Comic Book Review: The Story of My Tits
What you expect, going into a book called The Story of My Tits is a book about tits and their story. What you may not expect, however, is a story about family, life and love, birth and death, gain and loss, sickness and health. Yet this is the goal set by this 352 page graphic novel by Jennifer Hayden. How does it fare?
[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”500″ identifier=”1603090541″ locale=”US” src=”http://boundingintocomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/51DkVY70d1L.jpg” tag=”bounintocomi-20″ width=”500″]
There are many things to be said about [easyazon_link identifier=”1603090541″ locale=”US” tag=”bounintocomi-20″]The Story of My Tits[/easyazon_link], but the biggest surprise was the touching and poignant sincerity with which the story is being told. Jennifer Hayden tells her true story, the story of her life, highs and lows, the story of her family, of her memories, of herself. And just as Raina Telgemeier’s Smile uses her teeth and braces as a device to tell a much bigger story, Hayden uses her breasts and the many tits that surrounded her throughout her life. The title and the first few lighthearted chapters do not prepare you for the rollercoaster of emotions that is laid bare on the page. Hayden slowly lays a path to the true subject of the story : Cancer, death, and how the loss of one thing can be the gain of something else entirely.
The humor is present throughout the book but never overused, never forced, and efficiently sets a contrast with the moments of pain and fear. The story will resonate with those who have been subjected to cancer, through themselves or the ones closest to them. It is extremely intimate and touches truly universal values. Those who have not been exposed to cancer in their lives will find in the book an education and a reminder of the fragility of life and the need to live and to love, and to express love before it is too late. It is simply near-impossible to not be overcome by this book and it’s powerful storytelling. The storytelling affected me on a personal level and has me considering the values of yoga and meditation, something those who know me would think impossible. The only flaw I can find in terms of writing is that there may be some slow moments in such a lengthy graphic novel, it is definitely a marathon, not a race.
One of the biggest talents of Jennifer Hayden is the ability to create a very lived and living world in her artwork, despite her minimalistic style. The little annotations which give you the backstory of a small object or of a background element truly achieve the sentiment of familiarity and belonging in the book’s universe. And the use of a constant four cases composition leaves enough space to have details while keeping each drawing simple and clear. The price to pay for this style, however, is that sometimes secondary characters can become a bit difficult to recognize or identify, a fact that probably was not lost on Hayden who tries to constantly remind the reader who’s who and how they relate to the main characters.
The Verdict
I cannot stress enough how necessary it is to read [easyazon_link identifier=”1603090541″ locale=”US” tag=”bounintocomi-20″]The Story of My Tits[/easyazon_link]. This book is close to perfect in storytelling which is aided by very efficient artwork. The balance between humor and the more emotional moments help keep a good flow throughout the book. Although, at 352 pages you should still probably clear your afternoon to truly enjoy it.
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