Thank you for my eARC of this book. I really enjoyed his but it lacked in places for me, I can’t put my finger on it, it I didn’t enjoy it and would read more from this author in the future.

Oh my goodness y'all. If you're ready for it, this is a wonderful story to go through. Don't get me wrong, so much of it hurts, sharply, and makes me want to cry for these kids. But so much of it is full of love and hope and joy, too.

You can probably guess from the basic premise of Marie losing her sight that this is not going to be an easy story to read, but there's a lot more to it than that. These kids are all dealing with such difficult situations. Things that an adult would struggle with that they have to try to figure out alongside all the usual growing pains of adolescence. Just a few other examples: absent or divorced parents, feelings of not being good enough or being a disappointment, isolation and loneliness, and so much more. It honestly really hurts a lot to read this story, frequently.

But at the same time, there is SO much love and joy in it. The two main characters share a deep love of music that guides them both in different ways and provides them solace in difficult times. There's a lot of love between friends, and seeing their interactions and support of each other -- even after or during an argument or disagreement -- is truly heartwarming. The love between the parents and children is an important component in the story, and reading it as an adult really tugged at my heart when I could see both perspectives and how each was feeling in a significant moment. And of course, there's young romantic love between our two leads that buds as they grow closer. Amazing what sharing a secret can do, eh?

The art style does an incredible job of supporting all of these big emotions that are crucial to the overall story. The art has soft coloring and style, but still has a ton of detail in it. I never had issues seeing what was going on even in complex situations. Small things that show character traits without words are great, like someone's shoelaces being untied regularly. It plays with the styling a bit too, using that to reflect emotions like when one of the characters is spiraling into heavy and painful thoughts (or alternatively, when they're feeling like they're so happy they could walk on air!).

And also just to note, this has some really funny moments in it too that the art once again supports perfectly. While this covers some really heavy topics and emotions, it also shows the balance in life that there can still be joy and laughter even when things feel overwhelming.

Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a free copy. This is my honest review.

I got this on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a good and fast graphic novel, and I love that it is based on a true story! Loved seeing the relationship between Victor and Marie-Jo develop, and seeing how they bring out the best in each other! Victor especially really broadened his horizons and became so passionate and I LOVED that! Would recommend this one!

This comic tell us the story about Victor who its a boy who really loves música, he it's not that great in school but he try one day he meet a girl who play the cello a girl who is really Smart marie but something it's off about her, she is going blind, and Victor try to help her to find courage to not loose her dreamsc Even tought she can not loonger SEE one day they start to help each other but one day Victor talk a bit to much and they fight. Now Victor have to mend his mistake.

The story is really lovely from the draw style to the plot, the conflict it's simple but reallistic. How two young kids help each other it's fantastic

3/8/24
Don’t let how long this took me to read fool you, it’s actually quite short and only took me two sittings to read. The issue was that I just never felt the urge to genuinely finish the story until I was getting tired of seeing this on my currently reading list.

This is a stunning graphic novel. I also did genuinely enjoy it. After learning that this a less than 80 page English adaptation of a ~300 page French novel, it becomes obvious how much is missing. Some things feel disjointed, shallow, and like we don’t get the full explanation about something. Because we don’t.

Reading this does have me interested in reading the English translation of the book though!

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Europe Comics for an ARC of this!

This was a really pretty graphic novel but I felt like the pacing didn't quite work for me. I wanted a different story than I got, but I think this might still appeal to a certain crowd.

I read this in 2023 and enjoyed it.

Congratulations to the authors and thank you to the publisher for the copy!

the art style is so beautiful, and the story and the messages it conveys are too. the characters dont fall short but could have been better written in my opinion. however, overall the reading experience is so enjoyable.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


A beautiful love story. The illustrations are absolutely magnificent. It is a teen romance between an all A student and one that is almost failing. As with teen romances, there are many emotions experienced. This is a wonderful book for those whose experience is like Marie-Jo, sudden blindness and the stresses of dealing and adapting to it.

Content warnings: Forced affection and physical altercation

“My Heart in Braille” is a graphic novel written by Joris Chamblain, illustrated by Anne-lise Nalin, and based on the novel by Pascal Ruter. It’s a sweet story of love and resilience, against all odds.

Victor is a teenager who’s been having problems at school ever since his mum left him and his dad; despite his academic shortcomings, his dad is very supportive and tries to make him study subjects Victor is interested in, like car races, literature and music. However, Victor still doesn’t feel like he measures up with his peers who seem to have more interests and knowledge than him.
One day, during a test, Victor ends up copying from Marie-Jo, a straight-A student who wants to become a cello player and so has applied for a very prestigious music program. They end up striking up a friendship, with Marie-Jo tutoring Victor and helping him improve his grades. As this friendship slowly becomes something more, Marie-Jo reveals her secrets to Victor who will do whatever he can to ensure that her dreams come true, even at the expense of his own heart.

