NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.

Before today, Judith Vanistendael was completely off of my radar as a comic creator, which is a complete shame as she has put together easily the best book I’ve read this month. Rendered in gorgeous watercolor paintings and poetic text, The Two Lives of Penelope is not your typical comic book and is a VERY emotional roller coaster ride for the short time that one is reading it. Dealing with a heavy topic such as the mental health issues that arise when one spends too much time in a war zone doing humanitarian work, This book was both not easy to read and not easy to put down at the same time. Nothing particularly heinous happens in the comic, I just feel bad for the entire family, that despite their troubles, are hanging in there.

“Penelope is a Belgian physician who works with Doctors Without Borders in war-torn Syria. She returns to Belgium when she can in order to see her husband and daughter, but the transition is hard. Her latest trip home for the holidays proves even tougher than usual, as the coexistence of the two excruciatingly different worlds she inhabits becomes increasingly fraught.”

Taking place in the middle of the still raging Syrian Civil War, this book tells the tale of a humanitarian surgeon attempting to spend some time with her family before she travels back into the war zone. In many ways, this should be a time to relax, but sadly her life is now that of a war doctor, and her home life is increasingly hard to cope with. Penelope has PTSD (or something similar), and cannot connect to the needs of her family anymore – when one deals with war atrocities on a day-to-day basis things like a style of preferred winter coat, or a daughter worried about her nose size are no longer of great significance. She is haunted, both literally and figuratively, by her job – and can’t seperate from it anymore – it is her now. Everyone deals with this the best they can, and sadly we do not get any resolution – one can assume Penelope is still in Syria to this day.

Every once in a while, you come across a comic that surpasses the medium and is an instant classic – for me The Two Lives of Penelope is up there with comics such as Persepolis and even Maus, as a comic tackling a VERY tough subject matter in such a way that it becomes something that should be required reading. I will definitely check into other works by the author, and keep an eye on this, as I really hope this book gets the attention it deserves.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review!

The Two Lives of Penelope by Judith Vanistendael might be categorized as women's fiction, but in actuality, it is a deep and dark look at the effects of PTSD and trauma on women in the frontlines. The main character Penelope works as a doctor in Doctors Without Borders and has had to deal with her fair share of death. But what happens when the ghost of war follows her home to her family? This graphic novel is the perfect blend of fantasy and reality, as it visually imagines what it is like for Penelope to bring her "baggage" from the war back home. The story insightfully examines the relationships between Penelope, her husband, her daughter, her mother, and others. It is apparent that distance causes relationships between family members to ebb and flow. In the beginning pages of the graphic novel, the parallel between Penelope's bloody job and her daughter's dilemma is well-drawn. Overall, this graphic novel is a must-read for anyone wanting to know more about what it is like to have to deal with the traumas of war while back home. In addition, the art is fantastic. The lovely watercolors, particularly the use of red, and the cursive lettering make the pages beautiful. I can imagine some of the pages being hung in a comic art museum. If you're interested in psychology or women's fiction, I highly recommend this graphic novel.

CW: War-time deaths and nudity.

This graphic novel follows Penelope: a mother, wife, daughter, sister in Belgium and a surgeon in Syria. She doesn't go home very often but we see her visit home for three months and really struggle with being there. She clearly feels like she shouldn't be there, doesn't belong or isn't needed by anyone around her, and that everyone is better off without her. Not only is she struggling with coming home to her family and feeling out of place, but she also feels like she is being haunted by the ghost of a child who died on the operating table.

This is a beautiful book both through the images and the story itself. I found the hand-written style of text hard to read at times so got stuck on a few lines as I was reading. However that could just be a dyslexia thing as some fonts are just harder for me to read than others.

Penelope is a Belgian physician who works with Doctors Without Borders in war-torn Syria. She returns to Belgium when she can in order to see her husband and daughter, but the transition is hard. Her latest trip home for the holidays proves even tougher than usual, as the coexistence of the two excruciatingly different worlds she inhabits becomes increasingly fraught.

Penelope is a doctor who works in Syria for long stretches of time, to regularly return to her native Belgium. She is married, and has a young daughter.

The book is about her two lives, one life in Syria as a physician, and more emphatically about her life as a mother and wife. Her husband is a famous poet, who completely supports his wife in her work. Her daughter is more focused on her father, although she is very happy to see her mother.

