I love this graphic novel and I will sing its praise until the end of time because it is that good. The art is sweet and cute and kinda deceives you because the topics this book discusses can get pretty heavy and depressing. Nevertheless, you'll find a streak of optimism and humor throughout the story. I enjoyed it very much and will surely read it again and gift it to friends.

Hooookay....
So, here's the thing.
I have never in my life been able to relate to women like the protagonist Clare.
1) I don't have daddy issues. My father was and is freaking AMAZING with us, and yes, he had some machismo from being an old-school Mexican man, but still supported the HELL out of me, pulled his weight around the house, is still married to my mom, and was never an absentee sexist pig like Clare's dad.
2) I don't want children, so I never had a ticking biological clock screaming at me to reproduce before I got old.
3) I have never EVER felt the need to be in a relationship for the sake of not ending up alone. I love being alone just fine, thanks.
4) I have also never EVER put up with any shit from a man who said things like Clare's boyfriend Franck does about women. Franck is an ASS.
5) I have, hands down, all things considered, the BEST relationship a person could hope for with a man sent directly from heaven. I lucked out SO DAMN hard that I cringe every time I see a depiction of a woman settling for anything less than what I have: a supportive PARTNER who sees me as an equal human being.

I also freaking HATE women who sit around bashing men instead of TELLING the men in their lives why they are pissed off at them.

This was NOT for me, and Clare pissed me off a lot. Is this a reflection of French men and women and their relationships? I sincerely hope not because if it is then France collectively needs to grow the eff up.

Lovely 'everyday' story about a neonatal nurse who is struggling to find love and societal pressures mean that she ends up in a relationship for the wrong reasons. Firstly, the artwork was beautiful and really matched the tone of the comic. Secondly, this story was really lovely. There are a lot of digs at the stereotypical relationships e.g women complaining about their husbands, husbands being 'lazy' and making women do all the work and at surface level you could be mistaken in thinking that this is what the author truly believes however the overexaggerated-ness of the actions and Claire's realization at the end superbly draw attention to the subtle satire that underpins the comic. Well done.

Details the life of a thirty-something neonatal nurse as she looks for love. This one is obviously written for women. A large portion of the book is women complaining about men. At first it was kind of humorous but then it starts to weigh on you. I know we aren't perfect, but we do try and we are not all the same. But most of all, I just found this book to be very boring. It's just everyday life. I don't need to read about that, I live it every day.

I loved this! Cute, full of meaning, well written, and often poignant. I felt a lot, a lot of this over the course of this and may buy a copy for my coffee table.

This was such a cute short graphic novel talking about the pressure and expectations set for women by society, family, the norm or themselves, done with humour, but in a realistic way.

The book is not condescending nor is it trying to change something or offer solutions, it simply follows a 30-something y/o nurse for babies born prematurely. She is single and she is looking for someone to possibly start a family with. At least that's what she should want, right? Or maybe she really does, but when you are 30, there's even a bigger pressure to get a husband and a baby.

Claire is also a bit of a hopeless romantic, but willing to settle for less because... that's what you are supposed to do, right? She goes from date to date, bed to bed, until she finally gets into a stable relationship. She finally joins normal society, right? Claire finally got what she was supposed to get - just a boyfriend for now, yet things do not change or get easier. But is this really what she wants? Is this how it's supposed to feel? At one point, Claire asks herself what if this is her only shot?

I think this book was a great and simple way to talk about these ideas of gender role, society expectations of women, relationships and independence. And at it's core, I think this book is about if what we think we need or should do or have to be happy is what makes us happy indeed.

Oh, and the art is adorable and so great for the story. It is simple, yet fits the mood and atmosphere perfectly. The use of color was great to separate different parts of Claire's life. I also loved the other characters like Claire's friends and her mum and how different they were as persons and as ideas.

This was an interesting comic. It follows the life and relationship of a French neonatal nurse who worries she'll never have a family of her own. The bulk of the comic is devoted to her relationship with Franck. While the relationship is initially good, their years together are a series of resentments and disappointments. It's tender and relatable, and I was very happy I wasn't dating anyone once I'd read it.

This is a slice-of-life narrative, one without any real rising or falling action. It's interesting and engaging, and the panels are easy to follow; the artwork isn't overly detailed, but it grounds the characters very well, and Picault's background settings are consistent and recognizable. I really liked her use of monochromatic colors to convey mood and season. Despite all dialog occurring in a cursive typeface, it was easy to read (even on a small screen!).

