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Les vies de Charlie
Que deviennent nos proches après la mort ? Fini les enterrements, maintenant on recycle ! Dans une grande ville bouillonnante et grouillante, Charlie, employé chez Recycle & Ternel, est le meilleur dans son domaine : trouver une utilité à votre corps après la mort. Un jour, un jeune garçon l'appelle pour lui demander ce qu'est devenue l'âme de sa maman. Si Charlie a l'habitude de s'occuper du corps, qui s'occupe de l'âme ? Incapable de répondre, il va se lancer dans une enquête au coeur de la mort et de l'amour...
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2023
4 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Kid Toussaint
98 books84 followersKid (Thierry) Toussaint est né il n'y a pas très longtemps, pas très loin (loin de quoi?). Il est Sagittaire ascendant Vierge, ce qui impressionne beaucoup dans les soirées mondaines. Rédacteur, traducteur, astrophysicien, catcheur et scénariste, il s'est promis d'écrire sa biographie quand il sera mort. En attendant, il écrit des bandes dessinées. Parmi celles-ci, on trouve "Magic 7" et "Télémaque" (Dupuis), "Killing Time" (Ankama), "À l'ombre du convoi" et "Holly Ann" (Casterman), "40 éléphants" (Grand Angle/Bamboo) ou encore "Brûlez Moscou" (Le Lombard).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
December 19, 2023
In a Nutshell: A whimsical story that begins with a simple exploration of what happens to a soul after death, but develops into an intricate explanation. Imaginative in plot. Tricky to understand at times, but overall, a good read.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
This graphic novel was originally published in French as ‘Les Vies de Charlie’ in 2023. This English translation will be published in December 2023.
The highlight of this book has to be its quirky storyline. It starts with a straightforward premise: that of an employee doing his best to bring satisfaction to customers and helping them in their time of grief. However, once the investigation into a soul’s fate begins, the story takes a completely different route. While I enjoyed both sections, I think the transition was too sudden and the tone also was too disparate.
For once, the blurb restricts itself only to the initial section. So the path taken by the second half of the story came as a complete surprise. I did not expect romance to play a dominant role in this section. It is handled well enough; it just caught me unawares and so, was a mild downer for me. (On second thought, I should have expected romance because of that cover art!)
Charlie is a great choice as the central character. I loved his exuberance and his sincerity. He carries the story on his shoulders with aplomb. There are a few other interesting characters, but they don’t get this much page space, so their development is only to the extent necessary. We don’t get to see their motivations or the reason behind certain behavioural traits. Like, why does Luc always avoid Charlie? No idea.
Eternal Recycling can effectively be called the second lead of this story. Their business itself is enough to make them stand out. But even beyond this unusual “service”, their policy towards employees is excellently depicted. From mandatory walking time to laughing time, Eternal Recycling is very concerned about the health of its employees, or so it seems. The business is futuristic but the corporate culture is the same as in our real world.
The storyline is impeccable and imaginative, though it does take a while to make sense of it. The start is smooth, but Charlie’s investigation and its results are quite tricky to understand initially. If you have patience, the picture starts becoming clear soon enough, though not all of the plots gaps are filled up even by the end. Still, the ending is a beautiful one, and left me satisfied.
The artwork is stunning. The illustrator employs varies colour palettes across the story, though the art style remains the same throughout. There are monochrome pages at the start, light pastel pages in between (with the dominant colour constantly changing as per the situation), black & white pages for a flashback and a few panels with the full burst of colour. I love how the art offered hidden clues about the characters, though these become evident only retrospectively. The watercolour-style graphics suit the mood of the book.
All in all, this is a sweet story not to be overanalysed but to be enjoyed as is. It gives a whole new meaning to the idea of life coming a full circle and offers plenty to ponder over. Though it is a story about death and grief, the implementation is more hopeful than depressing.
4 stars.
My thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Many Lives of Charlie”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Note: There are many pages with nudity, though the graphics are not sexually provocative. However, there are implied sex scenes, including orgies. Official target age: 15+.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Story Synopsis:
In some dystopian future, happy-go-lucky Charlie works at Eternal Recycling, a company that specialises in recycling the physical remains of loved ones after their passing. As the customer care associate, Charlie has to answer calls and help customers with their recycling plans. But everything changes when he receives a call from a little boy one day, wanting to know what happened to his mother’s soul after her death. Charlie has never thought about souls, so the boy’s query leaves him befuddled. He soon begins his own investigation into the matter, with unforeseen consequences.
