Resolve

So I recently finished Good Eggs by Phoebe Potts. It was a very good memoir with a very interesting perspective. I’ve never read any graphic novels before so, being a writer myself, I was impressed with how the good old phrase “show, don’t tell” took on a whole new meaning throughout the story.

Phoebe paints a vivid tale of her life through carefully chosen words and drawings that had me nodding and empathizing through much of it. And, yet the whole book wasn’t completely about her infertility (which I expected) but there was a true coming of age storyline; a story of a woman trying to fit in, be accepted in this world through her art and her religion and ultimately find true happiness while battling depression. And although I loved many parts of her back story, I thought at times, it was a bit disjointed as she went back and forth between present and past.

The infertility was heartbreaking to not only read but watch. It was like a little movie playing out in front of me, a silent movie all too familiar. I too questioned ‘all the things I could have done wrong in the last month’ like on page xiv and wondered “where’s my baby?” as I sat in a shop surrounded by moms like on page xv. But the miscarriages and the negative outcomes she experienced…the pain was real and evident in each little drawing.

I was really glad for all the humor in the book! Phoebe added in lots of little tid-bits that were really funny like the thoughts of her cat Reuben and even her slipper. And just some of the thought bubbles in general were hilarious. I particularly found the Anatomy of a Fertility Clinic Waiting Room on page 98 to be really funny and yet oddly recognizable at the same time.

I also really loved all the sweet and tender moments like on page 142 after yet another negative result when she drew her husband and her in an embrace and the words “It’s in Jeff’s description to say the things I need to hear even if they are not true when the alternative is just too hard to take.” Those words rang so true.

I was honestly sad for Phoebe to read all the way to the end and not see her finally achieve success with her infertility but it was refreshing to read that in the end she was ‘full of hope’ as she light-heartedly began the discussion of adoption. I did really LOVE her analogy in her Afterword comparing her journey to her Hebrew ancestors -”suffering and celebrating.” I truly hope we can celebrate with Phoebe at some point in the future as she takes on a new story of motherhood.

Phoebe Pott’s book Good Eggs was nominated for The Best Book Award for The 2011 Resolve’s Night of Hope. If you haven’t voted yet, please do! She is in good company with a few other great choices including So Close by Tertia Albertyn (which I reviewed here). *You can also vote for the best blog while you’re there!

To look at what Phoebe’s been up to inlcuding other reviews go to her website. For a sneek peek into the book some more go here. Happy Reading!