I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I was attracted to this graphic novel because of the cover and the title. Well, the artsyle was very colourful and i like the colour palette used in here. The story leaned into whimsical and sort of fairy tale like but thats what i could say based from what i read. The plot was a bit meandering and i found myself lost at some point. I do enjoyed some aspect but the book is lacking in something which to me feels a bit of a letdown

I will be honest I let this book lure me in with the cover and the title, and I didn't read the description and that was a mistake.
I couldn't get into this book, and honestly really don't care for Meurisse's are style. It's weird to say but her style feels like it is grating on my nerves.
This paired with the fact that this really ended up feeling like another "Westerner goes East for Inspiration" Story made this whole book really off putting for me.

Occasionally unsettling characters paired with a simple yet meaningful plot about connecting with nature and finding ourselves in nature. The beautiful illustrations of nature and landscapes makes the read worth it.

The Young Woman and the Sea tells the story of artist Catherine Meurisse as she journeys to an artists retreat in Japan, and the extraordinary things she saw whilst exploring the Japanese countryside.

The book begins with Catherine arriving at the remote coastal retreat, a beautiful building that sits surrounded by woodland, nestled between the sea and a mountain. There to try and capture the beauty of the land around her, Catherine is unsure where to begin; and being jet-lagged she decides to take take a nap. Upon awaking she sees a tanuki outside her window and decides to follow it.

Climbing up the hill behind the retreat Catherine comes face to face with the animal, who immediately starts talking to her. Listening to her talk about her desire to recapture the beauty of Japan's nature, the tanuki gives her a paintbrush made from its own fur, and teaches her to write something on a piece of paper in Japanese. When she looks away from the creature for but a moment, however, it vanishes. Left alone and unsure where to go to Catherine starts to try to find her way back to the retreat, getting lost in the process.






From here the artist begins to explore the world around her, wandering the countryside, and befriending a local artist who is searching for the perfect woman to paint. Together, the two of them make their way to a bathhouse, where they are able to stay the night and meet the owner, a beautiful woman who the artist wishes to paint as a drowned lady. The next day Catherine is able to explore more of the surrounding land, discovering the beauty in the everyday, as well as small special places tucked out of sight. Throughout it all, she keeps meeting up with the Tanuki, who keeps challenging her as to why she has yet to find her inspiration.

The story of The Young Woman and the Sea is a little odd, and you can very much tell that its semi-autobiographical, as not a huge amount really happens here. For much of the book we follow Charlotte as she walks from place to place, discovering more of the beauty of Japan, and learning about various people's connection to it. She's looking to be inspired by what she finds, yet isn't sure how that will work for her yet. This is where the tanuki seems to come in.

Now, I would be extremely surprised if the real Catherine met a magical talking tanuki, and this is either creative license or a surprise revelation that magic animals are real. However, the creature seems to be trying to coax Charlotte into coming to the realisations she needs in order to make the most of her time in Japan, and begin to create the art she really wants to. But when the book comes to a close there is a question left hanging over whether any of it was even real. The final pages seem to imply that much of what we've just read, and perhaps everything from the moment Charlotte fell asleep, could in fact be a dream; her mind coming up with a scenario by which she's exploring the world.






Alongside the somewhat vague story, the characters feel a little strange too, and I failed to really get a sense of who anyone was really supposed to be. Charlotte spends the entire book lost, unable to find the thing that will kick-start her art, the old artist she meets is strangely obsessed with drowned women and poetry, the hostess they talk to seems to be implied to be ghostly and ancient, though perhaps not; and then there's the magical talking animal who's doing all this for its own amusement I guess. The characters seem to only be there to move events from one location to another, not really having much to do, but simply there to get the reader to new places.

These places are, in fact, the highlight of the book, as Meurisse has done some wonderful landscape art for the book, managing to craft some truly beautiful moments as the characters journey around the Japanese countryside. It really does feel like the artist went and spent some time in the place, and that it became a sauce of inspiration for her. The only thing that lets the art down is that the characters are very simple and cartoonish in comparison. The landscapes are stunning, but the people look like they come out of a newspaper strip comic and the two don't mesh at all. I often found myself being drawn out of things by these two conflicting styles; and that definitely hurt my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, The Young Woman and the Sea was a fairly enjoyable book, though one where I was enjoying looking at the art more than I was reading the story or getting to know any of the characters. It's a shame that I was unable to connect with any of the characters in any real way, but hopefully others will be able to do so. The book is a beautiful examination of the wonder of Japanese landscapes and countryside, yet contains little else to go with it.

