An incredible graphic novel about a grandmother and her granddaughter.
The drawings were really simple but effective for the story. Loved reading this about the relationship between these two and the things we do for the people we love!

It has been a while since I have reviewed a graphic novel that was a complete story in itself. The last few I picked up turned out to need the next few to make sense or give any form of satisfaction.
It is always hard to read a book about dementia/Alzheimers and its impact on family and friends. This is no exception. We have Clémence, who is struggling with her own personal issues when she realizes she may have a solution for her grandmother's problems. She is unsure of her own mind and thinks helping her grandmother might somehow help her (this is not said outright but implied nevertheless).
The art matched the mood of the narrative, going fuzzy at times and having better clarity at others. It is also a growth arc for our central protagonist, who realizes that the trouble with memory is that it is selective unless otherwise explored or prompted. I was unsure of what my impressions of the book were until I was well into it. It's only once you start to empathize with all of Clémence's decisions that you really see the story go somewhere.
It was touching and emotional, and even though I still am not confident I appreciate parts of the ending, I would recommend the book to anyone who finds its blurb or my review interesting.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Wow that was very intense. Really beautiful but very intense. Not at all what I was expecting but still well done I could really feel the raw emotions of what it was like having someone who’s losing their memories while you’re trying to hang onto them

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!
This graphic novel is really good. It’s a bonding, lovely and heart-warming graphic novel.
Go and check my review on Goodreads and Instagram in the links below.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for allowing me access to an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Alzheimer’s Disease, Death, Homophobia

Synopsis:
When Clémence, sees how miserable her grandmother is in her nursing home, she decides to break her out and take her on a road trip to the coast so she can see her childhood home one last time. But traveling with a senior with Alzheimer’s Disease comes with a fair amount of challenges, and the journey is fraught with highs, lows, and near misses. Still, it’s a chance for the two women to reconnect, with each other and with themselves, and it’s a chance for Clémence to give Grammy the gift of one last thrilling and joyful experience.

Thoughts:
This was a super quick read with beautiful illustrations and a touching story. The representation within this graphic novel of the struggles and sadness of Alzheimer’s Disease is just so raw and real, I would definitely advise approaching this with caution if you struggle with topics like this as although the story is truly beautiful it is also devastating in parts. The feelings of the characters are extremely well portrayed and although I was a little confused at times it was a wonderful read!

Recommend? ✅
Reread? ✅

Insightful graphic novel on the topic of grief and loss. it was beautifully written and the art style was wonderful, i thoroughly enjoyed it

As her grandmother's health deteriorates; Clemence realizes how miserable she is in the nursing home so, she decides to take her grandmother on an unauthorized road trip to her grandmother's childhood home.

Oof... This hit in all the feels. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking, beautifully drawn, and covers a wide range of topics and emotions. It's hard to watch a loved one go through memory lose and have the cared for and caregiver roles reverse. This book is so emotional but amazing from beginning to end. 4.9 out of 5.

Lovely graphic novel that gives a great visual and emotional representation of what Alzheimer’s is. This book is about Clemence and her grandmother and their journey. Through their journey Clemence learns more about herself and about her relationships. An emotional and sometimes intense read about sex, family, loss and self discovery.

When Clémence, a student and actress struggling with personal issues, sees how miserable her grandmother is in her nursing home, she decides to break her out and take her on a road trip to the coast so she can see her childhood home one last time.

An overwhelming and intense read which manages to capture such raw emotions! And the illustrations are just so amazing.

Thank You NetGalley and Europe Comics for this ARC!

It isn't all that often that you read something that stirs you up in the way that this does. The perfect combination of beautiful art style and colour scheme with such a bittersweet story truly is something that stays with you.
This is the story of Clémence, 'kidnapping' her Grammy for a road trip to reawaken her Alzheimer’s Disease bedraggled mind. This is the definition of short and sweet. There is so much story and heart crammed into just over 200 pages. It makes you smile just as much as it makes your heart hurt. I could not recommend it enough.

This plot made me cry because my Nana is currently experiencing exactly the same thing. It's so sad to see when you begin losing memory for your once vibrant grandmother. The author is very similar to what I have experienced with Nana when it comes to the conversation and everyday occurrences of an Alzheimer' s patient! I love her relationship with her grandmother and her determination to fulfil the last wish of her grandmother. In my heart this book has a very particular place. Thank you for letting me read this to NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for approving this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. I have given Forget Me Not by Alix Garin three out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

First of all, this graphic novel is filled with absolutely stunning illustrations. I fell in love with the art and the colours which were used. I will say that there are some scenes which include: nudity, sex and drugs, so I wouldn’t necessarily advise a children’s audience picking this up.

This book follows Clémence who takes her grandmother, who suffers with Alzheimer’s, from the nursing home she resides in to visit her childhood home one more time. I absolutely adored the relationship between Clémence and her grandmother, they were both fun and loving characters which I enjoyed reading about. This story had heart-warming and heart-breaking elements to it, I felt my emotions were on a mini rollercoaster whilst reading the entirety of this book.