This graphic novel was originally published in French as ‘Les Vies de Charlie’ in 2023. This English translation will be published in December 2023.
The highlight of this book has to be its quirky storyline. It starts with a straightforward premise: that of an employee doing his best to bring satisfaction to customers and helping them in their time of grief. However, once the investigation into a soul’s fate begins, the story takes a completely different route. While I enjoyed both sections, I think the transition was too sudden and the tone also was too disparate.
For once, the blurb restricts itself only to the initial section. So the path taken by the second half of the story came as a complete surprise. I did not expect romance to play a dominant role in this section. It is handled well enough; it just caught me unawares and so, was a mild downer for me. (On second thought, I should have expected romance because of that cover art!)
Charlie is a great choice as the central character. I loved his exuberance and his sincerity. He carries the story on his shoulders with aplomb. There are a few other interesting characters, but they don’t get this much page space, so their development is only to the extent necessary. We don’t get to see their motivations or the reason behind certain behavioural traits. Like, why does Luc always avoid Charlie? No idea.
Eternal Recycling can effectively be called the second lead of this story. Their business itself is enough to make them stand out. But even beyond this unusual “service”, their policy towards employees is excellently depicted. From mandatory walking time to laughing time, Eternal Recycling is very concerned about the health of its employees, or so it seems. The business is futuristic but the corporate culture is the same as in our real world.
The storyline is impeccable and imaginative, though it does take a while to make sense of it. The start is smooth, but Charlie’s investigation and its results are quite tricky to understand initially. If you have patience, the picture starts becoming clear soon enough, though not all of the plots gaps are filled up even by the end. Still, the ending is a beautiful one, and left me satisfied.
The artwork is stunning. The illustrator employs varies colour palettes across the story, though the art style remains the same throughout. There are monochrome pages at the start, light pastel pages in between (with the dominant colour constantly changing as per the situation), black & white pages for a flashback and a few panels with the full burst of colour. I love how the art offered hidden clues about the characters, though these become evident only retrospectively. The watercolour-style graphics suit the mood of the book.
All in all, this is a sweet story not to be overanalysed but to be enjoyed as is. It gives a whole new meaning to the idea of life coming a full circle and offers plenty to ponder over. Though it is a story about death and grief, the implementation is more hopeful than depressing.
4 stars.
My thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Many Lives of Charlie”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Note: There are many pages with nudity, though the graphics are not sexually provocative. However, there are implied sex scenes, including orgies. Official target age: 15+.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
December 30, 2023
An absolute delight!
It’s a cute and beautifully drawn story about an employee of a dystopian corporation that helps people deal with their dead (it basically turns bodies into utility goods). Charlie is the most empathetic and friendly customer service worker in his department, so when a bereaved boy demands knowing where did the soul of his mother go, Charlie embarks on a journey inside the company’s corporate bowels to explore its secrets and find the truth behind the afterlife. What starts as “Life with Louise” episode with searching for a religion turns out to be a warm and comforting story of love, loss and circle of life. Some aspects of the plot felt too on the nose, but it was still enormously quirky and fun.
The art here is absolutely superb, mixing traditional techniques like pencils and watercolors. The colours have very intentional meaning - greys and blues represent the dull everyday life of a corporate worker and the more freedom characters feel, the more colourful the panels become.
I totally recommend it!
It’s a cute and beautifully drawn story about an employee of a dystopian corporation that helps people deal with their dead (it basically turns bodies into utility goods). Charlie is the most empathetic and friendly customer service worker in his department, so when a bereaved boy demands knowing where did the soul of his mother go, Charlie embarks on a journey inside the company’s corporate bowels to explore its secrets and find the truth behind the afterlife. What starts as “Life with Louise” episode with searching for a religion turns out to be a warm and comforting story of love, loss and circle of life. Some aspects of the plot felt too on the nose, but it was still enormously quirky and fun.
The art here is absolutely superb, mixing traditional techniques like pencils and watercolors. The colours have very intentional meaning - greys and blues represent the dull everyday life of a corporate worker and the more freedom characters feel, the more colourful the panels become.
I totally recommend it!
March 4, 2024
4.5/5
- Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy through NetGalley. -
What a beautiful and powerful story this was.
Let's start by saying that the art in it is super pretty and I loved the coloring used.
It was very dynamic and changed based on the astmosphere and places this story was set.
