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tuc03229's review
5.0
"Disturbing" is probably the best word to describe this book, a magnum opus of a memoir that recalls growing up with an epileptic brother. David B. and his open-minded family experiment with various treatments for their son's epilepsy during the 1960s and 70s, when no one really understands how to deal with it. They try a macrobiotic diet, acupuncture, alchemy, and even exorcism in the hopes of finding a cure. They meet a bunch of crackpots and con artists along the way, but never come any closer to finding a solution for the illness. One of the most shocking things about this book is how honest David B. is about his cruelty to his brother; he induces seizures, attempts to kill him, and bullies him mercilessly. Eventually his harsh treatment, along with the reactions of the family and society creates a monster, a violent and aggressive brother who fears growing up and uses his epilepsy to hide a need for dependency and a growing loss of touch with reality. The book is as much about epilepsy as it is about David's journey to make peace with his own demons and become his own person.
ru_ro's review
4.0
Interesting depiction of disease through from the perspective of the family. Never really considered the impact that an incurable yet non-lethal disease can have on those close to the afflicted, especially its impact on other children growing up in the same household. David B.'s emotional story is only enhanced by the illustrations accompanying it. Not a huge reader of graphic novels, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
rachelhelps's review
1.0
This graphic novel about living with an epileptic brother started out interesting, but just went on and on... it would have benefited from a few big cuts. His parents kept looking to mystics and new-age methods for cures for their son and only one ever worked, which is a good reminder of the huge amount of fraud (intentional or otherwise) in the alternative medicine camp.
chrustir's review
4.0
The detail that went into this is amazing. I also really appreciate the honesty that the author put into creating this work. The only issue I had with it, though not the author's fault, was that there were some cultural aspects that were a bit lost in translation for me. For example, while I understood the whole idea of macrobiotics and the spiritual aspects of the novel, these aren't things I have much personal experience with, which may have caused me not to get as much out of it as I might have otherwise. The artwork was incredible, though, and I often found myself still staring at the page long after I read it, trying to absorb all of the detail. Definitely recommended.
tx2its's review
3.0
Reading 2020
Book 180: Epileptic by David B.
Not sure where I heard about this graphic memoir, as soon as I saw the title and read a bit of the teaser, I ordered it.
David B.'s older brother( Jean-Christophe) has Epilepsy, and this graphic memoir details the family's journey living with the disease. There are some weird asides as the reader gets glimpses into the imaginations of the two boys. The family goes to great lengths to figure out how to help Jean-Christophe. The story begins in the late 1960s in France when 11 year old Jean-Christophe starts having seizures. The parents take him from one quack to another hoping to cure him. There is lots of false hope to go around, one step forward equalled two steps backward. The relationship between the brothers fractures, as Jean-Christophe fights a losing battle.
This was a weird read for me. The art was hard to follow in some points, there is also some asides (the book loses me here) into David's imagination as he tries to cope with his brother's Epilepsy and the loss of the brother he knew. What the book does portray well is the affect Epilepsy had on his family, there is also a little sister that seems more shielded from the chaos. What all of the fear, anger, resentment, and hurt did to his family were portrayed in a raw way that was felt through the pages. My rating 3 ⭐️.
Book 180: Epileptic by David B.
Not sure where I heard about this graphic memoir, as soon as I saw the title and read a bit of the teaser, I ordered it.
David B.'s older brother( Jean-Christophe) has Epilepsy, and this graphic memoir details the family's journey living with the disease. There are some weird asides as the reader gets glimpses into the imaginations of the two boys. The family goes to great lengths to figure out how to help Jean-Christophe. The story begins in the late 1960s in France when 11 year old Jean-Christophe starts having seizures. The parents take him from one quack to another hoping to cure him. There is lots of false hope to go around, one step forward equalled two steps backward. The relationship between the brothers fractures, as Jean-Christophe fights a losing battle.
This was a weird read for me. The art was hard to follow in some points, there is also some asides (the book loses me here) into David's imagination as he tries to cope with his brother's Epilepsy and the loss of the brother he knew. What the book does portray well is the affect Epilepsy had on his family, there is also a little sister that seems more shielded from the chaos. What all of the fear, anger, resentment, and hurt did to his family were portrayed in a raw way that was felt through the pages. My rating 3 ⭐️.
mvanhoeck's review
4.0
Heartbreaking, enlightening. The merry go round of spiritualists and fringe healers became tiresome.
dawn_dickerson's review
1.0
quit this because it was too bizarre. the concept had potential but the first 75 was just bizarre so I threw in the towel.
bookishadvocate's review
5.0
Man, this one took me FOREVER to read, but I'm glad to stuck with it. Epileptic is the story of the writer's experience growing up with an epileptic brother. As someone who suffers from seizures myself, I really wanted to know a little more about the disorder through someone else's eyes. It's very sad how isolated David and his sister were during their childhood, but I couldn't imagine how their brother felt. He had three seizures a day whereas I have one every few years, if that. His brother says that he's conscious the whole time too, whereas I'm completely knocked out. What a diverse disorder. And what a beautiful behind the scenes story about a family touched by it. It was well worth the time, and the artwork is fantastic. I'm glad the writer stuck with drawing from his childhood. :)
jcschildbach's review
5.0
It's difficult to adequately describe this book and what David B. has done with the format of the graphic novel. The author weaves in world history with personal history, fantasy stories with frustrated real-world hopes, and "health" movements most often rooted in spiritual/scientific hucksterism, with David B.'s own attempts at working through his struggles by talking to ghosts. The "Epileptic" of the title is the author's brother, Jean-Christophe, with the bulk of the work centering around the family's attempts at finding a cure for his illness. But the 'meat' of the book is in David B. coming to terms with his own emotional life--for instance, alternately wanting to protect his older brother from those who don't understand, and wanting to kill his brother for causing so much disruption in the family. The artwork, all in black and white, ranges from simple depictions of cartoonish people, to intricate, highly-detailed, fantastical and dreamlike images. If I have one complaint, it's that the book should have been printed in a larger format to make it easier to read the rather small, tight text, and to allow for better appreciation of the detail in the drawing.
ajaggers324's review
5.0
If you are someone who has a friend or family member that has a chronic illness, you will probably be touched deeply by this book. It contains the inner workings of a person attempting to deal with his brother's epilepsy. The representations of people, ideas, and illnesses are captivating. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly.