Luisa now and then
(Graphic Novel)

When teenager Luisa wakes up on the bus in Paris with a wallet full of francs, a kind woman takes pity on her and brings her home to her apartment building, where 33-year-old Luisa lives. The bus trip transported her from the 1990s to the present, and teenage she and her older self must figure out how to get her back home. It's not easy, because 33-year-old Luisa doesn't have a lot of patience with her younger self, whose homophobic attitudes are at odds with her burgeoning queer identity, and teen Luisa is dismayed by older Luisa's tiny apartment, mediocre career, and non­existent love life. Maurel's painterly, naturalistic artwork, in sumptuous full color, beautifully conveys the story, and she highlights the Luisas' eventual mutual understanding by gradually making them resemble each other. Ultimately both Luisas reconcile with each other: older Luisa learns to be gentler with her younger self, and younger Luisa is reassured about her attraction to women. And that growth should resonate with plenty of readers reckoning with how well they lived out their teenage dreams.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2010 Booklist

In Maurel's sumptuously drawn time-travel fantasy, teenage Luisa is transported from the 1990s to the present to meet her 30-something self. Tamaki (This One Summer) adapts the translated French with freshly worded dialogue in this elegant English-language edition. Young Luisa is disgusted to learn that adult Luisa is single and boring, living in a tiny apartment in Paris and working at a compromised version of her dream job. For adult Luisa, the meeting stirs up old regrets and forces her to face truths about her sexuality that she's tried to ignore. But the more time they spend together, the more their identities blend. The idea of meeting one's past or future self isn't terrifically original, but Maurel tells the story with insightfulness and depth and an eye for period detail; note young Luisa's oversized scrunchie and the pacifier necklace that was a '90s fad for mere moments. In stand-out art, Maurel renders attractive characters with open, emotive faces and detailed Paris streets drenched in sunset-toned watercolors. There couldn't be a lovelier setting for this winning story of romantic self-discovery. (Jun.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Luisa Arambol, 33, is resigned to her unsatisfying life. Her relationships with men never last, and her job as a culinary photographer isn't what she hoped it would be. But everything changes when her neighbor Sasha discovers a lost girl in their neighborhood, who turns out to be Luisa at age 15. When she comes face to face with her more passionate and resolute younger self, Luisa must acknowledge past decisions and how she has repressed her attraction to women. Occasional awkward phrasing crops up in this French translation, and the logistics of the time-traveling aren't explained, but the message about being true to oneself is universal. Maurel handles the hardships of teens coming to terms with their sexuality (or not) with raw honesty. Loose, scratchy linework overlays a soothing watercolor finish; Luisa's flashbacks are presented in grayscale, and Sasha's flashback in a citrus palette, while the present rotates between a lush burgundy gradient and cool sea-foam greens and blues. Footnotes discuss French cultural norms and practical differences between the two Luisa time lines. There is a scene of masturbation and sexual fantasy, but there is no -nudity. VERDICT This touching tale of growing up will resonate with most teens, especially those interested in titles exploring identity.-Alea Perez, Westmont Public Library, IL © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In 1995, 15-year-old Luisa enters a Paris bus and exits, somehow, in 2013. Or, in 2013, 33-year-old Luisa suddenly encounters a lost and confused version of herself at age 15. Either way, the younger Luisa is both mystified by cultural differences big and small in the 21st century but mostly taken back by her future self, a disillusioned food photographer living alone in a small Paris apartment. Moreover, the elder Luisa isn't too thrilled at suddenly having to answer for more than a decade's worth of compromise and disappointment. This tale from French creator Maurel (Apokalypse), adapted into English by Tamaki (cocreator, This One Summer), straddles both coming of age and coming to terms with middle age, sending a familiar plot in fascinating and bold new directions, as both versions of Luisa are forced to acknowledge their repressed sexuality in order to move forward. VERDICT A funny, touching, and beautifully illustrated and colored story about self--acceptance with equal appeal to adult and YA audiences.-TB © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A 30-something woman must reckon with judgments from her 15-year-old self. In 2013, Luisa Arambol, a commercial food photographer, lives in the Paris apartment left to her by her late Aunt Aurelia, a woman she barely knew. Luisa has little contact with her mother, unsatisfying short-term relationships with men, and an irresponsible relationship with alcohol. In the 1990s, Luisa pops a cassette into her Walkman, hops on a bus to her home near Chartres, and nods off, waking up in Paris. She is rescued by Luisa's neighbor Sasha, who deposits her with Luisa senior, and the two work out their connection--as well as a cover story about a long-lost cousin. Teen Luisa is horrified, regarding her older self as a sellout who compromised on artistic integrity. Even more painful to confront is both Luisas' feelings about her sexuality and her treatment of a teenage friend who was a target of homophobic bullying. Lesbian Sasha becomes a lightning rod for adult Luisa's conflicted feelings. As the two Luisas spend time more together, they experience greater conflict as well as a melding of sorts. The golden-hued illustrations vividly evoke the Parisian setting, with flashbacks rendered in sepia tones. The realism of the art accentuates the surreal dislocation both women experience. The story is told honestly, with no sugarcoating of painful truths, and will hold strong appeal for teen and adult readers alike. Main characters are white; there are secondary characters of color. An evocative meditation on personal pain and dreams deferred. (Graphic fantasy. 15-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

