This brief graphic memoir, inspired by the author's great aunt, offers a compelling picture of what life was like for a young French woman who fell in love with an American soldier and emigrated to the United States after World War II. I did not know about all the bureaucratic hoops these young ladies (and their husbands) had to jump through in order for them to be able to start a life together stateside.

Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for sending me this ARC.

An intriguing (and informative) read about war brides. The art style was very clean and the plot easy to follow. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it much better.

This was a bit less cohesive than I might have liked. THere's a full plot of sorts, the attempt to get along with previously unknown family. There are some interesting parallels between post war France and modern Michigan. Culture clash and the sense of being a person between worlds. The ending is fairly open, making it open to interpretation but a bit adrift.

I'm always looking for books that are engaging or educating or hopefully both for YA students. Call this one "both."

It had been a while since I read a graphic novel, and I was really looking forward to reading a good one when I saw Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride on NetGalley. Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for sending me the ARC!

The book recounts two stories at the same time beginning with that of Julien and Maud’s impending visit to the latter’s family home in the US to celebrate her great-aunt Odette’s birthday. Julien, who is French, still finds Americans slightly amusing and never loses an opportunity to have a little fun.

Julien: All I'm saying is, there isn't a guide to Michigan.
Maud: Lay off. They're my family. I know you, you're going to crack jokes at the dinner table.
Julien: They have a dinner table?

As they go around doing some last-minute shopping for the family, the panels segue into the other story in the book. It’s the beginning of the Second World War, and we see Odette, the war bride of the title, working in her family’s brasserie. This is where she meets John, her future husband, and we are shown how their relationship progresses through the next few years.

The book goes back and forth between the family reunion happening in honour of Odette’s 86th birthday and her younger years with John. The cultural differences are what make up most of the book in both stories. While Odette struggles with life in the US, Julien is perpetually flustered or amused with American humour or forthrightness.

I loved Julien’s acerbic humour that laces all the conversations in the book, and the quirky melange of characters that make up Maud’s family. At about 154 pages, this is a very quick read, and a really cheerful and breezy one at that. But that is also the book’s failing in some sense. I wish Julien told us more about Odette and John, and their relationship. A little more about life in France contrasted with her life in the US. I wish I could have understood Odette a little more especially since she seemed to be a plucky personality with a mind of her own even in her 80s. It doesn’t take away the joyride this book is, though. So, just go along and have fun.

I was intrigued by the premise. It is a story of a war bride and what the halves of her family looks like now, separated by a continent. The occasion is the birthday of Odette who is now a grandmother. She was once a Parisian who married a US GI. There is so much more that could have been added to the tale, but being constrained in the size ( I assume), it limits its story to the bare minimum. It is funny, simple and if you go in with reasonable expectations, it is time well spent. It is a subject that I have thought about on and off ( women who marry someone from a whole other country and leave with them at a time when communications with their homeland was not efficient) and this story adds some food for thought.

This is an especially well written graphic novel based on a true story - that of the author's wife's relatives. What stood out for me is that we have two different cultures, two different time periods, and two different cities: with a very honest light shed on both. Characters are not idealized and very distinct with common foibles. And although the perspective is mostly that of a Frenchman looking curiously at the Americans, both sides come to an interesting understanding of each other. The art is appropriate and tells the story cleanly; what you see on the cover is very representative of what you will find inside.

Story: Julien Frey is a Frenchman who is taking his new family to visit/vacation in the US so his wife can meet her great aunt Odette. Odette was a French war bride and moved to Michigan when she married a GI. Life wasn't easy for Odette and certainly Julien has a lot to consider when he meets his American relatives who haven't had it easy in Michigan.

The story interweaves Odette's experiences with being woo'd and then coming to the US as a bride with Julien's somewhat dismissive view of American 'culture' and mores. We get a story of very complicated lives and trying to survive the post war years for two different cultures. American did not turn out to be the 'promised land of wealth' and France was not such a terrible place to leave are both messages that are often shown here. But for all of Julien's frowning at American violence and obsession with food, he also has to appreciate the American resiliency and the life his wife's great aunt created in America.

The art is very clean, if a bit monochromatic, and fairly easy to follow. The artist did an excellent job of giving us the situation of both families in a way that kept the read interesting and told the story well. The illustrations were both 1940s Blondesque and modern at the same time.

