Book Review: Flora and the Shooting Stars by Chantal Van den Heuvel

The Book

Flora and the Shooting Stars by Chantal Van den Heuvel, art by Daphne Collignon
Amazon | Goodreads
Graphic novel | Romance
Published by Europe Comics
Obtained through Netgalley

What It Is

Flora is a 40-something divorcee looking for romance after her marriage fails disastrously. She and her friends meet up frequently to talk about their latest bad dating experiences, and one of them recommends online dating to her. Unfortunately, it’s not a great experience. Sometimes, though, love can sneak up on you when you’re not expecting it. This graphic novel explores how devastating loneliness can feel, and how it can lead you to blame yourself when your love life isn’t working out.

What I Loved

I definitely enjoyed the art by Daphne Collignon, and it fits the story very well. In a lot of graphic novels I read, a character’s expression can be challenging, but Collignon does a fantastic job of giving each character a lot of personality.

What I Disliked

All of the characters fell flat for me in terms of the writing, and I had trouble getting past the shallowness of their personalities. Most of Flora’s friends seem like terrible people to be around, obsessed with their looks and finding the perfect man. Parts of the graphic novel are terribly corny as well, such as this quote from the niece of one of Flora’s friends: “Make him feel like he’s a valiant warrior. They love that.” Or this one from one of the men Flora meets up with through an online dating site: “I love real women, like you who’ve made it to their fabulous forties without forgetting how to be pretty and sensitive along the way.”

I wasn’t able to relate to a single character, and I didn’t gain any insight from reading this. While I enjoyed the art a great deal, I had trouble finding pleasure in the words.

Verdict (Buy/Borrow/Skip)

Skip.