The young heroine here is so hung-up about all things sex, not understanding what rutting dogs are doing, what tampon adverts are intimating, or how she's got a young sibling, that I really had to doubt at times where this was going.

She loathes her privates and her biology so much I wondered if we were getting one of those adverts for transgenderism.
Instead it doesn't get quite that far – the character is shown instead to be a violent sexist, hating (yet wanting the attention of) boys, and railing against what religion and classic literature told her was the inferior status of her sex.

The text doesn't really show this is to be the middle third of an autobiography – only the very last page sting suggests a sequel, and it's never needed to have read anything prior to this.
The artwork, forever sticking to shades and strengths of red in amongst the black and white, can veer from proper classic illustration, all clever allusions and representations of the text, to the downright ugly.

I guess people will interpret this differently – the back cover blurb says it was "humorous", which it certainly wasn't, and I doubt many of my gender will think it so.

It certainly, like its epigraph suggests, is a complaint against ignorance and the suppression of facts through fancy-schmancy parental fairy tales about conception, etc.
Clearly the polar opposite to, style-wise, yet having the exact same moral as, "On Chesil Beach".

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

I couldn't get through this. I was not a fan of the art style and it felt quite uncomfortable in my opinion.

Rating: 1⭐

Would I Read It Again? No

I didn't really care for this graphic novel. It was disturbing and awkward and uncomfortable. And not in a learning kind of way. Not my cup of tea. I won't be reading the prequel or the forthcoming finale.

This graphic novel made me feel physically nauseous while reading it. I really disliked everything about it, however, it did seem like it was trying to convey an important message about gender constraints and gender expression. There were also really questionable portrayals of race in this book, specifically the way that black people were drawn very similarly to racist illustrations from the 1900s and talk of being the main character thinking they are superior to another race. It seemed like it may have been the author’s goal to turn this around in the end, as the main character is asked out by a Black character and there are mentions of the author realizing their privilege as a white person, however, there was never anything to condemn the character’s comments about people being “barbarians and savages." There were also many graphic images that I wish I hadn’t seen.

cw/tw: racist language and ideas, insinuating sex work as an insult, graphic drawings of violence, sexual imagery, and animal cruelty

WOW! How do I even start to describe this book? It centers on the fictional life of Florence, a girl who feels like everyone knows something that she doesn’t. Though she asks why women bleed and why boys have a body part that she doesn’t, she is treated like an ignorant fool and struggles to grow up, piecing together what little (and confusing) information she is given. It’s a deeply affecting autobiography that works to lay bare an understanding of biology, sex, hormones, reproduction, and the cultural differences and similarities between men and women.

A coming of age graphic memoir, portraying the ways in which a young girl's self worth is twisted from societal and fictional portrayals of girlhood and sex and the ways family and religion can push certain expectations that can mess up a kid going through puberty..

I mostly liked it. I do like the cartoony art with the subtle coloring, and the progression of the story. "We weren't allowed to watch TV because of Japanese animes. Mama said that they were immoral, perverse, and subversive." really made me laugh.

I do have to say that the visual depiction of black folks is pretty terrible, in the last part where the family moves to Guadalupe...I know that the author, not being American, might just be ignorant to what minstrel shows are and the racist implications in drawing most of the black characters with big red lips, but...it feels bad. Careless, at the very least.

This was certainly interesting but very peculiar. It tells the story of the author's upbringing and how her parents neglected to explain puberty and growing up etc to her. As a result the author developed a dislike of her femininity, seeing it as something undesirable. This wasn't helped by the fact that her father seems to have been a bully or even abusive towards her mother, and her mother was very submissive and capitulated to her father.

The author's mother seemed quite incapable of ensuring that her daughter knew how to take care of herself during menstruation or puberty. The family were very wealthy and privileged but also seemed to be quite unhappy at times and unable to guide the children through puberty. Everything the author experienced was compounded by her upbringing in the Roman Catholic tradition and the way in which religion can emphasise maleness and eclipse the role and value of women if you allow it to. (As a female priest, not the case in my life I hasten to add).

In summary the author seems to have had a very difficult time in childhood, despite being from a wealthy, white family and living in different countries. At the heart of this is a story about parental neglect (I think) and how easy it is to avoid discussing difficult issues with children.

At one point I did wonder whether the author grew up in the 1950s when puberty, sexuality and gender equality were not really spoken about, but the author was actually born in 1978. I can remember going to school in the 70s in the UK and being taught about puberty and life, and being fully active in a faith community and feeling empowered as a young woman, so maybe it is less about what was taught at the time and this is about the specific experiences of the author, especially within her own family.

