4.25 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘

Thanks NetGalley, Europe Comics and the authors for a great copy of the book!

I picked this comic due to the catchy description, I didn't have that many expectations but I was interested in seeing how the story goes. I wasn't disappointed. The comic has a very interesting, hopeful and positive point of views on the complicated topics such as life and death, reincarnation, the after-life, and so on. I sensed that there was some satire parts as well related to religions. I was hooked and totally touched by the story.

There are just a few drawbacks. I like the art style, I assume it resembles watercolor or water-soluble color graphite but sometimes it was a bit hard to process what was going in the artworks. The first ~40 pages tried to pack too much stuff in there, therefore, it was a bit scattered and all over the place. But after that, things went smoothly and catchy.

I was a pleasant and meaningful read. Totally recommended!

Beautifully illustrated, and I love that it tackled the question “where does your soul go when you die” but I found components of the story abrupt and ineffective (TW: domestic violence, gun violence, suicide). Loved the first half of the book but the second half proved it was not the right book for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful story about what happens when we die.

A young boys wish to know what happened to his mother’s soul after she passes spurs our MMC on a journey for the answer. Charlie, our MMC works for a company that recycles loved ones deceased family members into everyday items. Trees, wallets, baseball bats,etc. When Charlie is asked about where souls go, he realizes he doesn’t know the answer, so he works to find it.

Along the way he’ll tackle the idea of heaven and hell and all that comes in between. He’ll learn all about the reincarnation that alludes him daily. His path for answers will also help him to shake upthe monotony of his and his coworkers routine day to day. Brining life and light back to them.

This book I full of life, color, and love.

Happy-go-lucky Charlie works for Eternal Recycle, a company that makes things out of your deceased loved ones. He's content there, though perhaps, a bit lonely. Then one day, a little boy asks Charlie what has happened to his dead mother's soul . . . and Charlie's world gets turned upside down.

Anything else I say would be giving away too much.

This was a wonderful graphic novel - upbeat, quirky, and wildly imaginative.

The sweetest story, with gorgeous illustrations to boot. I had a fabulous time reading this, a real life affirming cosy treat.

Was not expecting this book to have such depth, it was a pleasant surprise! The art is stunning, loved the colors. The story is right up my alley, distopian fantasy, original story, with a emotional rollercoaster. Would like to know more about the world and Charlie story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a digital ARC in return for an honest review.

This one went in so many directions that I did not expect and I loved every minute of it. The limited use of color really adds to the story and makes it all feel so much more whimsical and magical. I've already recommended this one to a couple of people and I don't plan to stop any time soon.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wow , wow WOW. I absolutely adored this. I don't typically read graphic novels but the description and concept of this one was too good to pass up.

I didn't know what to expect and certainly was not disappointed. The Many Lives Of Charlie is filled with so much heart and meaning. This story will stay with me forever.

"The Many Lives of Charlie" is a graphic novel that explores reincarnation and the afterlife.
The art and style are visually striking - although they perhaps don't translate as well on a digital device and I did find myself increasing the brightness and zooming in a lot.

The narrative transitions from a focus on death to celebrating human connections. The portrayal of the afterlife and Charlie's soul investigation make the story unique.

This was a graphic novel with an interesting take on recycling-body recycling-quite humorous at first and an interesting concept.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, it is well drawn and it was thought provoking and sensitively done, I don't want to give the ending away but i hope the ending is true.

Such an amazing Graphic Novel, that tells the tragic but hopeful Story of Charlie on his through his life and his discoveries about himself and his lives.
I loved the art and style of this and couldn‘t put it down, I loved how the story progressed. I also love how there are little details hidden throughout the book that make much more sense afterwards, so it has Great re-reading potential.

Now I will wait for it to be translated into German, so I. can order it for the library!

The Many Lives of Charlie was a thought-provoking and sweet graphic novel examining the concept of reincarnation and the afterlife through the adventures of a plucky young desk jockey named, Charlie. At first, the story seems to be a story about a good-natured young man whose life is pretty normal and mundane. Charlie tries to engage his co-workers (who don't want to be bothered with him in the beginning), follows the rules of his job, and doesn't make any waves within his company.

That all changes when Charlie is approached by a young boy who wants to know what happened to his mother's soul leading him on an adventure of self-discovery that was surprising and charming as he seeks after this request.

I loved that this story had a view that certain souls seem to gravitate towards one another over and over again and what that means for our own relationships with those around us. I also felt that this story is best appreciated after reading it more than once. There are a few little details put into the illustrations that have more significance on a second read through and that attention to detail is what encourages repeated reading.

I did feel that the use of grays in the illustrations did not transfer well onto a digital format as it seemed a bit 'washed out' on a table. This would probably be much better in print using the current grayscale but that is just a personal opinion.

This was an interesting comic, but it did not really grab my interest. I enjoyed the art and color palette, and I can appreciate the message it was trying to convey.

The Many Lives Of Charlie is a delightful graphic novel about the afterlife. The protagonist, Charlie, works at a company where dead people’s family members can “recycle” their deceased loved one into physical objects: a chess set, a stuffed toy, a bowling ball - you get it. The dark humor is there, but it’s conceptual. The visuals in this novel are all quite light-hearted, with no violence or depictions of how this company performs the recycling of the dead.