The narration was very easy to follow and the read was quite a fast one too.
As I said this story was very heartful and honestly it's been a while since I ready a book this deep.
Usually it's easier to find stories that entertain more than ones like this.
The strengh of this book was indeed its story and what it wanted to tell us all.
A read that will stay with me for a while for sure!
- Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy through NetGalley. -
What a beautiful and powerful story this was.
Let's start by saying that the art in it is super pretty and I loved the coloring used.
It was very dynamic and changed based on the astmosphere and places this story was set.
The narration was very easy to follow and the read was quite a fast one too.
As I said this story was very heartful and honestly it's been a while since I ready a book this deep.
Usually it's easier to find stories that entertain more than ones like this.
The strengh of this book was indeed its story and what it wanted to tell us all.
A read that will stay with me for a while for sure!
January 3, 2024
The Many Lives Of Charlie is a delightful graphic novel about the afterlife. The protagonist, Charlie, works at a company where dead people’s family members can “recycle” their deceased loved one into physical objects: a chess set, a stuffed toy, a bowling ball - you get it. The dark humor is there, but it’s conceptual. The visuals in this novel are all quite light-hearted, with no violence or depictions of how this company performs the recycling of the dead.
Charlie is the most positive guy in the entire company, always wishing to be helpful. So, when a client’s son asks him to find his mother’s soul, Charlie goes on a quest to find it. We join Charlie as he visits heaven and hell and navigates the corporate bureaucracy that serves as the intermediary between the world of the living and the afterlife. There are small allusions to Greco-Roman mythology, though this doesn’t claim to be a retelling at all.
This is, in fact, an unusual love story, even though you really don’t realize it as a reader until you’re quite far into the book (close-ish to the end). The graphic novel is pretty slow during the first half, and then it transforms into something you didn’t see coming more than halfway through the story. The pacing did feel off here. The first half could be shorter, and the last 40 pages could be even better with the addition of another 150.
When I started reading, I peeked at the last page, and I couldn’t believe that I was actually looking at the end of a story. By the time I read through the full graphic novel, the ending made a lot of sense.
Thanks to Kid Toussaint, Guarino Auréie, and the publisher, Europe Comics, for providing me this free Netgalley advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Charlie is the most positive guy in the entire company, always wishing to be helpful. So, when a client’s son asks him to find his mother’s soul, Charlie goes on a quest to find it. We join Charlie as he visits heaven and hell and navigates the corporate bureaucracy that serves as the intermediary between the world of the living and the afterlife. There are small allusions to Greco-Roman mythology, though this doesn’t claim to be a retelling at all.
This is, in fact, an unusual love story, even though you really don’t realize it as a reader until you’re quite far into the book (close-ish to the end). The graphic novel is pretty slow during the first half, and then it transforms into something you didn’t see coming more than halfway through the story. The pacing did feel off here. The first half could be shorter, and the last 40 pages could be even better with the addition of another 150.
When I started reading, I peeked at the last page, and I couldn’t believe that I was actually looking at the end of a story. By the time I read through the full graphic novel, the ending made a lot of sense.
Thanks to Kid Toussaint, Guarino Auréie, and the publisher, Europe Comics, for providing me this free Netgalley advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2024
Charlie works for Eternal Recycle. It is a company that repurposes human remains into an artifact or compost for family members to remember their loved one. His life is ruled by regimented routines. When a little boy calls with a question about his mother’s soul it starts Charlie on a quest to find the afterlife and get the answers he is missing. It turns into a personal quest as well when he learns about reincarnation and that people can be connected again and again in various lives. I thought the story was unique. The pencil and watercolor illustrations beautiful. I enjoyed the restful naked paradise between lives. And I was surprised at how moved I was by the poignant ending, although it was rushed with a time jump. For high school and up. Thank you to NetGalley Europe Comics for the temporary digital ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.
August 8, 2025
Le début était trop bien ? L’intrigue j’aimais beaucoup, c’est Charlie qui vit dans un monde où on peut « recycler » les morts de façon à aider les gens à faire leur deuil, il est le seul à avoir une joie de vivre et de l’empathie, vient un jour où un enfant lui demande « que faites-vous avec les âmes? », Charlie commence alors à enquêter ..
PAR CONTRE ? LE DERNIER TIERS DU LIVRE ? WHAT. Ça part dans tous les sens avec X plot twists, y’a des choses qui sont pas creusées tant que ça, surtout par rapport à certains personnages qu’on croise pourtant assez souvent dans la BD ??