The narrative follows a French artist's creative quest to find inspiration in Japan. Stunning nature and landscape illustrations with remnants of Lewis Carroll and Studio Ghibli.

This graphic novel was not quite what I was expecting.

While I enjoyed the calm, meandering nature of the story, by the end it very much felt like it didn't really do much to state a message. It didn't feel like the main character had learnt whatever she was seeking to learn.

I had extremely mixed thoughts on the art style. The background and the colouring was absolutely gorgeous and there were many panels that I would happily hang on my wall. However the character design looked like a carbon copy of Quentin Blake's character style which neither fit the vibe of the story nor the vibrant and intricate backgrounds and setting they were placed in. Beautiful rural Japan did not fit in with the way the characters that inhabit it were drawn and at times some of the Japanese character's were drawn... questionably.

Overall I thought the art was beautiful for the most part which is what dragged this up from a two stars but everything else about it was disappointing

Living abroad is a massively inspiring experience. Whether it is seeing new landscapes, meeting different people, learning new legends, or tasting new food, it all enriches the way in which you see the world, and see yourself. So when I saw this delightful comic I knew I wanted to dig in further. Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Catherine, both character and author, has arrived in Japan and is ready to see nature in a new way. Because nature is different here. The relationship between humans and nature is different, calmer and yet more ferocious. She meets a painter who is also looking for the perfect picture to draw, and yet keeps writing poems. She also meets a woman who may be the sea. And then there is the tanuki, a racoon-like, mischievous creature who is either helping or hindering Catherine in her search for the perfect thing to paint. I really enjoyed the character of the painter-poet, and especially the point he made about much of modern poetry being unable to leave the everyday world behind. Sometimes you just have to stare at the sea until the rest of the world and your life falls away, until the real elemental truths of life come to you. The story of The Young Woman and the Sea is a calm story, something of a meditation upon artistry, nature, and the self.

I adored the art style of The Young Woman and the Sea, the colour and vibrancy of it. The way Meurisse draws her human characters, almost like little caricatures who are out of place in nature, really caught my attention. Because the nature in The Young Woman and the Sea is stunning. Some of it is clearly, directly inspired by Japanese art, some of it provides a stunning backdrop for Meurisse's story. I really enjoyed gazing at those panels and finding little details, or just resting my eyes on it. The art also adds an element of fun to the story, with Catherine's clumsy approach to hiking or wide-eyed awe at the nature around her. I'm definitely intrigued to pick of Catherine Meurisse's future work, as well as The Great Outdoors.

The Young Woman and the Sea is a beautiful meditation on art and nature, full of beautiful art and quiet realisations about life.

This was an interesting book, with a nice art style, but on reading it I wasn't really sure what I was reading? I kind of expected more of a memoir feel to the book, but there were more philosophical ponderings from side characters and interactions with mythical creatures/talking animals than anything really narrative.

Finishing the book, I then saw it was actually inspired by a different book, which I'd never heard of. Looking it up, the narrative did make more sense after that, and my enjoyment of the book may have been increased if I'd got the references.

Beyond that, it felt like Meurisse was skating a little too close to racial stereotyping with some of her depictions for me to find the book entirely enjoyable. While not mean-spirited, it felt like characters were only given a surface-level existence or a one-note personality. In the end, it left me feeling more like I'd looked through a pretty picture-book than read a good graphic novel, but others may get more out of it than I did.

This is a short graphic story of a illustrator visting japan in search for drawing inspiration. There she meets with another illustrator who Himself is set for the same journey.

Also there is a character so interesting who has married several times, who can predict typhoons. I loved the scenes when this character appeared, especially near the magic pond.

This was surprisingly a good read, though not that amusing. Some pages of the illustrations seemed ordinary to me though i loved most of the scenes.

Thank you Netgalley & Europe Comics for providing me an early e copy of this book.