Charlie is the most positive guy in the entire company, always wishing to be helpful. So, when a client’s son asks him to find his mother’s soul, Charlie goes on a quest to find it. We join Charlie as he visits heaven and hell and navigates the corporate bureaucracy that serves as the intermediary between the world of the living and the afterlife. There are small allusions to Greco-Roman mythology, though this doesn’t claim to be a retelling at all.

This is, in fact, an unusual love story, even though you really don’t realize it as a reader until you’re quite far into the book (close-ish to the end). The graphic novel is pretty slow during the first half, and then it transforms into something you didn’t see coming more than halfway through the story. The pacing did feel off here. The first half could be shorter, and the last 40 pages could be even better with the addition of another 150.

When I started reading, I peeked at the last page, and I couldn’t believe that I was actually looking at the end of a story. By the time I read through the full graphic novel, the ending made a lot of sense.

I had already seen this book around since it's originally written in French and I already wanted to read it. I wasn't expecting to be crying at the end though! Although I must say the very end did not sit well with me. It still was a very beautiful story, not at all the dystopian tale I was expecting, but still nice. It reminded me of the book My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares but better.
And the illustrations are so beautiful!

TW: death, guns

An unexpected delight. I didn't know what I was going into when I started this one, and it took me a little bit to get sucked in, but once the story really started to unfold I found myself invested. The phenomenal art provides a unique tone that lands somewhere between A24 and Pixar. The twists in the story kept me engaged and glued to the page, and overall I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky afternoon read.

Review on The Many Lives of Charlie by Kid Toussaint & Aurélie Guarino

Plot:
In a world without burials, Eternal Recycle helps people recycle parts of their dead loved ones, making them into mementos to remember them post-death.
Charlie, the star employee at Eternal Recycle handles all the weird cases, expertly navigating the minefield of grief and strange requests. Until he stumbles on an innocent question: ‘Where do souls go after death?’. It derails Charlie, taking the story on a startlingly different route.
As Charlie attempts to find the answer, he starts to ask questions. He breaks the rules, risking his job, sneaks into the lower departments, and ends up with souls.

Thoughts:
It is a unique take on the afterlife and the business of death. Starting as a story about death and reincarnation, it shifts emphasis, focusing on the value of the connections we form in life, adding a heartwarming quality. The story, instead of looking at fear, horror, or the saddening finality, sees death as a smooth transition, a refreshing beginning. The vivid illustrations give a slice-of-life quality to the whimsical plot.

The premise is imaginative and cohesive artwork buoys the whimsical execution.
The color palettes creatively establish the mood and atmosphere (akin to background music). They differentiate the capitalistic monotony of the work, the vibrancy of after-work, and the recreational possibilities of the afterlife.

Charlie is a mood: proactive, curious, and earnest. Helping others, comforting the bereaved, and seeking answers, he carries the story single-handedly.

Eternal Recycles and their business of capitalizing on death is weird. The mandatory walking time and laughing time for the benefit of employee health reeks of absurd authoritarianism. This dystopian representation of work culture, the philosophical slavery of time, and an imaginative take on the afterlife world were things I liked.

My favorite part was its handling of the soul investigation. Away from religiosity and stereotypes, a curious expedition for the answers to the afterlife mystery. The quirky, childlike approach was *chef’s kiss*.
I would have liked to see more of that. I would have liked a more nuanced soul investigation. The romance plot sort of killed the vibe for me.

With Disney Pixar vibes, the story is bursting with color, vibrancy, and hope despite the gravity of its subject matter: death. Despite its unmet potential, the artwork and the themes were impressive. Charlie is a character worth knowing.

I recommend this book to all readers, young and old. It felt like a slice of fresh perspective.
I thank NetGalley and Europe Comics for the e-ARC of this book. I applaud the artists and authors who created this book. I had a wonderful time reading it.

Charlie works at Eternal Recycle, a company that specializes in finding the best use for your body when you die. His day to day duties are monotonous until a young grieving boy asks about his deceased mother’s soul. Charlie becomes determined to find the answer for the young boy.

This was originally published as a French graphic novel, and was recently translated into English. The first half of this book reads smoothly, but once Charlie discovers the location of souls within Eternal Recycle the plot feels rushed. I wish the author had dedicated more pages to Charlie’s own story.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for an eARC of this book in exchange for my review.

Every day Charlie does the same thing at his job at Eternal Recycle, asking users how they want the bodies of their deceased loved ones to be recycled (perhaps as trees), until a child's curiosity makes him wonder about the parade of souls. Since then he begins a countdown to respond to him and, unexpectedly, also give another meaning to his own life.


"Where is her soul?" Kid Toussaint

"The Many Lives of Charlie" is that kind of book perfect for the beginning of the year. Light, with funny touches, and a question about life. This graphic novel uses elements of science fiction and fantasy to present a reality in which nothing, absolutely nothing, is wasted, not even the human body. Thus, what may initially be scary due to its utilitarian nature, manages to turn it around and address the soul as an essence in constant expansion, in addition to introducing a tender exploration of the types of love and the consequences of actions.

The script of this graphic novel is by the Belgian author Kid Toussaint and the illustrations of the French artist Aurélie Guarino. The color palette (which moves like a harmonious symphony, going from end to end) and Guarino's lines, give this beautiful story even more personality.

Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for the advance copy of "The many lives of Charlie" by Kid Toussaint and Aurélie Guarino.

#scifi #romance #fantasy #humanbody #soul #graphicnovel #NetGalley