The Parakeet

by Hanna Chute, Espe

Overview

Bastien is eight years old, and his mother is ill. Sheoften has what his father and grandparents call "episodes." She screams andfights, scratches and spits, and has to be carted away to specialized clinicsfor frequent treatments. Bastien doesn't like it when she goes, because when shecomes home, she isn't the same. She has no feelings, no desires, and not muchinterest in him. According to the doctors, Bastien's mother suffers from"bipolar disorder with schizophrenic tendencies," but he prefers to imagine heras a comic-book heroine, like Jean Grey, who may become Dark Phoenix and explodein a superhuman fury at any moment.
Based on thecreator's own childhood experiences, The Parakeet is the story of a boy whoseonly refuge from life's harsh realities lies in his imagination. In his eyes, wesee the confusion and heartache he feels as he watches his mother's illnessworsen and the treatments fail. Through his eyes, we see how mental illness canboth tear families apart and reaffirm the bonds of love. Poignant yet playful,The Parakeet follows Bastien's struggle to accept the mother he has whilewishing for the mother he needs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780271088051
Publisher:	Graphic Mundi - PSU Press
Publication date:	07/13/2021
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	13 - 16 Years

About the Author

Graphic novelist Espé was born Sébastien Portret in Mazamet, France. A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse, he collaborated in the publication of several comics series, including Châteaux Bordeaux, and he is the creator of L’Île des Justes.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/25/2021

Espé’s heartbreaking graphic novel gets at the insidious nature of depression and how it is inexplicable to those not in its grasp. Eight-year-old Bastien witnesses his mother, Marie, cycle through psychiatric facilities and treatment plans, none of which do more than provide a temporary respite from her mental illness, while his father and grandparents struggle to handle her episodes. Espé’s expressive linework and color choices—some sections are hued with greens, others blues, but the panels where Marie is overcome by her rages are red—convey Bastien’s shifting emotions as he watches his mother deteriorate. Often, he is relieved not to be around her, even as he misses her. Espé’s artistic virtuosity shines when depicting how Bastien uses his imagination as a defense. As Marie gets electroshock therapy, for instance, Bastien envisions the superhero Wolverine strapped to a table for experimentation, and that his mother also will evolve into a superhero. But despite the limited relief of these fantasies, Bastien just wants his mother to be present. In one scene, with her depression at bay, Marie and Bastien hike in the woods and she teaches him about wildlife and comforts him when he’s scared. “When I’m not there, promise me you’ll only think about the good times we’ve spent together,” she says in one rather devastating moment. This beautifully told and brutal story strikes home. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Every once in a while, you pickup a book already knowing you'd like it, but, even then, it exceeds yourexpectations in the best possible ways. The Parakeet is one such book.” -SOLRAD

From the Publisher