There are a number of things about this comic that make it seem especially French. Sexual activity is depicted frequently and matter-of-factly, but not in a prurient fashion. When a character opts for an abortion, the process reflects the European standard of care, rather than an American one.

My favorite parts were when Claire, the protagonist, cares for the premature babies in the hospital. Her nurturing instincts were palpable, and her desire for a family of her own had a sweet weight to it.

Overall, I enjoyed this comic and would recommend it to readers of intimate, domestic narratives. (Netgalley Review)

The book focuses on a slice of Claire's life, a thirty-something nurse, while she tries to find a balance between short relationships, although she strives for a stable, long term one, with the purpose of building a family.

The story takes into account common doubts of 30+ women, and provides a realistic image of the protagonist's point of vies.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me the copy necessary to write this review.

It's funny how some books come along exactly when you need them, and wow this book was amazing. This book follows a woman, Clare, who is in her thirtys as she tries to find love and romance in a real, everyday setting. She is (understandably) frustrated with the whole process. When Frank comes into her life, she thinks this may not be my prince charming but it may be enough. We follow Clare through work, friendships and her relationships.

This book has some great girlfriends in it who talk about what it is like to be a modern woman. These women talking leads to some great feminist insights on what it means to be a woman today navigating relationships.

Limited Edition was a super validating read as I am going through the dating world, it also opened my eyes to somethings I never fully considered or voiced.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this comic in return for an honest review.

I really liked this graphic novel. I thought it was a touching and personal story and the simplicity in the drawings was also a beautiful element.

I am a huge fan of graphic novels that cover real life scenarios, and this one hit the mark for me. The main character was relatable, like-able, and true to her feelings. The graphic novel touches lightly on the trials and errors of dating, moving in with your significant other, and unplanned pregnancy. I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novels, and hope to see it on the shelves in my public library soon.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel is all about sex, motherhood and relationships. The artwork is simple and understated, with a monochrome colour palette. Almost every image is coloured in shades of yellow with odd splashes of baby pink and pale blue throughout. I had a bit of an issue with the font personally as it was almost like someone's handwriting and I found myself having to stop to decipher some words that weren't very legible to me which took me out of the story.

I also thought that the plot and themes were handled in a very heavy handed manner which made me feel very disconnected to the characters and what they were doing. Some of the choices the protagonist made were nonsensical in my opinion.

Overall, I think there are readers that would love this. However, personally, I feel that the same story could have been told in a better way; maybe the translation didn't portray the emotion well, or maybe there is some other reason, but on the whole I just felt very detached the whole way through. I love the art style and would be interested in seeing what this artist does in the future but as a story it is quite forgettable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a copy of this graphic novel. Published March 21, 2018 in English. 3.75 stars

Mid-life and no relationship! Crisis ?!?!

That is the premise of this newly translated Italian graphic novel. Holding true to Italian culture, this graphic novel is graphic. It spends as much time in the bedroom as out of it. We follow a 30-something nurse as she navigates one relationship after another, until she finds the right one. But...is it the right one?

Such a lovely story. Really liked the illustration style and the plot felt so real. Would thoroughly recommend.

Limited Edition tackles some real-life issues that women were experiencing such as still being single in their 30s, pregnancy, and being in a relationship. I'm quite sure that women will appreciate the tale of Claire in this graphic novel, and they will be able to relate to some of the topics addressed in the story.

3.5 “very real” stars

Limited Edition read like an indie movie, and paid homage to the belief that art mirrors life — the story was real, extremely so, and Aude Picault did a really good job of portraying that restless feeling that 30+ women tend to feel, when trapped by a heteronormative society that imposes restrictions on their happiness. I’m short, I liked it, I really did.

The novel centers on Claire, a neonatal nurse living in France. She’s in her early thirties, and because of societal conditioning, begins to feel her biological clock ticking. She desperately wants to settle down with and have children with “the one”, her problem being that she doesn’t have such a person like “the one”. She meets a man named Franck, and despite not being attracted to him in the least, attempts to build a life with him for one simple reason: he seems persistent, and she just wants someone.

Limited Edition chronicles her life with Franck, and depicts how people try to make it work in the real world. It’s not a romance, it’s not a fairytale — it’s simply about one woman, and her struggles with everyday life, as she tries to decide whether settling down is worth it, especially when it’s not with “the one”. (Because really, this perfect man that she often daydreams about is literally a citizen of utopia — no such man exists.)

And if there is no such “the one”, and Franck is the only option she has, having invested time and effort into this relationship, will she still be happy? That’s the question that Claire tries to answer in the pages of Limited Edition, which sees her grow from her early thirties to her mid thirties.

