This was great. Marguerite receives the diagnosis of Aspergers as an adult and finds that finally figuring out why all her life she has always felt so awkward actually improves her life so much. Her journey to both the diagnosis and afterwards, especially since her autism has features that are more socially acceptable (you know when people tell you that you are just a bit quirky) that she managed to advocate for herself and ask for fairness. That's really what I most took away: equality is mostly about fairness. If a person cannot function in a loud workspace, isn't it fair to give them access to a quieter place? So much to think about.

As little as we know about autism in the USA - we are MILES ahead of many other countries when it comes to at least TRYING to understand and accept, and accommodate the needs of non-prototypical thinkers. Marguerite lives in France, where people know jack-all about autism (in fact her adult cousin actually tells her she can't be autistic because autistic people drool and eat worms), and doctors, ACTUAL MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS tell her she can't be autistic because she looks people in the eye.
This is a great look at what it's like to be diagnosed as an adult, and the hardships of trying to navigate life in a society that doesn't believe you when you tell them what you need in order to be able to function.

Invisible Differences is a graphic novel which follows the life of Marguerite, a 27 year old woman with Asperger's.

The dialogue between Marguerite and other characters scratches at the surface of what conversations for someone with Asperger's may be like but it's the images and the use of colour that really bring to life some of the internal anxieties that people with ASD have. I say some because not all people on the spectrum have the same symptoms.

Coming from the angle of a woman who does not know she is on the spectrum, this novel shows what it is like to live without a diagnosis, the impact it has on her social life, her work life and her home life and how her life begins to change once she has had a diagnosis.

As a teacher who works with students on the autistic spectrum, this graphic novel spoke to me so much because everything we do at school should prepare students for life outside of it and I often worry and wonder about our students with needs long after they have left my care. Knowing that so many females with ASD go through childhood without a diagnosis, you can only imagine what a difference it would make if they got one early on.

I highly recommend this book to people who:
Know nothing about Asperger's and autism
Know something about Asperger's and autism
Know everything about Asperger's and autism
Are interested in learning about Asperger's and autism
Aren't interested in learning about Asperger's and autism

What I mean is...everyone should read this book.

An intriguing combination of ideas, of understanding the internal life of a person on the autism spectrum and of the process of diagnosing and coming to terms with the condition. And there is a healthy portion of how the world misunderstands and does a disservice to people on the spectrum. That's the large part of the body of this book. People see her as strange, selfish, lazy. THey don't recognize how her condition informs her behavior, even when she is open with them about her diagnosis. It's not an open and closed story but rather a slice of her life, a part of a journey.

It was the cover that caught my eye on Mademoiselle Caroline and Julie Dachez's graphic novel Invisible Differences, translated from French and now available in English for the first time. A lone figure, Marguerite, stares out from the cover, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Invisible Differences tells Marguerite's story, from working in an office completely oblivious to her needs, to receiving an Asperger's diagnosis in her late 20s, to living her best life and finding a fulfilling career.

Despite being an introvert, I am neurotypical yet I saw so much of myself in Marguerite. This is why books like Invisible Differences are so important because it enables us to reach a common ground where those who are neuroatypical can be accommodated and live in a world less full of overwhelming stimuli and ignorant interactions.

Invisible Differences is beautifully written, a semi-autobiographical account by YouTuber and activist Julie Dachez of the road she travelled and the liberating impact of the diagnosis on her life. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the novel is learning how hard-won advancements in Asperger's Syndrome and autism awareness were in France, how common late-life (as opposed to early) diagnoses are, and how clinicians still doggedly insist on psychoanalytic treatment, despite autism being genetic not psychological in nature.

While set in France, this graphic novel has universal appeal and I would absolutely recommend this as an educational tool for both young adults and adults. Through Mademoiselle Caroline's superb graphics, we experience the difficulties and over-stimulation Marguerite experiences at work, the lack of empathy and understanding from her superiors, and the draining impact this has on Marguerite's life.

The section at the end of the story was especially helpful, containing notes on the history and facts of autism, the impacts and challenges facing those on the spectrum and tips for how workplaces can support Aspies and ensure they succeed.

Most importantly, Invisible Differences is a fun, heart-warming graphic novel where the heroine most definitely overcomes her limitations in the end and I thoroughly enjoyed both the story and the graphics.