Mais y’a 1000 trucs à la fois, ça n’a plus de sens, c’est un peu wtf sur les issues des sujets amenés, pas compris ??
PAR CONTRE ? LE DERNIER TIERS DU LIVRE ? WHAT. Ça part dans tous les sens avec X plot twists, y’a des choses qui sont pas creusées tant que ça, surtout par rapport à certains personnages qu’on croise pourtant assez souvent dans la BD ??
Mais y’a 1000 trucs à la fois, ça n’a plus de sens, c’est un peu wtf sur les issues des sujets amenés, pas compris ??
August 5, 2024
Quelle magnifique BD ! Le graphisme est superbe, c'est un vrai régal visuel. Et j'ai adoré l'histoire, l'humour, les émotions qui jaillissent de partout, les larmes qu'on verse, le sourire niais en refermant le livre... Gros coup de cœur pour moi !
December 20, 2023
— 4 ⚝
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc of this graphic novel. all thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
this was a very insightful and unique graphic novel. originally published in French, it is being republished in English on 27th December 2023.
the story follows charlie, who works at a corporate organisation called eternal recycling where they recycle parts of people once they pass away to make something for their loved ones as a memento. we get to go along with him on his journey as he navigates his work life as well as his quest for answers about where souls go after they die. i think this was a wonderful premise and a very whimsical representation of it as well. the art style is absolutely stunning. its initial impression is that of a modern newspaper comic but as the story progresses the illustrator uses various different color palettes that wonderfully depict the mood and atmosphere of the situations.
the themes that we witness being discussed are also very profound and thoughtful. being a slave to not only the corporate culture but also to time itself as an entity was represented in a very simple yet sophisticated way.
charlie as a character was a delight, so earnest and curious. the side characters also added a little magic to their story with their strange behaviors and their relationships with Charlie. however, a lot of characters were not fully developed because we follow a lot of charlie's colleagues at his office but we don't rlly end the graphic novel comprehending their characters as a whole and what makes them do what they do.
i do think the pacing of the story suffered a little bit because at times, it felt extremely rushed. a certain plot point towards the latter half of the story, particularly that of the romance was not well developed and executed well enough.
that said, i still did enjoy the story immensely and recommend it to both younger and older readers purely for the unique plotline and the whimsical execution. it is also worth it for the illustrations and Charlie as a character. i genuinely also feel like this would make a great disney pixar movie!
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc of this graphic novel. all thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
this was a very insightful and unique graphic novel. originally published in French, it is being republished in English on 27th December 2023.
the story follows charlie, who works at a corporate organisation called eternal recycling where they recycle parts of people once they pass away to make something for their loved ones as a memento. we get to go along with him on his journey as he navigates his work life as well as his quest for answers about where souls go after they die. i think this was a wonderful premise and a very whimsical representation of it as well. the art style is absolutely stunning. its initial impression is that of a modern newspaper comic but as the story progresses the illustrator uses various different color palettes that wonderfully depict the mood and atmosphere of the situations.
the themes that we witness being discussed are also very profound and thoughtful. being a slave to not only the corporate culture but also to time itself as an entity was represented in a very simple yet sophisticated way.
charlie as a character was a delight, so earnest and curious. the side characters also added a little magic to their story with their strange behaviors and their relationships with Charlie. however, a lot of characters were not fully developed because we follow a lot of charlie's colleagues at his office but we don't rlly end the graphic novel comprehending their characters as a whole and what makes them do what they do.
i do think the pacing of the story suffered a little bit because at times, it felt extremely rushed. a certain plot point towards the latter half of the story, particularly that of the romance was not well developed and executed well enough.
that said, i still did enjoy the story immensely and recommend it to both younger and older readers purely for the unique plotline and the whimsical execution. it is also worth it for the illustrations and Charlie as a character. i genuinely also feel like this would make a great disney pixar movie!
December 16, 2023
Je vois ce que l'auteur a voulu faire, et franchement l'accompagnement graphique est incroyable, autant dans le choix des formes que des couleurs, mais le récit s'est vite essoufflé pour moi et au final toute la deuxième partie m'a ennuyée. J'ai eu du mal à être convaincue par le propos - et il y avait beaucoup de choses qui s'enchainaient, mais aussi un certain nombre de failles qui détruisent le tout (dont une grande partie est probablement en raison d'un manque de pages pour le traiter).
