Symptoms

In the quiet basement of a church, a group of women gather in a circle to share their fears, their hopes, and their stories.

In Symptoms, Catherine Ocelot turns her attention to the marks left by words, to what makes us ill and what helps us heal, and to the small inner voice we too often learn to ignore. Through a series of interconnected vignettes, the book explores mental, physical, and emotional health with tenderness, curiosity, and humour.

Like plants entwined in a greenhouse, these stories overlap and echo one another, revealing the invisible threads that bind us to the people who pass through our lives. With dialogue and drawings that are at times funny, at times poetic, Symptoms examines how our relationships-whether nourishing or toxic-shape both body and mind. Dreamlike and deeply human, this graphic novel traces the subtle inner movements that change us.

Winner of the 2023 Prix BD des Collégiens!