I give Invisible Differences a superb five out of five stars.

Title: Invisible Differences
A Story of Asperger's, Adulting, and Living a Life in Full Color
Written by: Julie Dachez
Art by: Mademoiselle Caroline
Publisher: Oni Press
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels | OwnVoices
Pub Date: 20 Oct 2020
Review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3495444262

Invisible Differences is about Margueite who finds herself struggling in everyday social settings. Through the text and art we see how Margueite deals with these interactions. During the comic we see how she comes to the realization that she might have Asperger's and that her life might need to change drastically.

This comic does not shy away from the harsh truths of life with a social anxiety disorder, or any disability for that matter. It has a transparent appraisal of how some doctors can act when it comes to diagnosis. It shows that not all people on the autism spectrum present the same way or share the same behavior.

I felt the Introduction a positive read. An encouragement to own what makes us different. Aside from some issues with the cursive hand writing I loved this comic. I think all teenagers should read it whether they themselves have Asperger's or not, even if they don't know anyone with the condition it could teach them a very valuable lesson about judgement.

Though I personally had an understanding of what Asperger's was prior to reading this comic I think it gave me a greater understanding and would be a good introduction to Asperger's for anyone learning about the condition.

I liked the use of the quote "Prejudice is the child of ignorance" - William Hazitt.

It helped me understand where the term Spoonie comes from and I'm proud to be one. I will be adding this comic to my collection that is for sure.

* On a personal note. I have lived with multiple disabilities for a long time, though Depression and anxiety are mentioned in the comic I also felt see in this comic. I don't have Asperger Syndrome but I was born with a physical, degenerative, life threatening condition called Marfan Syndrome (my strain is genetic but it can be mutative) and though it effects the body I often get told "but you don't look like you have something wrong with you!" or "But you look normal" most people treat me like a liar when they first find out. I have only mentioned three of several illnesses I suffer with. I think this work did a good job of showing just how little people understand of illnesses they can not see.

I was very much excited for this book. Ahead of the publication date I went to read this book. I'd previously downloaded it and it was nowhere on my Kindle. I attempted to download again, but it says its already been archived. I've checked the content on my devices as well.

I will be reading this book ASAP on publication. As an educator, mostly with higher needs populations including special education, this book was a great premise that I would like to pass on to upper elementary/middle school kids.

I loved learning about this topic through panels. I found it extremely helpful to see what it’s like to live with Aspergers. I think this book can be vital for so many people to identify with.

I was diagnosed with Autism with I was 22 but I would have diagnosed with Asperger's. There's some debate whether Autism and Asperger's should have stayed two different things but we all agree that it's fucked up that Asperger's was ever called that because he was a literal NAZI. Autism does have different profiles still. Generally, Autism needs more proper, quality research put into it. This book does acknowledge that Aspergers is no longer officially diagnosed.

So now we have the background information out of the way. This book is a guide on Autism, with personal stories added on. This is pretty similar to my story of diagnosis. Happy to finally have answers to as so different to other people.

Marguerite's defining characteristics are Autistic and non-meat eater. Pigs will eat you, and make sure you're on the right vitamins because humans do only get certain things from meat. Animals being her special interest might be realistic, but is so vague. This book is pretty short, so its fine that's all she got to give. I would like more than that in general.

A lot of relatable things are happening in this book, I have a psychologist tell me I make eye contact (when I don't) but throughout I felt discounted and it took me to almost the end to realise why. It's told in third person and feels impersonal because of it. Its someone else telling the story. Maybe in France, this is the approach needed, it made clear that Autism is very unheard of there. It just felt very alienating. Why isn't Marguerite the POV character? I know it's based on Julie Dachez's life/blog but I think Mademoiselle Caroline wrote the actual text (well, the one that was translated), because she credited for adapting the story and Mademoiselle Caroline is the POV character. This makes it very clear that Marguerite is Julie but why was this choice made? To fictionalise her enough to give her another name, but not to write from that POV. It does comment on how formal Marguerite talks, but that's the only thing it makes sense for an outsider's voice. The more I think about it, the more I don't get this choice.