Je pense que les sujets de la réincarnation et celui des âmes sœurs auraient mérité chacun un tome différent (ou une histoire différente). Je pense, aussi, qu'à trop vouloir faire peser l'histoire sur un Charlie qu'on veut trop présenter comme sympathique, la lourdeur et la place du personnage finissent par manger toute la poésie du propos derrière. Soit Charlie prend trop de place, soit l'image qu'on veut donner de lui.
Je pense que les sujets de la réincarnation et celui des âmes sœurs auraient mérité chacun un tome différent (ou une histoire différente). Je pense, aussi, qu'à trop vouloir faire peser l'histoire sur un Charlie qu'on veut trop présenter comme sympathique, la lourdeur et la place du personnage finissent par manger toute la poésie du propos derrière. Soit Charlie prend trop de place, soit l'image qu'on veut donner de lui.
December 29, 2023
so heartfelt & lovely!!! the art style is beautiful, i love the muted palette with the few splashes of vibrant colour ! the story is also beautiful & sweet & heartwarming. i love a reincarnation, they find each other in every universe story <3
i was a little confused at times, and i would’ve liked it to be longer to see more of eleanor & charlie together in different lives, but overall this was so cute & definitely worth the read :)
i was a little confused at times, and i would’ve liked it to be longer to see more of eleanor & charlie together in different lives, but overall this was so cute & definitely worth the read :)
May 25, 2023
Reviewing soon
May 7, 2023
Superbes illustrations et histoire vraiment sympa 😊
April 29, 2023
Une très jolie bande dessinée qui a le pouvoir de toucher les âmes, vous verrez...
Ici on suit Charlie qui travaille chez Recycle & Ternel qui s'occuper de transformer les morts en un objet, un souvenir, un arbre pour les garder près de nous. Charlie fait son travail sans se poser trop de questions. Il est efficace dans un monde très chronométré, gris, terne. Un monde pensé à la place des personnages.
Les différents styles de dessins apportent énormément à l'histoire et au rythme de celle-ci.
Aucune couleur, des automatismes, nous sommes plongés dans un univers monotone où tout est réglé au centimètre près, à la minute près. Les personnages n'ont pas l'opportunité de faire des choix, de penser par eux mêmes. Une entreprise régie par des règles qui ressemble à une dystopie, avec des consignes strictes sur des activités qu'ils ne questionnent pas et qui doit être faites immédiatement : rire, repas, marche, pleurer, se divertir, et retour au travail.
Le long de la lecture s'installe une tristesse, une empathie envers Charlie. Son innocence est touchante. Il semble que la couleur ne l'entoure que lui et on se demande pourquoi les autres l'évitent. Jusqu'à ce qu'un jour, petit garçon endeuillé vienne lui demander : où est l'âme de sa maman ?
Charlie va se lancer dans l'aventure de trouver une réponse à cette question et trouvera bien plus que ça...
Le dynamisme du dessin et l'utilisation spécifique de certains traits. L'apparition progressive des couleurs est particulièrement intéressante.
Le retournement de situation ou plutôt la découverte de "l'autre côté" est surprenant. Les événements marquants se déroulent sur plusieurs pages, mystère après mystère, nous découvrons un univers bien développé, et c'est là que les émotions nous envahissent. Un petit conseil ? Lisez cette bande dessinée, elle fait chaud au cœur.
Ici on suit Charlie qui travaille chez Recycle & Ternel qui s'occuper de transformer les morts en un objet, un souvenir, un arbre pour les garder près de nous. Charlie fait son travail sans se poser trop de questions. Il est efficace dans un monde très chronométré, gris, terne. Un monde pensé à la place des personnages.
Les différents styles de dessins apportent énormément à l'histoire et au rythme de celle-ci.
Aucune couleur, des automatismes, nous sommes plongés dans un univers monotone où tout est réglé au centimètre près, à la minute près. Les personnages n'ont pas l'opportunité de faire des choix, de penser par eux mêmes. Une entreprise régie par des règles qui ressemble à une dystopie, avec des consignes strictes sur des activités qu'ils ne questionnent pas et qui doit être faites immédiatement : rire, repas, marche, pleurer, se divertir, et retour au travail.
Le long de la lecture s'installe une tristesse, une empathie envers Charlie. Son innocence est touchante. Il semble que la couleur ne l'entoure que lui et on se demande pourquoi les autres l'évitent. Jusqu'à ce qu'un jour, petit garçon endeuillé vienne lui demander : où est l'âme de sa maman ?
