Since I tend to read crime comics in the Dostoevskian tradition, it is not that often that I write the word "delightful" in my reviews, but there it is: This is a delightful graphic novel about a young woman home from Paris to the "sticks" for holidays. Juliette has always been protected somewhat by her family for being anxious. Will coming home to her divorced parents and her marriage-in-trouble sister? This is a sweet and at times bittersweet family story--often funny. It would appear the focus is on how mom, sis and Juliette have problems with men. We see things from the women's angle. The men are not bad, abusive, any of that, they are are just not . . . all that. Sort of amusing, these guys.

Then Juliette, disconnected from people in some ways, connects with a sorta sadsack guy who spends a lot of time in a bar. Apartment a wreck, and so is he, but he connects with Juliette for a time. Via a duck! Comic relief includes sis having an affair with a younger guy who wears costumes--wolf, ghost--and surprises her. At one point he sneaks into the house in a ghost costume, one of her kids "sees a ghost! I mean, really!" and all hell breaks lose, in a mostly funny way.

The real charming attraction is Jourdy's cartooning, and use of colors that reminded me of Lucy Knisley and Philippe Girard, seducing you into this lovely, intimate, warm world. One of my favorite comics of the year, without question. Feel good story, in many ways, though it is not a shallow rom-com. You like these folks very much and fall in love with the family. Especially Juliette!