In all, an excellent read and one to make you think about the different cultures and choices made after the war years. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Odette was a twenty year old French girl working in the Cafe De L'Est, a Brasserie in Paris. The year was 1944. John Wojcik, an American soldier, worked as a mechanic for the military railway service. Odette projected a coldness that John was able to chip away. Admittedly, he wooed her with a Milky Way candy bar. John and Odette eventually wish to marry. Her family offers him a job hoping to entice them to settle in Paris. In his home state of Michigan, John has a good job with a railway company. The ravages of war are visible everywhere...dwellings are in ruin, lack of heats persists, and there are long queues to buy goods such as potatoes or gasoline. Odette is about to become a war bride bound for America.

In 2010, Julien Frey and family ready themselves for a trip to Michigan to see his American relatives. Julien would like wife Maud to meet his great aunt Odette in celebration of his great aunt's 86th birthday. The cultural differences between Julien's American and French family are quirky at best, especially taking note of "display items" on a bathroom shelf, products sold by their business venture.

What was the war bride experience like? War brides were not immigrants because they were the wives of GI's. Before they could board ships for America they had to complete paperwork, take lessons in American culture and pass a physical exam. Arriving in New York, the brides could not disembark on their own. They had to be met by their new husbands or a different responsible party. Most war brides were warmly welcomed.

Author Julien Frey has created an excellent work of historical fiction that relates his great aunt's experience as a war bride, the wife of a GI, and her new life in Michigan. Artist Lucas Varela uses a muted color palette to illustrate Odette's journey. The choice of subdued reds and blues could use an occasional burst of color to supplement the beautiful artwork. "Michigan: On The Trail of a War Bride: by Julien Frey is a graphic novel of love, courage and starting anew.

Thank you Europe Comics and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride".

Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride has a dual timeline. Julian (a Frenchman), and the frame of the book, visits his wife's extended family in Michigan. There, they see just how different American culture and everyday life are compared to what they are used to back home in France. In Michigan, Julien meets Odette, his wife's aunt, who was born and raised in France and then married an American soldier during World War II and immigrated to Michigan as a war bride. Odette's tale of her courtship and early years in Michigan make up the bulk of this graphic novel.

I enjoyed Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride more than I have most other graphic novels, probably because I am a massive fan of historical fiction. Beyond the stark contrasts between American and French culture, the frame tale was unnecessary. I would probably have enjoyed the book even more if we had gotten more "meat" of Odette's early years in America.

Comics are a new territory for me to explore, and I couldn't have chosen a better introductory piece than Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride. It tells a story that might be well known but it is still personal and unique. The story of war brides is something people know more or less about, they at least have a vague idea that such marriages came about during and after the World War. But perhaps not so many people are acquainted with specific stories.

The writer deserves credit for sharing the personal experiences of his family with the audience, and the illustrator must be praised for the beautiful visual representation. One thing that seemed weird to me are the "sex toy selling scenes" but it might be because I'm too conservative. I would have omitted that part. Other than that, I enjoyed the comic immensely: the characters were interesting and likeable, and the humour of the writing has given me some minutes of carefree enjoyment.

I'd definitely recommend the story to my friends and peers.

A intimate story of a war bride moving to America with her GI. Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride showcase the, concerns and process to prepare war brides to a new life. These women were courageous to uproot themselves. Readers get a glance at a few obstacles they overcame.

The delicate storytelling is like a beautifully woven memory. The art is gorgeous and the back and forth of American vs. French culture is endearing. A great story of the resilience of women.

This is supposed to be a fictionalized version of a real story about the author's great-aunt-in-law, and how she was a war bride.

The story follows the present day Julien, as he travels to Detroit, Michigan to visit his wife's American family, as well as a great aunt, who was a war bride from France.

Below is what happened when he went through American customs.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-621" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Screen-Shot-2018-06-16-at-11.23.00-PM.png" alt="" />

And below is of the great aunt when she was a young woman in Paris.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-620" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Screen-Shot-2018-06-16-at-11.23.44-PM.png" alt="" />

Both the story of how she became a war bride, and how life is now, are interesting juxtapositions. I found the story of her being a war bride far more engaging, as history often is.

Well done story. I like the contrast of Detroit then and now. I wish it had been a longer story, so we could have seen more of how hard it was to assimilate in America.


#Michigan:OnTheTrailOfAWarBride #NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

A very beautiful rendition of a real story about a French war bride who was brought to the US. The pacing of the story of on point, and I grew to really enjoy the characters. I love seeing the differences in the French side vs the American side play out throughout different scenes in the comic!

I'd definitely suggest this book to comic fans.

