Lucille

by Ludovic Debeurme

Overview

Winner of the René Goscinny Prize! With Lucille, Ludovic Debeurme takes on the difficult world of adolescence, following the life of a young anorexic woman and the difficult relationships she has with others, who have significant problems of their own. Influenced by psychoanalysis and the exploration of dreams, Debeurme explores life and fantasies with elegant clean graphics and a profound love of the games of childhood.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603090735
Publisher:	IDW Publishing
Publication date:	07/12/2011
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 8.80(h) x 1.50(d)
Age Range:	16 Years

Editorial Reviews

Lucille and Vladimir grow up wounded youngsters in a French fishing village, Lucille anorectically rebellious against her standoffish mother and the slights suffered as a plump little girl, and Vladimir an uneasy bully who must coax his hard-drinking fisherman father home from the bars—a violent dad who hangs himself after a fight with a neighbor. Meeting by chance, the teens form a quick and surprising bond and run away together. Their developing romance falters from their wounds, and Part 1 ends after a crisis. Debeurme uses fine-line simplicity to portray his characters, who initially appear rather one-dimensional. But as the story develops, the characters become more complex and the art more gracefully realistic, tracking Lucille and Vladimir's maturation into a larger world. VERDICT This coming-of-age story won several European awards upon its publication in France in 2006, and Top Shelf's translation marks Debeurme's English-language debut. It evokes great sympathy for its characters, young and old. While the art works, a partial color wash as per the cover would have enhanced the interior. A readalike for Craig Thompson's Blankets; owing to nudity and sexual content, for older teens and adults. The sequel, Renée, just appeared in France.—M.C.

Library Journal