Penelope is confronted on her life choices by her mother and her sister, and she has brought back a part of her Syria-related trauma in the form of a tiny, silent red ghost girl, one of her child patients who has died. She is curled up in her luggage, and now and then appears, sitting on Penelope's shoulder. The girl never speaks, she is just.. there.

Because her direct family is largely accepting of her other life as surgeon, the questions regarding those life choices become much harder to answer. Is Penelope missing too much of her daughter's life? What does it mean to be a mother? What does it mean to be doctor in a war-torn country?

A beautiful book, both in writing and in art.

Penelope lives in Belgium with her husband and their teenager daughter. She has also spent the last decade going to war zones as a surgeon. Her life is divided between those two opposing worlds. This last time it's different, though: when she comes back from Aleppo, she brings back the spirit of one of the children she couldn't save, a girl her daughter's age; or, in plainer terms, she has PTSD. Her family is used to her absences, but they still hurt. Even when she comes back, she's not present; everything she sees, from her kid's mundane problems to her family's worries, are put into perspective by that other violent life she leads. But, as much as she wants to see herself as simply selfless, her motives are more complicated: she wants to be the saviour, she wants to be superior, she wants to live up to an ideal of self she has modeled after her absentee grandfather. And if her family suffers for it, then so be it.

The art in this graphic novel is stunning, with colourful watercolours that make panels blend into each other and the narrative flow effortlessly. It is not extremely detailed, like a Jiro Taniguchi or Craig Thompson comic, but it achieves exactly the same effect and conveys just as much emotion. It is truly unique, one of the most gorgeous comics I've ever read. It would be worth a read for the colours alone, but its subject matter and its treatment of it elevate it even more.

It's not often a book makes me cry, but this did. An ugly loud cry that shakes you. This story is heart-wrenching and beautiful and full of heart. It's gorgeous and heartbreaking and made me want to go hug my mom. The art is stunning, watercolors over pen. My only complaint is that the lettering becomes hard to read at times, but it is beautiful. Please read this book, it's so worth the time.

This was an incredibly moving story exploring strained relationships between a woman and her sister, husband and in particular her teenage daughter, as she is torn between her home life and serving as a doctor for MSF in Syria. I loved the exploration of trauma and the way that was visually represented with the ghost of the child the doctor lost in Syria - such a powerful way to depict the way in which experiences can haunt those who return from war. I also loved the way in which Penelope sought councilling and talked openly about how she was feeling and what she was experiencing, and the way in which it's depicted as a one-sided conversation as it can so often feel. There were so many things about this book that made me reflect upon my relationship with my own mother. The art style is beautiful - I love the natural water marks left by the watercolour and the pen-outline illustration style. I would love a print copy of this beautiful work when/if one becomes available!

Penelope is a surgeon in Syria, and every time she gets home to visit her family, the ghosts hunt her.

This was a moody read. At times, it was confusing with unrelated topics, but very emotional, actually. I didn't like the drawing style but I liked the watercolor effect and what it meant to set the mood and even feeling surrounding certain objects.

My thoughts on Penelope are pretty broken and divided. On one side, I have nothing but respect for her, for living in the center of the war, trying to save lives and do what's best. But on the other side, I can't help myself but put a "bad mother" tag on her back for abandoning her teenage daughter and even looking at her with condescending eyes at times, finding her shallow because she doesn't understand what living in war is. She is constantly blaming her family for not understanding war so much so that she abandons them completely.

This book definitely needs more though on my side. It was a quick, but not an easy read.

Penelope is Odysseus! A woman who cannot live away from the war because war haunts her, and ghosts of the victims follow her wherever she goes!
Penelope does not understand that war is everywhere! The peaceful life at home is a war itself!
I loved every bit of it! So humane and full of thought-provoking details! Penelope is consumed by the cruelness of war, but that could not prevent me from blaming her! I loved the husband's character, the real Penelope in this story! The writer/illustrator managed to convey the idea of everywhere is a battlefield so cleverly!

I definitely recommend it!

This Belgian graphic novel tells the story of Penelope, a surgeon working with Doctors without Borders in Syria, who returns home to be with her daughter and husband. Comparing her life to that of Odysseus, she brings back the ghost of a Syrian girl with her, symbolising her trauma.