Charlie va se lancer dans l'aventure de trouver une réponse à cette question et trouvera bien plus que ça...
Le dynamisme du dessin et l'utilisation spécifique de certains traits. L'apparition progressive des couleurs est particulièrement intéressante.
Le retournement de situation ou plutôt la découverte de "l'autre côté" est surprenant. Les événements marquants se déroulent sur plusieurs pages, mystère après mystère, nous découvrons un univers bien développé, et c'est là que les émotions nous envahissent. Un petit conseil ? Lisez cette bande dessinée, elle fait chaud au cœur.
July 28, 2024
The graphic novel „The Many Lives of Charlie“ by Kid Toussaint and Aurélie Guareno follows Charlie, an employee at the Eternal Recycle - a company that transforms the remains of loved ones after they have died into objects. One day confronted with the question of what happens to the soul after death, he is catapulted into an exciting adventure that will turn his life upside down.
The illustrations by Aurélie Guareno were absolutely stunning! I especially loved the expressive use of color to convey different emotions. The panels always felt exciting and I was quickly engaged in the story.
The dystopian setting and wild imagination of the author were a great combination and often surprised me. I have to admit that not everything in this graphic novel felt coherent but I was entertained from start to finish. I felt for the main character and wanted him to succeed in his mission. I loved the message and the way abstract concepts were portrayed.
Overall this was a great adventure with interesting concepts and I would recommend to give it a try.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Europe Comics for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The illustrations by Aurélie Guareno were absolutely stunning! I especially loved the expressive use of color to convey different emotions. The panels always felt exciting and I was quickly engaged in the story.
The dystopian setting and wild imagination of the author were a great combination and often surprised me. I have to admit that not everything in this graphic novel felt coherent but I was entertained from start to finish. I felt for the main character and wanted him to succeed in his mission. I loved the message and the way abstract concepts were portrayed.
Overall this was a great adventure with interesting concepts and I would recommend to give it a try.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Europe Comics for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2023
Thank you Europe Comics for a copy of The Many Lives of Charlie.
"What happens to our loved ones when they die? No more funerals, because now we recycle! In an exuberant and swarming big city, Charlie, an employee at Eternal Recycle, is the best in his field: finding a use for your body after you die. But one day, a boy calls and asks him what has happened to his mother’s soul. Charlie is used to handling the bodies, but who takes care of the souls? To answer that question, he sets out on an investigation into the very heart of death and love..."
REVIEW:
This had a mix of SOUL (2020 film) with a touch of reincarnation and soulmates. I love the dystopian world the artist and author created, especially the insane work culture. I do wish they focused more on recycling bodies and finding where souls go rather than diving into the soulmates/romance plot. I wanted more world building and dystopian story -- hopefully they release another volume. :)
"What happens to our loved ones when they die? No more funerals, because now we recycle! In an exuberant and swarming big city, Charlie, an employee at Eternal Recycle, is the best in his field: finding a use for your body after you die. But one day, a boy calls and asks him what has happened to his mother’s soul. Charlie is used to handling the bodies, but who takes care of the souls? To answer that question, he sets out on an investigation into the very heart of death and love..."
REVIEW:
This had a mix of SOUL (2020 film) with a touch of reincarnation and soulmates. I love the dystopian world the artist and author created, especially the insane work culture. I do wish they focused more on recycling bodies and finding where souls go rather than diving into the soulmates/romance plot. I wanted more world building and dystopian story -- hopefully they release another volume. :)
January 1, 2024
A beautifully illustrated graphic novel which I have to say is very typical of this publisher.
I have read a few Europe Comics graphic novels now and they're all quite morally themed. This is also the same.
The story follows Charlie who works for a company who deals with helping you to create something out of your loved one as a memory keepsake.
One day he is asked a moral question about the souls of the people he is helping those with.
It's a look at 'heaven', 'hell' and reincarnation and past lives.
For me, it was ok. It was a fantasy graphic novel and there were some really unrealistic and a little disturbing parts towards the end but all in all a good and well drawn/illustrated book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
I have read a few Europe Comics graphic novels now and they're all quite morally themed. This is also the same.
The story follows Charlie who works for a company who deals with helping you to create something out of your loved one as a memory keepsake.
One day he is asked a moral question about the souls of the people he is helping those with.