Besides my emotions being all over the place, I don’t think I would re-read this book again. I thought this story was going to be really lovely and sweet however, it took quite a turn and I didn’t like some of Clémence’s actions she decided to take as I didn’t think they were in her grandmother’s best interest. I liked some parts of the story but overall, this graphic novel wasn’t for me.

Clemence's grandmother is suffering from dementia and is currently in a health care facility because her daughter and grand-daughter cannot care for her. Even tho Clemence visits her regularly, she can tell that her grandmother's health is getting worse. She however remains determined to care for her and when her mother agrees to have her put on medication that will essentially get her to sleep all day, Clemence decides to step in and save her grandmother.

I will have to restrain myself from writing about everything that goes on in the story because I really think you should read this without knowing much.

I can say though that is is a beautifully written and illustrated story about family, about caring for a sick relative, childhood innocence, death and dealing with previous trauma.

As Clemence travels with her grandmother to her parents' old home, since it is one of the few things she can still remember, she looks back upon her life, the years she spent with her grandparents, the relationship with her mother, her coming to terms with her sexuality and her struggle to become and actress. As the journey progresses, she goes to extreme lengths to protect and care for her mother and does things she didn't know she was capable of. And once the journey is over, Clemence comes on the other side stronger, with a new found appreciation for life.

As for the character of the grandmother, Marie Louise, what can I say, she is lovely. She has lost so many of her memories and is confined in a hospital bed, but she still manages to hold on to things she can still remember (her relationship with Clemence being one of those things) and throughout the whole story, she delivers some of the deepest and heart breaking lines, even tho mostly by accident.

You have no idea how many times I had to pause reading this because I was crying so hard. It's been many years since a book made me cry like this.
I mean, I knew what I was getting into, but damn. I'm glad no one walked in on me reading this.

If I have to be completely honest however, there are some things that I would have changed, had I been an editor or was about to adapt this for the big screen.

I am still choosing to give this 5/5 though, despite having its imperfections.
What can I say, I like books that have a good story, strong messages and help me feel deep emotions, you know what I'm saying?

Such a sweet story. Reminded me of my own grammy and tiny and sweet and occasionally loopy she can get.

Uma história emocionante. Forget me not despertou diversos sentimentos em mim durante a leitura. Nostalgia e empatia principalmente. Histórias com netos e avós sempre despertam esses sentimentos em mim. São histórias muito tocantes e emocionantes. Forget me not nós mostra Clemence e sua vó com Alzheimer em uma viagem de carro até a casa onde a avó viveu na infância. Essa jornada será de descobertas e despertará memórias em ambas. Chorei um pouco em determinados momentos, seja de alegria ou tristeza. A beleza dos traços intensificam os sentimentos aflorados durante a leitura.cuma bela história com certeza.

Forget Me Not is both piercing and charming. It gets inside you and makes you ache and smile. It is the sort of story that the French are so wonderful at doing.

Alzheimer is a horrible condition and the book doesn’t shy away from the pain that it causes. Decisions need to be made about care, the simmering tension of not knowing if the decisions are in the best interests of the loved one you are putting into an institution or simply one that makes your life more convenient.

Much of Forget Me Not is about how we lose intimacy with parents as we grow older. Small acts of fondness like resting your head on your mum’s shoulder become few and far between. Alzheimer hastens this as the memories that bind a family together are become obscured. Clem cannot bear seeing her grandmother in this state. At the heart of Forget Me Not are Clem’s attempts to reconnect one last time with Grammy. Clem’s desire to do right by her grandmother is noble but causes her to do things that are utterly foolish putting both of them in danger.

The painterly watercolours of Garin’s art are warm and inviting. There’s a bright airiness to many of the images. The linework is unfussy and simple so much detail and indeed the ambience is reliant on the graceful colouring. Garin art moves from tear inducingly sad images to cheerful buffoonery with equal mastery. There is a tenderness to illustrations that creates a sort of profound synchronicity with the plot. A particular moment that touched me was when Clem was giving Grammy a bath. The vulnerability of both of them in those panels resonated with me.

Forget Me Not is a wonderful novel. It is a story told with compassion and hope. The sadness of losing a loved one is awful and it doesn’t shy away from this. The messiness of it all. The crux of the tale is how we make their final moments of life as full of contentment and joy as possible. The way people die matters. After all, it is the memories of their final moments that linger with us long after. Forget Me Not is a joyous and melancholy exploration of coming to terms with a terminal illness. A funny, eloquent, and uplifting book about grief.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Book 33 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Forget Me Not
by Alix Garin

Summary (via Goodreads)
published 2021

When Clémence, a student and actress struggling with personal issues, sees how miserable her grandmother is in her nursing home, she decides to break her out and take her on a road trip to the coast so she can see her childhood home one last time. But traveling with a senior with Alzheimer’s Disease comes with a fair amount of challenges, and the journey is fraught with highs, lows, and near misses. Still, it’s a chance for the two women to reconnect, with each other and with themselves, and it’s a chance for Clémence to give Grammy the gift of one last thrilling and joyful experience.

