A Fox in My Brain by Lou Lubie – BlackRaven Book Review

Kirkus Reviews (04/15/2024):
A young woman chronicles her experience with cyclothymia in this translated title from France. This graphic memoir opens with Lou, 16, having just begun to experience symptoms of depression. As she goes on to attend art school and video game school, move in with her boyfriend, and create a video game, her significant mood swings cause her distress, at times leading to suicidal ideation. She’s told by psychiatrists that she’s too young and pretty to be anxious or depressed. Eventually, Lou finds a therapist specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy who helps her realize she has cyclothymia, a mood disorder, and she begins to feel stable thanks to a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Lou’s story is relatable, particularly in depicting medical gaslighting. The narrative is punctuated with lists and infographics that educate readers about mental health. The illustrations are predominantly executed in black and gray, with orange serving as an accent color, a strategic choice due to the depiction of cyclothymia as an orange fox. Early in the book, depression is described as the “little black thing” and shown as a messy black spot or a menacing black fox. The art is expressive, with varied and creative panels. Lou is from Réunion and is portrayed with curly black hair and paper-white freckled skin. An instructive story of surmounting many obstacles while grappling with mental health. (Q&A with readers, psychologist’s note) (Graphic memoir. 14-adult) COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I start this review of A Fox in My Brain with the Kirkus Reviews review because, honestly, I’m lazy and don’t think I can say it better. However, I can say that this book is relatable and accessible on multiple levels. It is beautifully written, easy to read and emotional. We see ourselves, loved ones and can come away with a better understanding of mental health.

While I have been lucky and not experienced a lot of medical gaslighting, (but of course I have experienced it. I am female and fat after all), I know it happens all too often. Especially with women and women like Lou Lubie who are “too young and pretty to be” depressed/bipolar/have any real problems/issues. After all, what does she have to worry about? Why can’t she just be quiet and enjoy her good job, her boyfriend, her friends, her apartment? IT doesn’t matter that Dr. D says she doesn’t have X Y Z (even though Dr. A said she has X, and Dr. B says Y&Z and Dr. C said…). I think there probably isn’t a person who hasn’t had some experience with it. Especially when it comes to mental health issues. And A Fox in My Brain tries to help the reader understand their own journey and perhaps take away a few things from Lubie’s journey. Not only does she give you her own experiences, but puts into plain French (translated to English) the science. I think I picked up more things here than I had gotten in other books I liked that had given me something.

A coworker whom I tend not to agree with his recommendations, read this as well. However, after his recommendation one day, I knew I should read it. I have gotten permission to steal his comment: “Half autobiography, half artsy cartoon, half health resource, half advice column, she crams more in here than you’d ever think possible for a comic this skinny.” This book is so strong and this is what we need even if we are not experiencing or know someone experiencing the symptoms described here. This book is not meant to diagnose you, but to give a start to the theme included. The publisher description says ages 14 and up, and I agree, but you could read this with a younger reader (at least 10 and up) but due to the triggers (talk of suicide, actual attempts, the use of drugs/alcohol, the representation of depression/anxiety/mental health, and the medication and therapy roller coaster) it is not for everyone. I would love to see more mental health and doctors offices have this book available to their patients.

Though available I read via an online reader’s copy, which had some text in French, but I’m assuming it’s just a reader copy oops and won’t be in the final. And I want to say I’m given this a 4 (I would like to give it a 4.5 but we don’t allow it) because of the one small issue I have with the book. It ended. How can this end? I don’t want it to end! I want to travel with Lou and stay friends with her forever! And a quick note on the illustrations: the use of orange is AMAZING. It is a great contrast to the black of the anxiety/health issues and really captures the mood and feelings of the author. When they say Written, Drawn and Experienced by Lou Lubie you know it’s true after finishing it. It is an experience they and you take and this is accented by this art.