Publisher's Weekly Review
In this joyous paean to resilience, a breast cancer diagnosis devastates then subsequently enlivens one woman's life. After a mastectomy, Betty loses her job, her love, and her self-esteem. But when she chases her windblown wig onto a cruise ship, she discovers the world of burlesque-and in it, a bright and beautiful way forward. Betty becomes Betty Boob, a defiantly one-breasted chanteuse whose setbacks become her greatest strength. Rocheleau's illustrations turn each page into a raucous, exultant ode to the art of cartooning: Betty's electric grins and the spangled backstage come alive with textural detail and deep, jewel-toned colors, and the motion of everything from Betty's performances to her encounter with a handsome entertainer nearly leaps off the page. Though certain elements border on the saccharine (the burlesque troupe is at times a bit too quirky) the tale's adherence to the reality of sickness and loss keeps it grounded. Betty's story is a charmed one, but not quite a fairy tale. Rather, it is a celebration of change, fortitude, and the healing power of art. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
When vivacious young Betty loses her left breast to a mastectomy, her squeamish boyfriend and her job disappear right along with it. Sad and angry but holding fast to her dignity, she literally follows the wind (it stole her wig, after all) until it delivers her to a burlesque troupe whose loyal camaraderie and unconventional lifestyle help replace what she has lost. By discovering a love of performance and taking a kind, new lover, Betty embraces her changed body and finds an unexpected path to fulfillment and happiness. Vibrant, funny, and wonderfully expressive, this wordless graphic novel is an absolute delight. A full cast of charming and unexpected characters speaks volumes through lively facial expressions and energetic body language, creating an economical yet rich and nuanced reading experience. The detailed panels, drawn with balanced humor and rendered in pen and ink with wide swaths of reds and pinks, beg to be savored. While not without melancholy, this inspiring tale of loss and love practically bursts with humor and a distinct joie de vivre.--Summer Hayes Copyright 2018 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Salesgirl in a high-fashion boutique, Betty loses a breast to cancer, her man to instant visceral repulsion, and her job, too, since her villainous boss can't tolerate imperfect bodies among staff. After elaborate slapstick episodes in which she experiments with a prosthesis, loses her wig, and despairs of everything, Betty falls in with a troop of eccentric burlesque entertainers who help her turn her life around. In charming over-the-top sequences, Betty finds stardom on stage and a hunky new guy. She even designs both an act and a clothing line that take advantage of a cancerista's chest asymmetry instead of hiding it. Cazot's (Les petites distances) nearly wordless story finds perfect realization in Rocheleau's (La Colère de Fantômas) energetic, modernist color art, which draws on classic strip cartoons for impressive visual imagery portraying our protagonist's suffering, her attempts to survive, and-what a finale! VERDICT Winsome, erotic, and hilarious, Betty's adventures break the mold for cancer stories in pulling art and beauty out of tragedy. Women college age and up will adore it, and many fem-friendly male readers will also. Note nudity and occasional sexual episodes, always plot anchored and nicely done.-Martha Cornog, Philadelphia © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