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover
I picked this book while browsing on NetGalley (full disclaimer below). The combination of memoir and graphic novel is something I'll pick up almost every time. The illustrations accompanying a personal story, especially when the illustrator is also the author, adds a level to the storytelling. Although the description of this book sounds interesting, the actual plot isn't what draws me into a memoir/biography. I just want to witness people's lives.

When downloading an electronic copy, I'm not always sure if the illustrations will come through completely so hopefully I can get the full experience.

My Opinion
3 stars

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review it**

I read this graphic novel in one sitting. It's not really something I can review because it's more about the emotions and experience reading it.

As noted above, sometimes illustrations can be tricky on an electronic copy so I was a little concerned before starting. Happily, this was not an issue in this book which made all the difference in reading it. I especially liked the various illustrations focusing on their hands throughout the story; it was vulnerable and close and showed an attention to detail and imperfections (like picking her nails when stressed).

The plot itself was a little outlandish but taking one last adventure with a grandparent is something most of us can relate to.

TW: Death, Nudity
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Book: Forget Me Not
Author and Illustrator: Alex Garin
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// 'Too late' arrives sooner than we think.
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Description:
When Clémence, a student and actress struggling with personal issues, sees how miserable her grandmother is in her nursing home, she decides to break her out and take her on a road trip to the coast so she can see her childhood home one last time. But traveling with a senior with Alzheimer’s Disease comes with a fair amount of challenges, and the journey is fraught with highs, lows, and near misses. Still, it’s a chance for the two women to reconnect, with each other and with themselves, and it’s a chance for Clémence to give Grammy the gift of one last thrilling and joyful experience.
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✨ I don't know where to start, this graphic novel was heartwarming and heart-wrenching at the same time. From the moment it started to it's end, it carried the substance and definitely left a mark .
✨ If anyone is interested in knowing about Alzheimer's, they can read the book to understand it well. Before few days, I came across a k-drama named 'Navillera' , which also deals with Alzheimer's beautifully and when you learn about it, you realise what it is like to forget everything you ever had and nothing is more painful than that.
✨ I loved everything about it- the storyline, the art style, the heartfelt conversation, everything.
✨ The book is 224 pages long but anyone can definitely complete it in one go.
✨ The art style was simple and beautiful.
✨ I don't think any review can do the justice to this amazing book. Hope everyone reads it🌼
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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved this. I want a physical copy of this graphic novel as soon as possible because this broke my heart but also made me so happy. My nan had alzheimer's and some of the scenes in this reminded me of her.

The story follows Clemence and her grandmother who has dementia. She has been in a nursing home for some time but keeps trying to run away. Clemence's mother and the nurses make the decision to put her grandmother onto medication to try to help manage her symptoms better. Clemence is heart broken seeing her grandmother so confused and sad, always talking about her parents waiting for her. Clemence decides to sneak her grandmother out of the nursing home to go and see her parents old house. This is a long journey that involves lots of overnight stays and during one of the stops, her grandmother forgets her for the first time and freaks out about where she is and who Clemence is. (This was one of my biggest fears with nan, especially because I was away for university for three years). It becomes clear that as Clemence was growing up her grandmother was essentially a second mother to her and a lot of her fondest memories surround her grandmother (which is also very true for myself and my nan).

As we follow the story, it switches between seeing the road trip in place and Clemence being questioned by the police in preparation for being charged for kidnapping. Even with dementia, there are moments where the grandmother seems ‘normal’ and talks about the present/past rather than thinking her parents are waiting for her to come home. They have a lot of fun on the trip as well as the grandmother giving Clemence advice eg. Be careful Clemence, Love can be hard. The artwork is stunning and sometimes is so simple but perfect for the story.

“I forget. I think i’m losing my mind.but its worse when it comes back”
fuck. My heart.

The postcard... and the last two images. I was sat in a car park waiting for an appointment when I finished this and had tears rolling down my face. I truly believe that this graphic novel will stay with me for a long time and if I'm able to get a physical copy it will be something I re-read again and again.

An emotional rollercoaster of a read. One page I had tears, the next I was smiling.
A wonderful telling of a gran and her granddaughter and the effects of Alzheimer’s has on a family.
This graphic novel tells the story so well without actually needing to use words, the pages without any dialogue are just as thought provoking as the pages with.
I don’t think any review can justify how amazing this graphic novel is, reading it brought back my own memories of time spent with my gran.
It really is a beautiful story with the artwork/illustrations to match.
Even if you don’t normally read graphic novels, I would highly recommend Forget Me Not as it stays with you, long after you have finished reading it.