The perfect balance between a story of quirky families and life in modern America, fused with the moving story of a woman who emigrated to America after WW2 as a war bride. Odette's story was hilarious and heartbreaking in places, and I admit, made up my favourite parts of the book. Though I equally would have felt cheated if we hadn't had the story of the two sides of the family meeting, the Americans meeting the French side of the family two generations down the line. It led for some fun parallels and added lighthearted moments which were sorely needed in places. Not to mention some absolutely gorgeous art.

I really enjoyed this short, sweet graphic novel. I don't read many graphics novels and I've never read one that is based on a true story. I really love stories set in the 30's and 40's especially true ones so I had a feeling this would be the book for me. I was right. This book made me laugh a lot and just really warmed my heart. Odette is my new hero! I really loved how this story was set in and flipped between the present day and the 1940's. I don't have a lot of experience with graphic novel art work but I'm learning what I like and don't like and I loved what I saw here in Michigan On the Trail of a War Bride.

'Michigan: On the Trail of a War Bride' by Julien Frey with art by Lucas Varela is a true story about a French woman who moved to Michigan after World War II.

When Odette was young, she worked in France and met a young American. Over the course of their relationship, they decided to get married and move to Michigan, where he was from and had work. Now it is many years later and Julien travels from France to meet his wife's American family.

There are the oddities that occur when cultures meet and differ, and these are told with some shock and quite a bit of humor. Odette's story is interwoven throughout.

The cover drew me to this title, and the interior art doesn't disappoint. I really like the style. The color choices remain a bit muted, but the lines are clear and strong.

I enjoyed this story of people out of their element and how they deal with things.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

What a lovely story. Funny, touching and romantic. I loved the back and forth between modern Detroit and WWII Paris.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

WOW. Just WOW. This was even better than I had hoped.

This book tells two stories, one is in the now featuring Julien who, along with his wife and child, goes to visit his wife's family in America to celebrate her great aunt's birthday. The then featuring that great aunt, Odette who fell in love with an American soldier during WWII and moved with him to the US. Starting a new life there.

I loved both parts, but I have to say I loved the then parts even more. As Odette is a wonderful girl with spunk, and I have an interest in stories taking place around WWII. I haven't read many war brides stories, so I was definitely more invested in reading Odette's story as it was more interesting.
But that didn't mean I didn't enjoy the Now parts. Oh no, I just loved seeing Julien try to adjust to the weird American ways of doing things. Toys that are shaped like chainsaws, violent stuff on the tv that kids just watch, sex toys in the bathroom, weapons (point to Julien for that discussion btw), and more. In a way it parallels Odette's experience, for her as a French girl she had no idea what was going on in that big country of the US.

The ending was perfect, I was already wondering if the story of Odette would tie up with something in the now. And it did. I loved how the author wove that all together into one thing.

Odette's story, how she fell in love (and I just adored that she wasn't like a lot of those girls who immediately went for it with a soldier, instead he has to win her heart by kind gestures, sweet letters, and family meetings), and how she decided (though she wasn't all too happy at first) to go with him to America. Which is a big step for her as she has to leave everything behind, her dearest brother, her family, everything. Of course one can't just go to America, she had to go to a camp near the harbour to be checked, to have everything sorted, health checks, to learn the national anthem, to learn to make cookies (really, cookies?). After that a trip with a big boat, which also picked up other war brides from other countries. The boat was really grand, with a cinema, hair saloon, dancing studio, and much more. These girls will definitely not have been bored.
I wasn't too happy with her hubby in America. I get that going to France is going to be expensive, but to hold your wife away from it so long? You know she wants to go, you know she desperately needs her family. It took her way too long before she was able to finally meet her family, her brother, again.

Plus I also loved Odette in the now. She was still a kick-ass lady, even being 86 years old. :P

The art is just stunning and fabulous, I love the style. And I adore the cover even more now that I read it, as you can know understand what is going on in the cover. I know now that Odette is the girl in the front, and that those on the right of her are her family from the now.

All in all, a graphic novel I would highly recommend to everyone. Read this one, you won't be disappointed.

We get a distinctive story here – the tale of a woman in Paris who had her heart set on a GI and so became a war bride, as explored by the proxy of our author many years later. We also get a distinctive palette – all blue and red, with some orange, but never green or yellow. But we don't really get anything enough to lift the story off the page. I just seemed to pass time with this book, rather than fall for it. The quippy flirting that turns from dislike to a lifelong relationship, the young woman's brother and his more modern equivalent – too much feels a little stale, and however much I wanted this subject and this story to emote for me, it didn't seemed to gel.