The author didn't seem to have any strong female role models in her life. Her mother didn't work and the author wasn't surrounded by women who have interests outside the home. And at a very young age the author decided that she wanted to be a breadwinner, but also as a child the author seemed to bottle up her questions turning her confusion into deep seated anger and resentment.
All of this is conveyed through the artwork and I must say that the graphics capture the story incredibly well, including the anger and resentment that the author experienced.

I'm not sure that this is a book I could recommend because it was just kind of miserable and joyless. Having said this it was interesting to read with very appropriate graphics. This is just book one and it would be interesting to see how the author manages to find a way for herself. Unfortunately this story reminds us that familes can sometimes stifle human flourishing.

After reading this I felt really relieved at the way I was brought up by deeply religious and culturally conservative parents who managed to enjoy life and freedom and taught me to live that way as well.

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Maiden is an autobiographical graphic novel about the childhood of Florence Dupré la Tour.

I enjoyed the artwork. It felt simple and a bit cartoonish, yet the art showed a lot of emotion. Maiden presents the story of a young girl and her experiences with finding expression for sexuality in a family where you’re not supposed to talk about it. Not the best book I've read on the subject, not the worst.

This was a bit different for sure. I felt for the main protagonist as she went through her growing up in her home that was abusive with a strong father who had to have his way and a very submissive mother. Her hatred towards her sex was very much felt and at times was an uncomfortable reality to view from a child’s perspective. I had to pause a few times to continue reading the story because it made me double take at the graphic and pure raw feelings being said by the child as she grew to hate and hate more of her sex and the opposite sex. The lack of education from her parents given to her was a definite slap on the face; especially about the ignorance and thought of her thinking black peoples were inferior. This is a rollercoaster story. Overall I still went and read the story to see how it would end.

I heard about this French graphic novel a few months ago and I thought it sounded really interesting, though I saw good and bad reviews. I always really enjoy biographical graphic novel because I think it is a good medium to rethink about and tell the story of your life as you can express more things through it than in a novel. Of course, it is not always the case but here, a graphic novel is the best medium for this story.

So first, the drawings. It is quite an unusual style for me, very cartoonish and simple in a way, without being emotionless. I will not say I liked it but it really added to the story here, especially when it showed people getting mad or feeling ashamed.
Now the story. It is really interesting as it talks about how some girls are not at al educated when it comes to the “sex” topic and to their body. I did not relate that much but I did understand how hard it can be when you know something is happening but you don’t know what. I also liked how the author explained that she was brought up to think that black people where inferior to her, to white people, without questioning it until she went to school in Guadeloupe. It is really interesting. I believe mentalities have evolved and children now know more about sex and what happens to their body but I think many little girl and boys are still ashamed of asking questions on those topics. That’s why it is important to have books talking about it. I really want to read the second volume after finishing this one. I definitely recommend this book, especially to girls so they not they are not alone.
3.5/5

The young heroine here is so hung-up about all things sex, not understanding what rutting dogs are doing, what tampon adverts are intimating, or how she's got a young sibling, that I really had to doubt at times where this was going. She loathes her privates and her biology so much I wondered if we were getting one of those adverts for transgenderism. Instead it doesn't get quite that far – the character is shown instead to be a violent sexist, hating (yet wanting the attention of) boys, and railing against what religion and classic literature told her was the inferior status of her sex. The text doesn't really show this is to be the middle third of an autobiography – only the very last page sting suggests a sequel, and it's never needed to have read anything prior to this. The artwork, forever sticking to shades and strengths of red in amongst the black and white, can veer from proper classic illustration, all clever allusions and representations of the text, to the downright ugly. I guess people will interpret this differently – the back cover blurb says it was "humorous", which it certainly wasn't, and I doubt many of my gender will think it so. It certainly, like its epigraph suggests, is a complaint against ignorance and the suppression of facts through fancy-schmancy parental fairy tales about conception, etc. Clearly the polar opposite to, style-wise, yet having the exact same moral as, "On Chesil Beach".

Maiden is an autobiographical graphic novel from french writer and illustrator Florence Dupré la Tour, in which she talks readers through her early childhood, and of the challenges she went through as she grew out of childhood into puberty.