It just seems like a blank guide to Autism. It great to have an adult one of that. Marguerite is in her late twenties and already has a career before getting diagnosed, so that example of Autism is important to see. That's just what it is. Its, not something I'm interested in seeing more of, I want Autistic protagonist doing things. It's not what I want from my reading and it's not gonna be a discovery book the way it's marketed.
The art style sticks to the cover style. Mostly grey, cool tone colds with splashes of red and yellow. What it does with the colour is kinda cool and does use it as a tool to show emotion. It does depict being overstimulated pretty well.

Now to review the more information section of the book. Its mostly fine, correct information but there was two things that made me go "what, why the hell is that there for?"

Applied Behaviour Analysis is mentioned as though its a good thing and not a conversion "therapy" applied to Autistic kids. ABA was started by the leading figure in Gay conversion therapy and it is just a guarantee way to traumatised kids. They are active campaigns to get it banned.

This book tries to explain why metaphours are hard for a lot of Autistic people to understand but it being a translation also uses metaphours that not a thing in English. I wonder if in a way that proves just how odd metaphours are. Especially ones that have origins in things that are not of a daily lives anymore. It also has a nod to sexuality and gender when it comes to Autism, in a bubble.

In the resources, it lists The Curious incident in the nighttime. *Screams in Autistic*. No. that book refused to use labels and is a terrible depiction of any disability, never-mind specifically Autism. It does list two own voices books so its really odd that this book is included. There are far better depiction of actual autistic characters. This is the same as telling someone to watch Rain Man or The Big Bang Theory. Just why?

Overall, I gave it 2.5 stars for Purring Cats. I mostly rate with my gut then write a review and see if I change my mind when writing it. This is mostly a good resource, but that's what it is. It's not a memoir really, its just an example of an Autistic person discovering Autism. Sure, great that one of those exists for people who know nothing about Autism but it's definitely not for diagnosed Autistic people who are looking for themselves in a graphic novel. Maybe it will be good for people who think they might have Autism. It's relatable, I should love this book for its content, however, I just don't.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

Invisible Differences is a graphic novel about Marguerite, a woman who has Aspergers. This is based on a real person and the Graphic Novel is actually drawn by her friend.

The graphic novel shows Marguerite and how she is in the world. We see how she interacts with people, how people perceive her for how she is, and how overwhelmed she can get where other people don't. She decides to investigate why she acts as she does.

On this journey with her, we learn how some people feel with Aspergers as well as learning that some language we use or how we act in general can be really insulting and insensitive. This is not only a good read about an interesting person, but it can also be used as a little bit of a learning device. At the end of the graphic novel, there is a section full of resources which can help people learn more about Aspergers and Autism which is very helpful and insightful.

I really enjoyed learning about Marguerite and the incorporation of colours throughout the book was amazing.

Rating- 4⭐

Would I read it again:

Yes

Would I recommend it:

Yes to all types of people

Invisible Differences by Julie Dachez paints a picture of autism through the eyes of a character with undiagonsed autism on her journey of finding out who she is. The colors play into the isolation she feels with a scene painted in red and she stands out in white. The images and dialogue show the struggle to socially connect with others. She is misunderstood by many in the world around her. She begins on a journey to understand why she is different from others. She discovers that she may be autistic and spends time working to understand herself more. She transforms herself as she begins to understand herself and her role in social interactions. As she comes to terms with herself, more colors begin to make up the scenes. Recommended for grades 8 and up

I just love when graphic novels are both entertaining and educational at the same time, and with this particular one, made me feel like I need to educate myself more not only on mental health but also on different aspects of autism, since it is a spectrum and not everybody acts the same.

Fortunately, the author shared her journey with us and in these pages we can see how she lives day to day: how noises or being in a crowd affect her, and how she’s not really good at keeping casual conversation; ultimately, how her routine and other activities help her recharge. Which, doesn’t mean she’s weird or blunt, or that she’s being “too sensitive”, it just means people like her, perceive the world differently.

Autism is something a lot of people don’t understand unless they’re directly in touch with someone that has it (such as parents, relatives, or even themselves.) And thanks to this book now I’m aware that most of the cases out there are not properly diagnosed and so, they’re often mistreated and misjudged for a big part of their lives.

In general, we tend to be ignorant about these topics but the worst thing that we can do is staying that way. What I get from this book is that people with autism can work, can take care of themselves and can have bonds like all people do.