When teenager Luisa wakes up on the bus in Paris with a wallet full of francs, a kind woman takes pity on her and brings her home to her apartment building, where 33-year-old Luisa lives. The bus trip transported her from the 1990s to the present, and teenage she and her older self must figure out how to get her back home. It's not easy, because 33-year-old Luisa doesn't have a lot of patience with her younger self, whose homophobic attitudes are at odds with her burgeoning queer identity, and teen Luisa is dismayed by older Luisa's tiny apartment, mediocre career, and non­existent love life. Maurel's painterly, naturalistic artwork, in sumptuous full color, beautifully conveys the story, and she highlights the Luisas' eventual mutual understanding by gradually making them resemble each other. Ultimately both Luisas reconcile with each other: older Luisa learns to be gentler with her younger self, and younger Luisa is reassured about her attraction to women. And that growth should resonate with plenty of readers reckoning with how well they lived out their teenage dreams. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.

In 1995, 15-year-old Luisa enters a Paris bus and exits, somehow, in 2013. Or, in 2013, 33-year-old Luisa suddenly encounters a lost and confused version of herself at age 15. Either way, the younger Luisa is both mystified by cultural differences big and small in the 21st century but mostly taken back by her future self, a disillusioned food photographer living alone in a small Paris apartment. Moreover, the elder Luisa isn't too thrilled at suddenly having to answer for more than a decade's worth of compromise and disappointment. This tale from French creator Maurel (Apokalypse), adapted into English by Tamaki (cocreator, This One Summer), straddles both coming of age and coming to terms with middle age, sending a familiar plot in fascinating and bold new directions, as both versions of Luisa are forced to acknowledge their repressed sexuality in order to move forward. VERDICT A funny, touching, and beautifully illustrated and colored story about self-acceptance with equal appeal to adult and YA audiences.—TB

In Maurel's sumptuously drawn time-travel fantasy, teenage Luisa is transported from the 1990s to the present to meet her 30-something self. Tamaki (This One Summer) adapts the translated French with freshly worded dialogue in this elegant English-language edition. Young Luisa is disgusted to learn that adult Luisa is single and boring, living in a tiny apartment in Paris and working at a compromised version of her dream job. For adult Luisa, the meeting stirs up old regrets and forces her to face truths about her sexuality that she's tried to ignore. But the more time they spend together, the more their identities blend. The idea of meeting one's past or future self isn't terrifically original, but Maurel tells the story with insightfulness and depth and an eye for period detail; note young Luisa's oversized scrunchie and the pacifier necklace that was a '90s fad for mere moments. In stand-out art, Maurel renders attractive characters with open, emotive faces and detailed Paris streets drenched in sunset-toned watercolors. There couldn't be a lovelier setting for this winning story of romantic self-discovery. (Jun.)

Luisa Arambol, 33, is resigned to her unsatisfying life. Her relationships with men never last, and her job as a culinary photographer isn't what she hoped it would be. But everything changes when her neighbor Sasha discovers a lost girl in their neighborhood, who turns out to be Luisa at age 15. When she comes face to face with her more passionate and resolute younger self, Luisa must acknowledge past decisions and how she has repressed her attraction to women. Occasional awkward phrasing crops up in this French translation, and the logistics of the time-traveling aren't explained, but the message about being true to oneself is universal. Maurel handles the hardships of teens coming to terms with their sexuality (or not) with raw honesty. Loose, scratchy linework overlays a soothing watercolor finish; Luisa's flashbacks are presented in grayscale, and Sasha's flashback in a citrus palette, while the present rotates between a lush burgundy gradient and cool sea-foam greens and blues. Footnotes discuss French cultural norms and practical differences between the two Luisa time lines. There is a scene of masturbation and sexual fantasy, but there is no nudity. VERDICT This touching tale of growing up will resonate with most teens, especially those interested in titles exploring identity.—Alea Perez, Westmont Public Library, IL