It's a look at 'heaven', 'hell' and reincarnation and past lives.
For me, it was ok. It was a fantasy graphic novel and there were some really unrealistic and a little disturbing parts towards the end but all in all a good and well drawn/illustrated book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
January 10, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.
The fact that I read this in one go, felt every emotion and wanted to start reading it all over again when I turned the final page, says enough I think.
This comic.. It really has it all. Amazing illustrations, a beautiful, original, meaningful and funny story and the best main character. Charlie is such a super nice guy, he works at a company called Eternal Recycle. The work place satire had me laughing so hard! I mean there were even mandatory crying breaks! What they do there, is recycling the dead. I’m not going to spoil too much but a deep question Charlie gets asked one day by a customer, is the start of an amazing quest which results in so much more than I could have ever imagined!
The fact that I read this in one go, felt every emotion and wanted to start reading it all over again when I turned the final page, says enough I think.
This comic.. It really has it all. Amazing illustrations, a beautiful, original, meaningful and funny story and the best main character. Charlie is such a super nice guy, he works at a company called Eternal Recycle. The work place satire had me laughing so hard! I mean there were even mandatory crying breaks! What they do there, is recycling the dead. I’m not going to spoil too much but a deep question Charlie gets asked one day by a customer, is the start of an amazing quest which results in so much more than I could have ever imagined!
May 30, 2023
Une magnifique BD qui traite de sujets peu simples à aborder : la vie et la mort.
C'est dans une entreprise où même les pauses rire et pleurs sont règlementées et chronométrées, que l'on découvre Charlie qui va remettre en question le système établi. Lorsqu'un jeune garçon lui demande où part l'âme des défunts qu'ils recyclent, son monde va être bouleversé. En quête de réponse, il va partir à la découverte de chemin des âmes des défunts mais également des vivants.
C'est graphiquement réussi, avec un style de dessin très cartoon par moment et un jeu avec la couleur assez intéressant.
Bref, une BD que je ne peux que recommander ! ^^
C'est dans une entreprise où même les pauses rire et pleurs sont règlementées et chronométrées, que l'on découvre Charlie qui va remettre en question le système établi. Lorsqu'un jeune garçon lui demande où part l'âme des défunts qu'ils recyclent, son monde va être bouleversé. En quête de réponse, il va partir à la découverte de chemin des âmes des défunts mais également des vivants.
C'est graphiquement réussi, avec un style de dessin très cartoon par moment et un jeu avec la couleur assez intéressant.
Bref, une BD que je ne peux que recommander ! ^^
January 12, 2024
4.25 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Thanks NetGalley, Europe Comics and the authors for a great copy of the book!
I picked this comic due to the catchy description, I didn't have that many expectations but I was interested in seeing how the story goes. I wasn't disappointed. The comic has a very interesting, hopeful and positive point of views on the complicated topics such as life and death, reincarnation, the after-life, and so on. I sensed that there was some satire parts as well related to religions. I was hooked and totally touched by the story.
There are just a few drawbacks. I like the art style, I assume it resembles watercolor or water-soluble color graphite but sometimes it was a bit hard to process what was going in the artworks. The first ~40 pages tried to pack too much stuff in there, therefore, it was a bit scattered and all over the place. But after that, things went smoothly and catchy.
I was a pleasant and meaningful read. Totally recommended!
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Thanks NetGalley, Europe Comics and the authors for a great copy of the book!
I picked this comic due to the catchy description, I didn't have that many expectations but I was interested in seeing how the story goes. I wasn't disappointed. The comic has a very interesting, hopeful and positive point of views on the complicated topics such as life and death, reincarnation, the after-life, and so on. I sensed that there was some satire parts as well related to religions. I was hooked and totally touched by the story.
There are just a few drawbacks. I like the art style, I assume it resembles watercolor or water-soluble color graphite but sometimes it was a bit hard to process what was going in the artworks. The first ~40 pages tried to pack too much stuff in there, therefore, it was a bit scattered and all over the place. But after that, things went smoothly and catchy.
I was a pleasant and meaningful read. Totally recommended!
January 10, 2024
”The many lives of Charlie” is a charming graphic novel with a beautiful ending. I loved the concept and the illustrations were beautiful. It felt a little rushed towards the end but other than that it was a lovely read!
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!
December 26, 2023
I really loved the concept of this graphic novel. I never though of the possibility of literally “recycling” your loved ones into anything you could ever think.
