy tale, but with a really great and detailed account, in graphic novel form, of one woman's experience with diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Her cartoon drawings of the cancer cells are pretty great, and the way she relates the details of ongoing treatment is probably very helpful for a lot of women in a similar boat.
2a) I like fairy tales. I like graphic novels. Not a fan of Sex and the City. I hated all the drawings of the author's shoes. But she's the cartoonist for Glamour magazine, so...
3) I liked a lot about this book, but my enjoyment was fairly limited by the author's NY existence and monied privilege. True, she goes through the horrible experience of a cancer diagnosis without health insurance-- but she does it in a couple hundred pairs of very expensive shoes and with a partner who is a loving, well-off, Maserati-driving, restaurant-owning chef. Not to mention massive amounts of social support. And a doting mother (whom she refers to, over and over, as her "(s)mother," which made me grind my teeth) who goes with her to each and every chemo appointment.
3a) As a social work intern in an outpatient cancer center, I am regularly being reminded that cancer sucks for everyone, and that everyone's experience of said suckage is valid. Um. Maybe up to a point. This author does have some excellent moments of gaining perspective about how lucky she is, but most of the patients I end up seeing have so few resources that I can't even imagine anyone I could recommend this book to. Except maybe next year's intern...
4) I have Audre Lorde's The Cancer Journals on my nightstand as my next book in line. I might have to read something else first as a brain cleanser.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting format to write a memoir. Marchetto is a cartoonist and has published in many notable publications. At the age of forty-three, months before her wedding date, she finds out she has breast cancer.
This is a look at how life quickly changed for Marchetto upon her diagnosis. It looks at a weighty issue with humor.
This is a look at how life quickly changed for Marchetto upon her diagnosis. It looks at a weighty issue with humor.
raloveridge's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this--a bit too Sex in the City for my tastes, but a great use of comic storytelling and biography.
mschlat's review against another edition
5.0
This is the story of a narcissistic, fashion obsessed, forty-something in New York and her discovery that she has breast cancer just a short time before her wedding to an Italian restauranteur. Save for one appeal factor (which I'll get to in a minute), this graphic novel has nothing that I should be interested in.
Regardless, I loved this work. Marchetto's voice is so strong and her cartooning - though rough at times - is so compelling that I could not help but enjoy the read. It's not that Marchetto braves everything with humor (she tries, but fails), but that she always returns to the brash voice that keeps her going. Heck, this is a story that involves the protagonist consulting a phone psychic and a Kaballah-practicing rabbi (two things that typically set off my b.s. radar), and I still read with fascination.
The one appeal factor that did attract me was Marchetto's work as a cartoonist. She details her regular visits to the New Yorker to sell her stuff (along with funny depictions of her competitors) along with a moving journalistic piece she did for Talk magazine right after 9/11.
Regardless, I loved this work. Marchetto's voice is so strong and her cartooning - though rough at times - is so compelling that I could not help but enjoy the read. It's not that Marchetto braves everything with humor (she tries, but fails), but that she always returns to the brash voice that keeps her going. Heck, this is a story that involves the protagonist consulting a phone psychic and a Kaballah-practicing rabbi (two things that typically set off my b.s. radar), and I still read with fascination.
The one appeal factor that did attract me was Marchetto's work as a cartoonist. She details her regular visits to the New Yorker to sell her stuff (along with funny depictions of her competitors) along with a moving journalistic piece she did for Talk magazine right after 9/11.
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
I read this from the perspective of an early stage breast cancer diagnosis currently undergoing chemo wanting to read other such stories that are more in a light-hearted vein.
And this story-told-through-cartoons was right up my alley. Acocella-Marchetto is kind of the like the main character of Sex-in-the-City living a glamorous, artsy New York lifestyle complete with hip, trendy, high-heeled shoes, editor-struggles, a procession of boyfriends, a difficult but artsy mother, and bossy, hip friends with rich/famous clients.
Much of the story is written about those aspects of the author's life, going back all the way to her reaction to 9/11 and then jumping ahead years to her hearing her diagnosis of breast cancer on the eve of her marriage to a rich, famous, gorgeous restaurateur.
Her diagnosis and then subsequent struggles with body-image in the fashion/body conscious world she lives in (especially in regards to the models who constant hit on her fiance) is the main focus of the story. While she does tell us bits about the chemo and the indignity of multiple mammograms, she glosses over alot of the side effects to main talk about her relationships and struggle to find less negativity (kaballah and psychotherapy).
