I really enjoyed this graphic novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A graphic novel about the perils of moving from the city to the countryside. The graphics added to the simple story which in places is quite amusing.

I Would like to that NetGalley and the author for providing me with the ARC.

Back to Basics is a nice little graphic novel which is about a couple who moves from the city to the countryside. What is it with French graphic novels and this trope? This must be the fourth graphic novel i read from this genre. But neverthless this was an amusing book with good illustrations. WIll definitely recommend.

Moving from a city is a terrifying decision with consequences, but this time it is also so funny and enjoyable. I really liked this comic book and the storyline.

A book that sat idling for fourteen whole years before being translated into English, and then over three before the publishers deigned to put it on netgalley for us humble reviewers? All that says it must have "turd-filled stinker" written over it. But it's actually rather nice. It forms a proper narrative graphic novel, even if it is composed of half-page comic strips, all designed to give an arch yuck about the author/creator and his partner, moving out into the sticks in France having been city people. She adapts much more quickly, to the extent all the interaction with the as-far-as-we-see-it mute landlord is through her, whereas he finds the change much more awkward. And it's forever before they've finished unpacking. Some then has often been done before, with the tech-head afraid of the trees, the chance of there being poisonous plants, and the local rotgut given as a welcome or thank you present, or just with no reason at all, but it's really pleasantly clever at the same time. I might not have leapt at this – and I doubt I'd spend the evening reading all five books in the series – but this is just about worth four stars.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel because of its art style and entrenching plot. I would highly recommend this to fans of graphic novels and odd, interesting stories.

A mildly humorous comic strip about the French comic book genre of moving from the city to the countryside.

This is the story of a couple who decided to move to the country after living the city for all their lives. It was about change, how it may seem like you're not making the best decision for the move yet there is beauty despite it all. It also focuses on the idea of yet not able to settle down and also taking other options into account. This book is in the format of short comic strips that is full of humour and a sense of adapting to the change.

It was really funny ! One if my favorite readings since the year started. I cant wait to read the rest of the serie.
I received sn ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review .

I thought this was hilarious with good artwork too. It tells the story of the author Manu Larcenet and his move to the french countryside from Paris. The move is both good and bad.

Living in the country takes much getting used to. Manu (and his girlfriend) move to a tiny village of 89 people after having lived all his life in Paris. This is book one in this series. It is funny, quirky and just right for a coffee table and it will be interesting to see if they manage to settle down!

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


My favourite book of the month/year so far is a graphic novel so I wanted to pick up another of the graphic novels I received from NetGalley. However, this was quite disappointing. 

Told in short comic strips, this tells the story of a young couple who move from Paris to the countryside. It shows the quirks of country living and their struggles coming to terms with their new environment. As someone who grew up largely in the countryside and who now lives in quite a popular city, I thought that the themes in this would really resonate with me. To the contrary, I found myself getting annoyed with the ignorance of these characters and their reluctance to fit it in their small community. I know this is based on the author's own experiences but I just thought that it was very negative towards countryside living, instead of a celebration.

Overall, even though this is only 50 pages, I struggled to finish it and it is entirely forgettable.

1 out of 5 stars!

'Back to Basics 1: Real Life' by Manu Larcenet and Jean-Yves Ferri is a collection of comics about Manu Larcenet moving to the country.

When Manu and his partner Mariette move to the country, they find themselves surrounded by boxes from the move. They also meet the quaint, and strange, people they've moved near. Manu receives potent alcohol. He also almost kills himself in a tree cutting party. When he holds a party for his city friends, he finds they are happy enough to visit, then go back home.

It's classic "fish out of water" humor. The character of Manu makes things worse with his ignorant ways. The villagers seem a bit like caricatures, on purpose. The art is fun, and I got a few laughs out of the gags.

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.

This was a book from NetGalley, I am a big fan of graphic novels so try to always request them. I requested this mostly for the cover as the artwork looked charming, and it was, throughout. However the storyline lacked depth at times, it was like little snippets of their readjustment to a new place. I think a lot of the jokes fell flat because it's in translation from French? Either that or it just wasn't very funny.

It is about a couple who reallocate themselves to countryside.
Husband is an anxious artist and wife is a normal girl.
I loved background and surrounding.
Land owner, old lady, hermit and his brother.
It is original and hilarious stuff.
I enjoyed it thoroughly and I can read it any number of times.
If you want read funny comics, read it.
I am looking forward to other works by the artist.
Thanks netgalley and publisher for review copy.

Autobiographical comics are difficult to review because it feels a bit too close to insulting the people themselves. Even autobiographical prose I find easier. Perhaps because adding visuals makes me feel more voyeuristic as opposed to an essay that the author is putting out there. It's definitely a personal thing, but it makes me a little more uncomfortable.

Here, a couple moves to the countryside from Paris. It seems to have been a mutual decision, and perhaps done specifically to give the man, Manu, more space for his creative endeavors, yet he will not stop complaining about it. I thought it might be done in a 'fish out of water' way, which can be charming, but the comic focuses on their home, and the complaints he brings back after being out in the village. The one thing he seems to like about country life is that he would like to have an affair with the baker there, and doesn't understand why his wife is annoyed at hearing about her all the time. It's just not really funny. Both the wife and the villagers come off well, and Manu comes off like a prick, but I'm not convinced it was done in a skillful self-deprecating way. I think it's entirely possible he thinks his wife is being unreasonable in her demands to not live out of boxes six months after moving and to not have his brother come visit and insult their new way of life for hours. A joke or not, I'm really not interested in that baby boomer sort of humor where upsetting your wife is funny and all.

The format is very similar to newspaper comic strips, with similar levels of plot and punch line. I didn't laugh at any of them, but there were some small moments of cuteness. One thing I like about "living in the country" stories is reading about things like cooking and gardening and baking and meeting the locals etc and I didn't get any of that (with the slight exception of Manu attempting to cut down some trees with the men of the village) because the comic focuses so much on the confines of the house. This just ended up not really being for me.

This book was cute and simple. Most of it wasn't really my humour but it was 'nice'. I thought the Silence strip was the best. I also really loved the very first page before the comics started. That style of story telling took me back to my childhood, I wish we'd gotten a few more pages like that.