This duality of her life brings a lot of difficult situations to the surface throughout the novel. Penelope isn't there to see her daughter grow up but when she is called out for it, she lashes out. Because how could she when she is saving lives in Syria? The family relationships were rich and complex and meaningful.

The creative watercolour illustrations suited the loose flow of the story. As a Belgian myself I recognised the Belgian atmosphere and attitude.

I'd like to thank Europe Comics for providing this copy via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Penelope compares herself with Odysseus, who sailed off to Troy, for 10 years, and then tried to sail home again, but spent 10 years trying to get home. He was gone for 20 years, while his wife, Penelope, waiting for him.

But, as Penelope, the surgeon, who is working with Doctors without Borders says, she has been trying to sail home all these years. She is not waiting at home, weaving.

But, instead, she is trying to save people's lives in Syria, in a mission that goes on and on, and never ends. And even when she comes home to "visit" she is still back on her mission, carrying ghosts with her.

It is a strange story, set in one of those points where she has gone home, but life has continued without her, moved on. She loves her husband and child, but she is obsessed with a job that never ends, that never goes away.

I wonder if there is something lost in the translation, as the ending was odd.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

The unusual use of watercolor paint for the illustrations gives the story a handmade quality, and an endearing charm that surprisingly works well with the tough subject matter. You get this lovely and yet challenging story about a woman who's taken a difficult job and does it well, but has to navigate the tool it's taken on her family life. It's relevant but not preachy, sweet at times but not syrupy.

A graphic novel about a surgeon who finds out that combining her job and her family is not easy and that she is also gradually bringing things with her from Syria. Traumatic things. I wasn't sure what the book would be about, but I still wanted to try it. The art looked very nice (almost unique for a GN) so I was more than happy to read it.

It is therefore about a surgeon, Penelope, who operates in both Brussels and Syria, who tries to combine her work life and her home life. I have to say I had little to no sympathy for Penelope. I understand that she finds her mission important, that it is her life to help in a country like Syria, but if you have been doing that for 10 years, have barely seen your family for all this time because you always come and gone for months and months, then you shouldn't get angry when people point it out to you or if your husband asks you to come home and stay (because he miss you, he is concerned, and he has to take care of the child all by himself). And your child will love you, but in a completely different way than you might want. More distant. Knowing more that you will leave anyway. I thought it was quite creepy (just like her child thought) that she sat on her child's bed for a while, staring at her child in the evening. Um ...

You should definitely not try to pretend you never left, which she unfortunately does. While her husband and daughter have found a rhythm in life without a mother, without a wife. I thought it was so sad for the daughter by the way. Having her first period and then had to call grandma who had to tell her everything because mom was gone and never cared).

So yes, sorry. Again, I think it's cool and great that she's doing all that work, work that many won't do because of the danger. BUT. You also have a family. You also have a loved one. I thought it was sad that she just kept disappearing and coming back without anyone knowing. Well great.

My heart also broke when Christmas was almost here and the daughter had a recital. Immediately they were asked whether mothers would be there. Well that says enough about how many Christmases and birthdays and other events mom has missed.

But, even though I just didn't like Penelope much, the book was beautifully written and I liked the bond between father and daughter. You just see they became a duality when mothers stayed away. You can see that fathers now know very well how his daughter works and also how they should work together to make the household work well.
The family was also beautiful and I loved that they got together so often and helped each other so much. Were there for each other.

The illustrations were beautifully and creatively done. Especially the ghost / trauma that Penelope took with her was very heartbreaking. Growing and dwindling. Sometimes big, sometimes small, depending on how Penelope felt. And in the end I was both angry and sad. By the way, I do hope that Penelope has found help because if you bring ghosts home, it is not going well.

4 stars

A doctor torn between humanitarian work & family responsibilities spends a holiday break at home on leave, & is confronted by the love, mundanity, & expectations of family life.

[What I liked:]

•The art is absolutely amazing. Evocative, detailed, sweeping, colorful. I love the style.

•The story is very relatable I think—the competing pressures of motherhood & career, fraught with sexist societal expectations & guilt.

•The family relationships portrayed are sweet & complex & rich & meaningful. It’s very well written with great character development.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•The font of the text is a bit hard to read.

•I’m confused by the ending. I think I know what happens, but it’s not clear at all why, so it’s not a satisfying ending for me.


[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]