If you're looking for memoirs with information or curious about dealing with side effects of chemo or radiation, then this is not the cancer memoir for you. If like me, you're a middle class diagnosee wanting a bit more of "real" life with kids, than the parts about her glamorous life while entertaining were not something I could connect with at all.
If you're looking for a more light-hearted journey where the heroine deals more with body-image and emotional struggles coupled with cute illustrations of shoes and a very supportive fiance, then you'll enjoy this one.
This Book's Snack Rating: Popcorn with white-truffle oil for the snackability of the author's illustrated, non-angsty portrayal of breast cancer in a high-fashion world
And this story-told-through-cartoons was right up my alley. Acocella-Marchetto is kind of the like the main character of Sex-in-the-City living a glamorous, artsy New York lifestyle complete with hip, trendy, high-heeled shoes, editor-struggles, a procession of boyfriends, a difficult but artsy mother, and bossy, hip friends with rich/famous clients.
Much of the story is written about those aspects of the author's life, going back all the way to her reaction to 9/11 and then jumping ahead years to her hearing her diagnosis of breast cancer on the eve of her marriage to a rich, famous, gorgeous restaurateur.
Her diagnosis and then subsequent struggles with body-image in the fashion/body conscious world she lives in (especially in regards to the models who constant hit on her fiance) is the main focus of the story. While she does tell us bits about the chemo and the indignity of multiple mammograms, she glosses over alot of the side effects to main talk about her relationships and struggle to find less negativity (kaballah and psychotherapy).
If you're looking for memoirs with information or curious about dealing with side effects of chemo or radiation, then this is not the cancer memoir for you. If like me, you're a middle class diagnosee wanting a bit more of "real" life with kids, than the parts about her glamorous life while entertaining were not something I could connect with at all.
If you're looking for a more light-hearted journey where the heroine deals more with body-image and emotional struggles coupled with cute illustrations of shoes and a very supportive fiance, then you'll enjoy this one.
This Book's Snack Rating: Popcorn with white-truffle oil for the snackability of the author's illustrated, non-angsty portrayal of breast cancer in a high-fashion world
lovegirl30's review against another edition
4.0
Great message, just wish the comics were done in a different style. Review to come
froydis's review against another edition
3.0
Probably more of a 3 1/2 stars for me. Its sort of "Sex in the City Gets Cancer and still wears fabulous shoes." In spite of the serious subject, is a little silly.
cozylittlebrownhouse's review against another edition
5.0
I have read several graphic novels in the past year, and many of them have been memoirs. This story, about a fabulous New York cartoonist who dons equally as fabulous shoes, chronicles her year spent kicking cancer's ass. The cover image really depicts the personality of Marisa - she deals with her fears, her upcoming wedding, and her career through her magical storytelling and imagery. I really felt as though I came to know Marisa through her journey and I think this would be a great book for someone who is battling cancer. Yes, some of the sections are wrought with sadness and pain because she is so truthful about all of her experiences, but her wit and images of handling her fears offset that and just make it a really honest look into the life of a cancer survivor (hence, it makes a good gift).
I hope creating this book helped her through her battle with cancer and offered her a form of therapy; I hope it helps others too. I think many will laugh, will cry, and will identify with Marisa whether they have had cancer or know someone who has. I have lost 9 women in my family to breast cancer, so this really hit home and I just really rooted for Marisa with every turn of the page. And, you have to love her husband. He is fantastic through all of this.
I hope Marisa checks goodreads and knows that by pouring all of herself into this piece of work, she has done a really, really good thing.
(AND, I am not trying to be rude by calling her by her first name, but it just feels appropriate after reading her memoir. It seems as though she would prefer that herself.)
I hope creating this book helped her through her battle with cancer and offered her a form of therapy; I hope it helps others too. I think many will laugh, will cry, and will identify with Marisa whether they have had cancer or know someone who has. I have lost 9 women in my family to breast cancer, so this really hit home and I just really rooted for Marisa with every turn of the page. And, you have to love her husband. He is fantastic through all of this.
I hope Marisa checks goodreads and knows that by pouring all of herself into this piece of work, she has done a really, really good thing.
(AND, I am not trying to be rude by calling her by her first name, but it just feels appropriate after reading her memoir. It seems as though she would prefer that herself.)