Invisible Differences

by Julie Dachez, Mademoiselle Caroline (Illustrator)

Overview

Translated for the very first time in English, Invisible Differences is the deeply moving and intimate story of what it's like to live day to day with Asperger Syndrome.

"This soulful and serious look at Asperger’s syndrome brings an informed and optimistic perspective to the fore." — Publishers Weekly

Marguerite feels awkward, struggling every day to stay productive at work and keep up appearances with friends. She's sensitive, irritable at times. She makes her environment a fluffy, comforting cocoon, alienating her boyfriend. The everyday noise and stimuli assaults her senses, the constant chatter of her coworkers working her last nerve. Then, when one big fight with her boyfriend finds her frustrated and dejected, Marguerite finally investigates the root of her discomfor: after a journey of tough conversations with her loved ones, doctors, and the internet, she discovers that she has Aspergers. Her life is profoundly changed – for the better.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620107669
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	10/20/2020
Pages:	196
Sales rank:	224,057
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

I graduated from ESCP and hold a PhD in social psychology. After being diagnosed with Asperger's autism at the age of 27, I decided to change my life. Far from being a burden, this diagnosis allowed me to learn to love myself and to express my personality as I had never dared to do before. Passionate about human and social sciences, my two favorite subjects are autism and feminism. I am a transmedia actress and I express myself as well on my blog as on Youtube , which combines with them two more than two million views. In collaboration with Mademoiselle Caroline I published an autobiographical comic, The invisible difference , published by Delcourt editions in September 2016. I am also the author of Dans ta bulle! published by Marabout in April 2018. In conference and training, I show another vision of autism, far from clichés and sensationalism. Considering autism not as a disability but as a difference, I seek to make a voice heard that is still a minority.

Editorial Reviews

06/15/2020

Dachez and Caroline explore life with Asperger’s syndrome with candor and compassion in their English-language debut. Marguerite, a fictionalized version of Dachez, is a young Parisian woman who loves vegetarian food, sunny days, and her pets—and is frustrated about the ways she’s different from other people. Caroline’s delightfully loose, loopy style, reminiscent of Julia Wertz, captures Marguerite’s anxiety: the suffocating background noise of her gossipy office, how she can’t stand the feeling of most clothing, and the Herculean effort it takes her to get through a party. An adult diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome comes as a joyous relief—but how is she supposed to explain it to ignorant friends, coworkers, and doctors? Caroline’s use of highly saturated color creeping in and out of black and gray scenes brilliantly conveys the intrusive intensity of Marguerite’s experience of the world: scribbled red letters for the distracting babble of children, sour yellow for a dismissive doctor’s office, and cheery teal to backlight a gathering of Marguerite’s fellow “aspies.” This soulful and serious look at Asperger’s syndrome brings an informed and optimistic perspective to the fore. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"This remarkable, easily read, informative, attractive, and cleverly designed book should be required reading for all neurotypical and neuroatypical individuals to help them better understand behavior along the autism spectrum."

Manhattan Book Review

"Invisible Differences is an honest, enlightening, and inspirational graphic treatment of a serious subject."

Foreword Reviews

★ 07/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—Marguerite is a young woman who struggles with social interactions, depends on routine, and is sensitive to sound and touch. Her family, coworkers, and even the medical professionals she looks to for help just find her confusing. She finally meets a therapist who takes her seriously and recognizes her issues. Marguerite is tested and diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism (though the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual folded the term Asperger's under autism spectrum disorder, it continues to be used colloquially). With resources for support, Marguerite begins to advocate for herself, fighting to make changes in her professional and social interactions so she can lead a healthy, happy life. This #OwnVoices story is based on Dachez's years of being misunderstood and misdiagnosed—in France, the medical profession lags behind that of other countries in understanding autism. After her diagnosis, she became a researcher and activist. Mademoiselle Caroline's art is outstanding, powerfully conveying Marguerite's anxiety and shame. A monochrome palette gives way to warm or cool tones; pops of red start small, become overwhelming, then finally symbolize Marguerite's positive new outlook. The endnotes include a concise guide to understanding Asperger's and ways to help "Aspies" succeed. VERDICT This stellar exploration of living with Asperger's belongs in all school and public libraries.—Carla Riemer, Albany H.S., CA

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