At first I expected this book to be a dystopian world, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was rather a wholesome and whimsical journey through the alive and deceased familiars. Simply wonderful.
I would definitely recommend people to read it if they had the opportunity.
Thanks NetGalley and Europe Comics for letting me read this book!
At first I expected this book to be a dystopian world, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was rather a wholesome and whimsical journey through the alive and deceased familiars. Simply wonderful.
I would definitely recommend people to read it if they had the opportunity.
Thanks NetGalley and Europe Comics for letting me read this book!
December 31, 2023
Stunning illustrations and a concept that reminded me of the Pixar movie “Soul”, which is one of my favorites. I found the second half a bit too messy and convoluted, so unfortunately I didn’t connect emotionally to the story.
December 22, 2024
Énorme coup de coeur. Tout en poésie, en douceur, en humour et en amour.
Le coup de crayon est incroyable et j'adore l'histoire. Vraiment une sujet original, sur fond de vrais questionnements intérieurs. Un bonbon. À lire absolument pour réchauffer le coeur 💕
Le coup de crayon est incroyable et j'adore l'histoire. Vraiment une sujet original, sur fond de vrais questionnements intérieurs. Un bonbon. À lire absolument pour réchauffer le coeur 💕
September 16, 2023
4,5/5 🌟
Read
January 5, 2024Iba bien hasta que dejó de tener sentido 🫥
April 30, 2024
4,5.
Très bonne BD, avec une intrigue originale (un monde où on peut être recyclé en tout à notre mort) un héros ultra attachant (#team gentils!) et une réflexion intéressante sur le karma/les âmes/la vie après la mort.
Ce que j’ai particulièrement apprécié : le changement de dessin et de couleurs qui accompagnent le changement de vie du personnage. Des traits noirs très nerveux sur fond blanc, on passe au fur et à mesure à des formes arrondies et colorées comme à l’aquarelle.
Très bonne BD, avec une intrigue originale (un monde où on peut être recyclé en tout à notre mort) un héros ultra attachant (#team gentils!) et une réflexion intéressante sur le karma/les âmes/la vie après la mort.
Ce que j’ai particulièrement apprécié : le changement de dessin et de couleurs qui accompagnent le changement de vie du personnage. Des traits noirs très nerveux sur fond blanc, on passe au fur et à mesure à des formes arrondies et colorées comme à l’aquarelle.
July 17, 2024
Lecture trop brève pour sa richesse (intrigue intelligente, thème touchant, personnages attachants). Les dessins sont magnifiques! Je l’ai lu d’un coup!
February 2, 2025
Les dessins sont magnifiques et j'ai beaucoup aimé l'histoire aussi
December 12, 2023
*Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review *
I loved this so much. I decided to read it solely based on the cover, didn’t even read the synopsis. I was therefore really surprised to discover that this book had such a deep and meaningful story.
What happens to souls when someone dies? This is the question that KT tries to answer through Charlie and his job. I deeply connected with the idea of reincarnation and souls finding each other life after life.
The stunning drawings and delicate coloring give this book something extra. I couldn’t recommend it more.
I loved this so much. I decided to read it solely based on the cover, didn’t even read the synopsis. I was therefore really surprised to discover that this book had such a deep and meaningful story.
What happens to souls when someone dies? This is the question that KT tries to answer through Charlie and his job. I deeply connected with the idea of reincarnation and souls finding each other life after life.
The stunning drawings and delicate coloring give this book something extra. I couldn’t recommend it more.
January 12, 2024
The Many Lives of Charlie was a fantastic story! I was intrigued instantly when I read the synopsis "What happens to our loved ones when they die? No more funerals, because now we recycle! In an exuberant and swarming big city, Charlie, an employee at Eternal Recycle, is the best in his field: finding a use for your body after you die. But one day, a boy calls and asks him what has happened to his mother’s soul. Charlie is used to handling the bodies, but who takes care of the souls?"
What I wasn't expecting was the twist! (No spoilers - you just have to read it!) It was stunning, the artwork was beautiful and even the though the story was resolved, I think and hope there is more to come! Thank you to Netgalley, Kid Toussaint & Aurelie Guarino and Europe Comics for the ARC!
What I wasn't expecting was the twist! (No spoilers - you just have to read it!) It was stunning, the artwork was beautiful and even the though the story was resolved, I think and hope there is more to come! Thank you to Netgalley, Kid Toussaint & Aurelie Guarino and Europe Comics for the ARC!
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