This graphic novel was hilarious and well-drawn, definitely worth the money and the hype, and I hope will be successful!

This was an interesting graphic novel. I loved the way that the book dealt with unexpected death and grief. I'm honestly not sure what I would do in her situation. Overall, a great graphic novel with fantastic artwork.

'Stay' by Lewis Trondheim with art by Hubert Chevillard is a graphic novel about a couple on vacation and what happens when tragedy strikes.

Roland and Fabienne go on a well planned vacation. When tragedy strikes and Roland dies on the first day, Fabienne decides she'd like to stay and discover the vacation that her late partner had in mind for her. Following his journal and notes, she inhabits the town, and meets an odd man with secrets of his own.

The beginning is so over the top gruesome, that what follows feels tainted. Everyone acts different in the face of sudden grief, but I had a hard time understanding Fabienne. The art is fine, but the story and motives are confusing.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

2.75 stars

"Stay" had an interesting premise but didn't really keep me interested or invested in the story. The illustrations were nice, but the storyline overall just didn't keep my interest.

A lot of French comics tend to be like this, a slice of life. This one just has a morose beginning. A woman's fiancee dies in a freak accident as they begin their vacation. The woman can't deal with it and decides to continue her vacation while trying to ignore her despair. It's OK if you're into the sorts of comics where not much happens for the majority of it.

This is the kind of book that makes me feel stupid. And I don't read to feel stupid.

Fabienne's partner, Roland, gets his head rather graphically cut off in the first few pages, and the rest of the story is about her dealing--or, rather, not dealing--with her grief. She decides to stay and enjoy the vacation that Roland had planned for them, refusing the funeral and even telling her mother that she's not traumatized. (Yeah, right. She was holding his hand when his head came off. How could she not be traumatized?)

Anyway, as she's going about her vacation in complete and utter denial, she meets a Manic Pixie Dream Boy by the name of Paco. He may or may not be married, and may or may not have lost his penis as a child. He carries around a bottle of his own urine so he can dump it on the head of a barking dog, so it's obvious that we're supposed to view him as "quirky".

Unfortunately, I was so distracted by that disgusting little detail that I was pretty grossed out for the rest of the story. Fabienne starts hanging out with Paco, and even sharing meals with him, which... hello? Bottle of urine? *shudder*

The resolution to the story feels utterly hollow. Fabienne, having "worked through" her grief by refusing to acknowledge it, dumps Roland's stuff and goes home. The end. Seriously? If this book hadn't been such a quick read, I would be even more annoyed by that ending than I already am.

The far more interesting questions aren't answered. What drew Paco to the grieving widow in the first place? Has Fabienne really put the whole messy business behind her (and, if so, what does that say about her mental state)? There are too many unanswered questions.

I don't know what the point of this story even is. When you start out with something as dramatic as a decapitation, you better follow it up with a great story. This book almost seems like it was told in reverse, with the climax coming at the beginning. Unfortunately, that doesn't really hold a reader's interest or ultimately satisfy them... especially if the characters don't grow or change as a result of the inciting dramatic event.

I didn’t read the synopsis before reading the story, and that left me extremely confused. Firstly, this story is very weird on its own, but for it to not be able to support it’s own plot, that makes it even stranger. I shouldn’t have to read the synopsis to get what the story is about. I felt like the main character’s reaction to the sudden death of her boyfriend (not a spoiler, as it happens on the first or second page and is, in fact, in the book’s description) was very odd and just extremely unrealistic. And the side character we are introduced to later is just...really freaking weird. I honestly feel like nothing really happens in this story at all. Nothing made a whole lot of sense to me, and I was so disconnected from the story and all the characters. It’s definitely not one I would personally recommend.

I'm starting this ARC with the biggest interest and curiosity, because why wouldn't I when the synopsis said 'But before they can even get their luggage to their rental, Roland is decapitated in a freak accident. And Fabienne, stunned and alone, has no idea how to process it.'. Yes, I want to know what happened and how decapitated can be involved in this beautiful and lovely covered book.

Unfortunately, nothing happened. Yes, it took me by surprise that with only nine pages in, this person was decapitated already, but really, I keep waiting and waiting and nothing happened afterward. I understand that people grief in a different way and I'm not trying to underestimate the way the main character grief in this book. It just, nothing happened and I don't understand what am I doing here, following this story? On the other hand, I truly appreciate the art style and it was so beautifully done! Hands down, visual-wise, one of the prettiest graphic novel that I've read this year.

Thank you Lion Forge and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful graphic novel about life and death. The art style is beautiful and the story itself is very well done. I'll be recommending this one.

A story about grief and loss that’s curiously devoid of emotion.

Fabienne and her fiancé Roland are on the first day of a week-long vacation abroad when he’s killed in a freak accident – decapitated (and rather cleanly, mind you) by an errant metal sign on a windy day. (I know.) In a haze of denial and trauma, Fabienne decides to continue on with the meticulously planned itinerary Roland made for them, rather than accompany his body back home. She blows off his brother Alan and misses the funeral. She goes to the beach, dines alone, and gazes apathetically at happy couples and celebrating families.

At some point this clearly not quite right tourist catches the eye of a local shop owner, the eccentric but mostly kind-hearted Paco. (I say mostly because he tosses a jar of his own pee on a loud-mouthed but obviously neglected dog, so there’s that.) He tries to cheer her up with homemade meals and picnics, but is almost painfully slow on the uptake: even though he collects scrapbooks of unusual deaths, it isn’t until he spots a text on her cell phone that he puts two and two together.

Fabienne blows Paco off, and then they make up. Eventually Fabienne seems to achieve some sort of inner peace or resolution; she finishes the vacation and heads home.

And…that’s it.

As a new-ish widow myself, my interest in this comic book is self evident. It also seemed like a delightfully weird story. Unfortunately, I just didn’t feel any sort of emotional connection to Fabienne. The story is flat, detached, dispassionate. There are no feels to be felt. Everything – or rather nothing – happens, and that’s that.

This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that begins with a tragedy. We see how the affected person works through this, and she decides to stay and complete the trip without the lost loved one. The pictures tell all, and if you stop and consider each one carefully, that will help to understand the grieving process, and how she works through it. Recommended

I kind of knew what to expect with Trondheim, but the beginning of this comic was still...a shock. The comic tells the story of this couple or a frame in time in their lives that goes awry. Roland has booked a trip with surprises to him and Fabienne, but gets decapitated in a freak accident by the beach (!). Now Fabienne is by herself, but wants to experience the vacation and doesn't attend the funeral. Fabienne is so out of it that it's perfect really. She wonders through moments, but is detached from everything, doesn't remember well and just floats in a sense. At the same time she seems normal even and those who end up knowing about her situation, find her way of coping out of place. It's not even coping, I'd say it's more about a time freeze, where the bad experiences just stop existing. The story is horrible and depressing in a nice and tranquil way, which makes this awful. And great.

The art looks so wonderful and happy with colors and life. It's the best counterpart to the setting and dark tones the comic has. The contradiction between everything is perfect and haughty with suffocation and sun. In a sense I loved this, but perhaps I wanted more, since the ending could've offered more. More pages could've given this more time to become what it is. 3.5 stars would be the correct rating and even maybe 4, but still. Do try this if you can handle Trondheim.