This book was incredibly heartwarming thorough both the illustrations and the story itself. The way that the characters banded together to help this poor woman out combined with the mysterious narrator. It just proves that people can be incredibly kind and they won't judge as long as something is for the best in someone else.

I took some time to accept this book - the artwork makes everyone look a little, well, ugly; the device of having a religious statue as narrator seemed out of place; and when it proved to be a book about a woman who can't accept her infant died at birth, well - it seemed to be not up my street at all. But I was definitely charmed by the end - it has heart, it has invention, it clearly is set in a world where - the darkness of the title character aside - one would wish to live. It really turned itself round in my estimation, so I would definitely recommend it. It's the strangest and mostly oddly compelling look at faith, familial love and fraternity you will read for a long time.

Lovely drawings for an odd story. A simple-minded young woman has a baby who died young, but the the mother never believes that. In order to keep her happy, the entire town pretends that she is real, except it seems that maybe not everyone has to pretend.

This is a great story, left me speechless and wondering if some times little miracles like the one told here, couldn't happen in reality also.

Questa bellissima storia mi ha lasciato senza parole e piú volte mi sono chiesta se tutto sommato un miracolo come quello qui raccontato, non sarebbe giá potuto succedere davvero.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

Such a beautiful message: “Why bring somebody pain when it's so easy to bring joy instead?”

A beautifully illustrated story set in France, in a period style (1930s). If you liked the animated film 'Belleville Rendezvous' then you will like this! It tells the tale of a young woman who gives birth to a stillborn daughter, Lydie. The woman then believes that her child has come back from heaven, and gradually all the neighbours learn to go along with this in support. When the child goes to school, all the children draw pictures of Lydie, and they all show the same girl ... so the reader begins to wonder if Lydie is in fact real. I don't want to say any more! I thought it ended a bit abruptly, but it was still a charming read, and lovely to look at.
Many thanks to the publisher for a digital review copy.

In una città francese esiste una stradina, un vicolo cieco: è un universo a parte, un microcosmo in cui tutti si conoscono e sia aiutano, formando una comunità così stratta da distinguere fra i Mustachios (i Baffuti, dal poster di un neonato con i baffi che caratterizza la strada) e... bè, tutti gli altri.

E in questa stradina arriva un giorno una nuova abitante: Lydie, figlia della dolce Camille, ragazza madre un po' lenta ma benvoluta da tutti. Lydie che è morta alla nascita, ma è tornata dopo due mesi a consolare sua madre - e che solo lei vede.

Inizia così una gara di cuore per sostenere l'inganno negli anni, e evitare a Camille ogni sofferenza.

Ma... se non fosse solo una fantasia?

Lydie è una graphic novel di delicatezza estrema: attraverso una vicenda di dolore costruisce un vero e proprio mondo di affetto e solidarietà, creato da una bambina che non esiste (o sì?) e dal buon cuore di chi vuole proteggere un'innocente.

Bellissime anche le tavole, dallo stile piacevolmente datato, che riportano nella ricchezza dei dettagli un mondo che non è più.

Disclaimer: Arc via Netgalley.
Lydie is a ghost story, or is it? What it really is, is a story about a neighborhood. It is the neighborhood that pulls together in the face of a tragedy. Told by a statue, perhaps, it chronicles the life of Camille, a simple soul whose daughter is stillborn.
Or is the young girl?
That is the question – how real is Lydie and if she is real, how did she become real?
That too is the charm of the story. It is a wonderful little graphic novel about the power of a community that may not have much money and may not like each other but come together to help one of theirs. In the process, perhaps, they became better for it. The story is sentimental, but not sweet. It hearkens to Chocolat in part, that same type of feeling.
Lafebre’s illustrations are beautiful and remind me of the Triplets of Belleville.

Lydie is a short tear-jerker that rewards readers with beautiful artwork and a compelling plot.

Set in a French cul-de-sac in an unnamed French town, Lydie tells the story of a set of neighbors that band together to help Camille, a mentally impaired French girl, in a very unusual way. The street is nicknamed mustachioed baby court due to a graffitied baby on a soap billboard at the end of the street. There are many points-of-view depicted in Lydie including from a statue of the Virgin Mary located on one of the buildings.

Set in 1932, life was both harsher and more neighborly than it is today. Camille loses her baby named Lydie during childbirth. A few months later, Camille believes that angels have brought back her child from heaven. First her father and then all her neighbors support Camille’s fantasy. By speaking to an invisible child who grows increasing older as the novel continues, the neighbors help Camille deal with her grief of her dead child. The end of this novel is the best part of all.

Since this graphic novel vividly depicts life in all its harshness, it is recommended only for adults. While it is ultimately a feel-good plot, it is also a true tearjerker. The artwork is very good too. 4 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, Europe Comics, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is a lovely and whimsical story about communities and the kindness they can show each other. We never do find out whether or not Lydie is real or just a fabrication supported by the entire local community.

The art uses muted colours, which suit the story perfectly, and the drawings themselves are gorgeous. It's a bit of a tear-jerker but ultimately a beautiful story.

Anyone who has suffered the loss of a child in any capacity will understand this story and how their lives carry on in your imagination.

DNF at 50%. Sorry, but this was just absolutely weird. I get that the woman was traumatised by the death of her child, but she kept this going on for years. Instead of anyone seeking help for the woman they just played along with it. It just went a bit too far for me. I could understand a few months, maybe a year, but 5? Whut? No.

The art was pretty nice (at points not that much), and that is what kept me going. Oh, and of course the hope that maybe the mother would get help or that she would snap out of it herself.

This is an odd little tale. The child, Lydie, was still born, and yet, her mother believes that she has come back from heaven, though no one can see her, and proceeds to raise her.

Does she exist? The statue of the Virgin Mary, who is telling the story, says she doesn’t know. She only knows that the mother believes the child does, and that the neighbors help her along, as does her father.

There are clues that she might exist. The children can see her, and draw pictures of her. It is very odd. When her grandfather goes to put a new coin under the invisible girl’s pillow, he finds a tooth. And just before he dies, he not only hears her, but responds to her, as though he has heard her before.

Perhaps a mother’s love has made her real.

Beautiful, old fashioned type of illustrations, as this is supposed to be taking place in the 1930s, in a village somewhere in France.

The illustrator has great use of body language, and draws all sorts of shapes and sizes. Even though it is an odd little book, I enjoyed it enough to finish it. Lafebre knows how do draw people, as though he has been observing small towns and their inhabitants.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Sweet, enjoyable read. Pleasant story. Love the sense of family in the neighborhood, reminds me of my own.

I'm usually not really into graphic novels but I really liked the premise of this one. The graphics are nice and story is really interesting. I would actually have liked to see more of it.

It’s lovely, and kind., and brings out the best in people. Although I didn’t like the part about the kittens.

*thank you to Netgalley and Europe Comics for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars.

This was just beautiful. There was such heartfelt sadness in this story. This could be seen as a mother going through grief after the birth of her stillborn child or it could be that the child really is there but invisible. Either way, the reader can make up their own mind about it but each way still tells a beautiful story.