The characters are amazing: as Victor and Marie-Jo are obviously the protagonists, the story spends a lot of time focusing on their thoughts, their fears and their feelings, which are all very teenager-like but also extremely relatable, especially the feeling of not being enough and of always coming up short in comparison to others. As far as the secondary characters are concerned, they are very multidimensional, very well written, so that they are more than just supporting figures.

The illustrations are extremely detailed, with very vivid colors and a cute and soft style.

I really liked the story and the message behind, because what seems like a simple teenager love story is the perfect medium for a deeper reflection on what love is, on what it means to support someone you love even at your own expense and on how much it means to have someone believe in you, no matter what.

I’ll surely read the novel, when I can get my hands on it and I really hope to read more from this amazing team of artists that managed to produce a powerful and beautiful work of art.

I highly recommend to anyone who wants to feel warm and cozy when they finish their reading ❤️

Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a sweet comic about a topic I haven't read about before – being blind and needing Braille Script. The artwork was really beautiful to look at, the characters were depicted in a very empathetic way, and the overall vibes of this story were just what I needed when I read this one.

Thank you to @europecomics & @netgalley for the opportunity to read this beautifully illustrated graphic novelization of the original French romance novel, "Le Cœur en braille", by Pascal Ruter. Scroll down for a synopsis!

The illustrative style was gorgeous and the colors were soft and matched the story. I also enjoyed the romance aspect along with the compelling story of one person bravely overcoming their disability to live their dreams.

Very sweet story about making connections in difficult times. Wonderful graphics!
Thank you NetGalley for providing an ARC.

"My Heart in Braille" by Joris Chamblain & Anne-Lise Nalin is a gorgeous graphic book about simplicity and compassion. Victor, a vintage vehicle enthusiast and music lover, befriends the studious Marie-Jo. As their relationship grows, the narrative addresses friendship, compassion, and crossing barriers.

The story is simple yet real, touching. Disability is sensitively and thoughtfully portrayed in the novel, revealing the individuals' perspectives. The urge to explore Victor's issues alongside Marie's shaped my experience.

Victor and Marie-Jo's relationship and secrets dominate the tale, while Victor's troubles are largely overshadowed. This oddity made me want to know Victor further and see his character evolve. Despite this, "My Heart in Braille" is a touching look at friendship and human connection.

What a cute and beautifully illustrated graphic novel about finding your compass in another person. Follow along as Victor is metaphorically guided by Marie-Jo to see his worth and potential while Marie-Jo is literally guided by Victor to find her way despite her quickly fading eyesight. I would have liked to see Victor get his own story of chasing his own dreams versus tying his worth so fully to Marie-Jo, however, this really is just a snapshot of their time together, so one could overlook this flaw and assume there would be more to their story. Overall I enjoyed this fast paced read.

Thanks NetGalley and Europe Comics for the ARC of this graphic novel.

A sweet graphic novel that looked a bit like a comic strip. I enjoyed the art overall and color scheme but didn't love the story.

My Heart in Braille delivers a touching narrative that delves into themes of camaraderie, compassion, and the significance of bridging divides to foster meaningful connections.

This graphic novel perfectly encapsulates the essence of brevity and tenderness.

The storyline is straightforward and uncomplicated, yet it exudes a genuine and sincere quality that resonates deeply.

I found the portrayal of disabilities in the book to be handled with utmost sensitivity and thoughtfulness. It felt authentic, exploratory, and provided valuable insights.

However, I did hope for a more thorough exploration of Victor's challenges alongside Marie's.

From my perspective, Victor's struggles appeared somewhat sidelined within his own narrative, which struck me as a bit peculiar. I longed for a deeper understanding of Victor's character and more comprehensive character development.

This one is built on a decent concept, disparate characters who find a connection and go out of their way to help each other. The actual reading was difficult, though. The dialogue was difficult to follow at times and the illustrations, while lovely, don't always provide context clues.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this graphic novel. This is an honest review.
What caught my attention to this book were the illustrations and the colors.
In the case of the plot, I would say that it is a quick and cute story.
The novel talks about the topics of chronic illness with blindness as a result, but also the growth of a relationship built on mutual help. But because it is a short story, it feels a little incomplete. I was left wondering how Marie-Jo would take her classes after the end, also it was a disappointment not to read more of the male protagonists, but I understand that he grows more at the end, we just don’t get to see everything.

One good thing it that the story does brings you to think more about the importance of accessibility for all disabilities.

I recommend reading it if you are looking for a quick story to pass the time.

I really liked this book because it was really cute and an easy read.
In my opinion Victor was a character one can really easy identify with which makes this book more personal and more relatable. The story that wraps up around Marie-Jo and Victor could have been a little bit less Marie-Jo centered and Victor could have gotten much more out of himself.
The artstyle of this book is fantastic and beautiful and fits the characters and the story perfectly.