Florence had something of a privileged childhood, growing up in well off, high societal immigrant area of Buenos Ares, whilst others suffered poverty around them. Florence admits that she grew up in a bubble. Even after moving back to France the family lived in relative luxury, living in a huge country estate, and seeming to have most of their needs met. Despite this, however, Florence's childhood wasn't perfect, and you're left with the sense that her father was quite abusive towards her and her siblings. The book contains a scene where her father forces them to drink spoilt milk before he'd let them leave the dining table, and another where he poured yogurt over her head when she refused to eat it.

You come to feel for young Florence because of these moments, and you can't help but feel that many of the issues she describes growing up with in this book comes from either inattentive or abusive parenting. This even seems to translate into her main issues in the book, growing up without really understanding about the challenges she faced during puberty.

There are quite a few scenes in this book where you see a younger Florence trying to understand how the world works, and in particular what it means to grow up and become a woman, and most of these moments end with her either being fobbed off with half truths or vague hand waving, or just flat out mocked.

Florence is also raised a Christian, and much of her childhood in France seems to be centred around the church and traditional teachings, all of which seems to add to her difficulty in understanding the world, and what it means to be female. She's taught that women are weak, and must be subservient to their husbands, but sees through the abuse her mother suffers how damaging such things can be. She is told time and again that she must be like these women, but never feels like that is the role she wants to have in life.

Her life seems to take a turn around the time she hits puberty, which is also when the family move to Guadeloupe. Now not only is Florence having to face the issue of getting used to these physical changes within herself, but she's been thrown into an environment she feels completely alien in. This part of the book did give me a little bit of trouble, I have to admit, mainly due to the depiction of the people native to Guadeloupe. Here anyone who's Black is drawn as over the top caricatures, and whilst this is somewhat true for everyone in the book these depictions were uncomfortably close to racially insensitive drawings from decades past that it took me quite by surprise.

Now, I don't know if this is intentional, because this was how Florence viewed Black people at this younger age. There's a moment where she makes it clear that she had never met a Black person before, and that she had been taught before this that Black people were 'a primitive mass of uneducated savages. In short: inferior'. With how conservative, and dare I say backwards, some of her upbringing and education was it doesn't surprise me that she was raised to see people of colour this way, but I did get the sense as the book continued that this was a view that Florence would go on to challenge, and not one that she held in any kind of high regard. The book does end with Florence being asked out by a boy who's Black, and whilst we don't hear her answer in this first volume, I suspect that this is a relationship that we will see going forward, and I hope the start of her challenging her fathers racist beliefs.

There's a lot presented in this book, yet in some ways a lot of it feels like a preface, groundwork being laid out for more interesting things to come in future volumes. I can see the things that have transpired in this volume going on to inform and shape Florence going forward, but suspect that the more interesting stuff, such as her standing up to her father, will be coming in the next book. As such, whilst this book didn't tick all the boxes of things I was hoping for, it does make me eager to read the next one.

Through a deceptively simple style, Maiden presents the story of a young girl and her experiences with finding expression for sexuality in a society and family where such exploration is suppressed. What I appreciated most about this story is the author's disclosure of story in visual form.

Not posting this one on my blog as it is a short review + I would have to edit it some more, and I don't want to give this book any more attention.

I received this book for free from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Well, I was quite curious about this book, but I just can say I was shocked/disturbed by the things that happen here and how the parents treated things. Just laughing, acting like it was nothing. One conversation that gave the kids more fear than anything else when the kids are about to hit puberty. I was just shocked that these parents never sat down or talked when their kids had questions. How could you do that? That poor girl got very weird things in her head due to this. Did weird games. Hurt animals. Did other things that just had me very disturbed. She even put gas on her vagina to hope to stop things. She called someone a prostitute because they were open about periods. WTF. How did no one at the school help out the girl when she got her period? Why is the mom such a bitch about it? She must know that because of her her kid is freaking terrified of this thing. :|
And there were other scenes (like with that horse) that wanted me to just close this book and pretend I never saw it in my life.

The art was nice though... but I kind of wish I hadn't picked up this Graphic Novel.

Sorry to inform the eARC copy didn't have more than the cover and no contents.

Kindly look into the matter. I tried downloading the book multiple number of times giving me the same result.

In Florence’s childhood, there is a Thing you’re not supposed to talk about. It seems like everyone knows about it… except for her. And she can’t ask any questions—it’s forbidden to speak the word. What happens to children who grow up in prudish isolation, once they hit puberty? Can they ever overcome the shame instilled by a sexless education? In this autobiographical story, Florence Dupré la Tour unveils her childhood in heart-wrenching inks and watercolors: a story of the heavy weight of tradition that forces women to be submissive, and how to resist and escape that fate.

The artwork is interesting and the story was a interesting look into her life.