The art was the typical fare, and more than the artistic skill, I enjoyed the book for Picault’s blasé way of portraying life. I really enjoyed how thought-provoking this book was, and I kinda hope I’ll see more of Claire around!

'Limited Edition' by Aude Picault is a graphic novel about a young woman who feels discouraged by the relationships in her life. I really liked the story and art.

Claire is a neonatal nurse who, when we meet her, has had a series of boyfriends. Now that she is in her 30s, she is feeling the pressure of settling down. Her mother wants her to find someone and her friends are starting to have babies. When she meets Franck, it all seems to be perfect, but, as in any relationship, there are problems.

The story is quite good. I love the look at Claire's life in the hospital, as well as her insecurities as a person. The art is perfect for the story. The lettering is handwritten, and I had to really pay attention at times to figure out what the words were, but the style gave the book a unique charm. The book ends with a bibliography of feminist essays and studies about gender relations, which seems fitting after the story that is told.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

So overall I really enjoyed reading this comic. Slice-of-life comics aren't typically my go-to when it comes to comics and\or graphic novels, but it had moments of humor and sweetness that really grabbed me from the get-go and I had to read through it in one go.

The art is very good. The use of color is sparse (only black, white, yellow, blue, and pink) but well done throughout.

The story is straight-forward, but there's a lot of depth to Claire as a character and there's a lot of familiar scenes within the story. A good addition to an adult comic collection (the e-mail that brought the book to my attention said 17+ and that's an accurate age range, you don't want to mix this in with the kid's graphic novel area).

The big ding against it is the script font used throughout. Bits of it are less legible for me (which is true of just about every script font I've seen used in comics).

LIMITED EDITION is the story of Claire, and her journey to find love. In the beginning, she is actively searching; the moment she stops searching, she meets Frank. Frank seems to be perfect, once Claire finally gives him a chance, but is he? Should Claire stay if she's not happy, just because "everyone settles" once they turn 30+ years old?
In a book that embraces many contemporary issues of the dating world, LIMITED EDITION is definitely a great depiction of generational changes, different ways of facing current relationships, and what it means to "compromise" rather than "settle".

Trigger warning: abortion

This is a translation of a French graphic novel. It’s an exploration of feminism and women’s roles in today’s society – as a sex object, girlfriend, wife and mother. It trots out some of the usual gender role stereotypes – women like taking care of people! boys need to be tough! – and depicts various relationship stages – from one-night-stands, to dating, to a longer term relationship, to marriage, to raising a baby, then children, then empty nesters.

Ms. Picault doesn’t pull any punches – she shows the various stages of women’s lives with brutal honesty. Claire is optimistic and a bit naive, and at thirtysomething, her clock is ticking. We’re first introduced to Claire doing her pre-date primping, and then, after several hilarious depictions of sex, her morning-after daydreams of a new relationship. Claire’s daydreams are particularly sweet, mostly because they’re of everyday interactions that most parents would take for granted – saying good morning to a cheerful little baby, pushing a young child on a swing, going grocery shopping as a family. These daydreams – along with the depictions of her work as a NICU nurse – were my favorite parts of the story. Claire has built up this ideal of family life and motherhood, but when she visits her friend Lo after she has a baby, she finds a tired, cranky woman, surrounded by a mess, constantly harping on everything her husband isn’t doing. Claire, and the reader, however, see her husband trying to help and being constantly badgered by Lo for not doing anything right. On a visit to her boyfriend’s family, she sees parents frustrated with their children, and sniping at each other over every little thing. Even Claire’s own mother is divorced, and she readily admits that getting married was a bad decision – except, of course, that she had Claire.

Over the course of the book, which takes place over several years, Claire slowly realizes that all these roles she’s aiming for – girlfriend, wife, mother – are who she is in relation to someone else, not who she is for herself. While I do think Ms. Picault shows a not particularly rosy view of family life and is particularly harsh against men in particular, she also shows how all of this is part of Claire’s journey.

The art is lovely – line drawings with washes of color. It impressed me, several times, how much emotion and expression could be conveyed with just a few lines. I adored Claire’s curves and her big smile! On the other hand, while the script-style lettering (honestly, I think it was a font, not hand lettering) fit the mood, it was extremely hard to read at times.

As for other cons, there’s a particular bit related to the trigger warning that I thought felt almost more like someone’s idea of a feminist checklist than anything else. I understood that this particular narrative choice meant that Claire had to actually take action, rather than just continuing coasting along, but given how emotionally fraught the subject matter is, it didn’t sit well with me.

Overall, this was a visually lovely chick lit graphic novel!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.