I’m really glad I got the chance to read it and I would absolutely recommend you check it out not only because it is a light-hearted graphic novel, but because I feel like even kids might understand what happens when you have the Asperger syndrome –and they might even see themselves in it.

"Invisible Differences" was fantastic. I have taught children who fall on the Autism spectrum. This graphic novel would be a great teaching resource to help students, parents, and fellow educators better understand a student who is on the spectrum. Highly recommend.

Invisible Differences is the story of Marguerite, a woman who is a little different. She finds solace in being at home with her pets, in her comfortable and slightly baggy clothes. She keeps butting heads with her boyfriend who wants her to come to parties. But why does she find so many things so difficult? It's only when she searches online that she starts to realise she is autistic.⁠
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I really resonated with Invisible Differences, and the way that Marguerite is freed by this new information and the autistic people she meets. Her struggles in the workplace remind me very much of mine, and so I hope non-autistic people read this to understand why the slightly blunt, odd woman in the corner might be struggling under the surface.⁠
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The artwork is stunning, and I love the use of colour throughout the book. The book also employs a wonderful repetitive frame style that shows how Marguerite flourishes in her routine as we follow her every day.⁠
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A must read for all autistics and those who support them, but I implore everyone to pick up a copy. This is a beautiful, accessible exploration of being an autistic adult that I think will be important to so many people.⁠

Invisible Differences is such a beautiful and inspiring story, full of even better artwork. A definite must read.

📖 Review: 'Invisible Differences a story of adulting and living a life in full colour' by Mademoiselle Caroline, Julie Dachez
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐💫4.8

An educational biographical novel, full of sincerity, emotion and compassion. Invisible Differences follows our protagonist--Marguerite (27) facing many everyday challenges. This is highlighted socially through her work life and relationships- (romantically, platonically and personally). Marguerite quickly realises she doesn't fit the 'social norm', so sets off an adventure to discover the route cause. Bold and monotone graphics juxtapose pops of red to connote Marguerite's initial perception (of an aspie), living in a confusing, frightening, stark and 'colourless' world. We learn the key 'symptoms', the trials of attaining professional help to be positively identified, sequentially tested and the mental and physical toll it takes. The story covers a wealth of knowledge about the condition and the help offered after diagnosis.

Speaking as a fellow aspie (that was also diagnosed later in life-21), I strongly related to the authors story, sometimes experiencing flashbacks of my own. A serendipity of emotion, I was proud of the bravery expressed by the author in writing such a personal account of her experiences and sometimes prejudice she faces (from coworkers, friends, family and sometimes even doctors/psychologists), before and after diagnosis. I was pleasently surprised the mental health aspects were explored, yet the running theme remained self love and empowerment. I'm pleased to see a formidable duo raise more awareness of this condition and the discrimination that we sometimes face politically and socially. I hope this graphic novel will help others seek support and offer their own help to each other. A thoroughly intricate read, beautifully simplistic yet bold graphics that further help to illustrate the complexities of aspergers in an easy to digest form, highly reccomend!

I like this book with all my heart. The way the author demonstrates how the character feels is so great and the art is so beautiful.
It is a french graphic novel and I like to know a different culture.

It's really hard for me to talk about this graphic novel. I was really curious about it when it was first published in my country (Brazil) but I wasn't able to buy a copy, so I was really glad to have the chance to read it now. It's been a couple of years (two or three) that I started thinking I might be autistic, some people even asked me if I was which made me think harder about the possibility. One of my friends talked to one friend of hers (an autistic woman diagnosed later in her life) and she said I should read this book. So here I am.

I was crying 15 pages in, and I kept on crying until the very end, because I could see myself on everything Marguerite did and feel. I've always been curious about autism, and used to read a lot about when I was growing up, but I never thought I could be autistic. Reading about someone going through that after their 20s is really powerful and important.

I loved the way Dachez and Mademoiselle Caroline told this story, and I think it worked really well in this format, the colors and repetition helping to tell the story and to make the reader feel what Marguerite was feeling. I will forever keep this one close to my heart.

This comic was insinghtful and informative. The storytelling was well done. I'm glad I read it and I now follow the blog of the character. This review is very short because I can't find anything to say other than what I already said. It's not transcendantal but is helpful still.

Great read about Asperger Syndrome. I will definitely recommend this to someone who is looking for a read that will open their eyes and better understand the life of someone who may be suffering from any form of Autism.