This tiny graphic novel tell the story of a French woman that adventures to Japan to train in art and search for inspiration. I the story emphasizes the beauty of nature and how we all have a connection to earth. The illustration and scenery is beautiful and if you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli you will likely love it!!

i desperately wanted to love this. but i couldn't move past the -- what i personally found unsettling -- exoticization of japanese art and culture. it felt a little reductive. i personally didn't vibe with a lot of the humour as well.

but the art style is beautiful! i didn't really like the sketch-like style for the human characters, but the backgrounds are breathtaking and i could not stop looking at them!

i know the book was meant to be very philosophical, but it really only came close to that at the very end. i wish the magical realist elements had been brought forward earlier, and i wish there was more focus on miss nami because she was a very compelling character.

thank you to netgalley for the arc!

The art is the best! I wish I could frame all the pages. That's how amazing they are.

The ending was kind of empty, in a good way. It left me craving for more. However, the theme of the book is pretty lacking. I am unsatisfied with how Japan is painted as a special and magical place here. It's almost like the book is glorifying it? I got that feeling while reading pages 41 to 44. I also did not learn or relate to anything. The story about Nami was the only thing that hooked me story-wise, really.

Gracias Netgalley por el envío de una copia avanzada a cambio de una reseña honesta.

La idea central del cómic, en un principio, me pareció interesante. Sin embargo la edición hizo que la lectura se volviera un poco pesada debido al tamaño de las viñetas de conversación y que los dibujos no me resultaron bonitos. Sin embargo, el desarolllo de la historia es interesante y creo que para quienes estén más familiarizados con la cultura japonesa, el libro valdrá la pena.

A whimsical setting in which an artist tries to find inspirations in the rural landscape of Japan where she befriends a talking animal, an uninspired painter writing haikus and a young woman with a interesting life. This imaginary events are intertwined with reality when she asks for directions to places.

The illustrations are beautifully done and is a real treat.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for giving me the opportunity to read this.

This was a gorgeous piece of visual storytelling. Wisdom, poetry, mythology and nature, woven through the eyes of an artist visiting Japan. Very much my sort of thing and some of the artwork will definitely stay with me <3
(Copy obtained via netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

The Young Woman and the Sea is about a young artist who goes to Japan to paint landscapes.
I've taken several days since reading this to try and come up with a review because I didn't really enjoy this book but thought giving it some time would make me feel differently. The backgrounds were gorgeous Japanese inspired watercolors which I liked but the super cartoony characters clashed a little too much for my taste and seemed a little too stereotypical. It could be representing a clashing of cultures but personally I just didn't like it and the brush stroke front for dialog was hard for me to read. There wasn't much to the plot and the ending was so abrupt I continued scrolling looking for the rest of it. I did enjoy the direction it was heading in but nothing was wrapped up enough for me to feel satisfied after reading it. I was left with a lot of questions.

When I saw this, I was immediately drawn in by the gorgeous book cover! The drawing style, while very different from the manga and graphic novels I am used to reading, was very beautiful and exuded a sense of calm and peace that couples perfectly with the themes of the graphic novel. The slow pace and the full page landscapes scattered through out the novel only heightened that experience. Being able to learn more about Japanese culture was an added bonus! Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel, although it was very different from what I usually read!

This is a very different comic book, mixing a very casual outlook on life and a huge amount of poetry. I loved the easy-going narration of a country girl who just wants to be inspired by a different nature and travels to Japan to reflect on the exotic and the homely.
There is lovely touches of supernatural, tender meetings with strong personalities, beautiful traditional Japanese print-like illustrations separating the journey and insights into the Japanese way of thinking. This might all sound very intellectual, but reading this book was a breeze.
I have lived in Japan for 8 years, so this talks to me. Many drawings and reflections are things I have thought myself or daydreamed about over there.. There is something about the spirituality of the Japanese people and the exuberance of nature despite the extreme urbanism that is unsettling. this graphic novel is a beautiful object, a very soothing read, like a walk in nature where you enjoy the dew on leaves, talk with friends and imagine strange creatures in the undergrowth looking at you.
I loved it and recommend it to nature lovers, artists, fans of Japan and Japanese cinema.

This is the story of someone going to Japan in search of inspiration and to paint nature. When I started reading this, I did not expect for it to be not be totally realistic, so that threw me off at first. At times, it felt like it could be a memoir. I did not particularly love the story, but I didn't hate it either. My favorite part of this book is the unique drawings. The artwork of the landscapes is beautiful. Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for the digital copy.

(Posted on Goodreads)

Unfortunately I just really didn’t enjoy this: the plot wasn’t exciting of engaging and the art style wasn’t my thing