I Feel Awful, Thanks

by Lara Pickle

A lushly illustrated debut graphic novel that explores the hardfought journey of self-acceptance in a complex world of swirling emotions and powerful potions.

Joana has dragons inside her. Can she tame them before they burn her life down?

Joana is a young witch who secured her dream job with a coven in London, her favorite city, where she can dedicate herself to creating potions, her favorite activity! However, she will soon discover the reality of city life is not so idyllic. Finding a flat is an ordeal, her “dream job” is stressful, and she’s totally alone. Little by little, she makes her place, but fatigue, sadness, and doubts threaten to topple her hard-earned success . . . until she starts talking to a professional who helps her realize in order to take care of herself, she must know herself.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult, Mental Health, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

216 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2024

Reviews

[Lamaleluna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy buena lectura

"Estoy fatal, gracias" es una novela gráfica que nos presenta a una protagonista que está pasando un momento difícil en su vida y va a tener que aprender a superar sus miedos y enfrentar todas las emociones que pueden generar caos en nuestro ser.
La verdad es que me gustó mucho, va a hablar de depresión, de qué es encontrar la felicidad y como sentirse bien con uno mismo. Va a hablar de la ansiedad, transtornos alimenticios y acoso laboral.
Lo súper recomiendo, siento que es un libro por el que todo el mundo debería pasar.

[Lira · Rating 5 out of 5]

mi mejor lectura de este año 🤍 con mucha diferencia. he llorado de felicidad y de ternura, es un libro muy importante que trata la salud mental de una de las maneras más realistas y originales que he visto. lo que más me ha gustado, la dicotomía entre el "sanador de mentes" y la "domadora de dragones"... me encanta me encanta me encanta. la representación de la importancia de encontrar un buen psicólogo, que te haga entenderte y domar a tus dragones interiores es impresionante. me he sentido constantemente identificada con Joana en la gran mayoría de sus dragones, lo cual me ha hecho sentirme menos sola y más comprendida.

este libro me ha dado esperanza y ganas de domar mi soledad, que es el dragón que más daño me hace.

[nush ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc of this extremely insightful graphic novel. all thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.

omg this was a beautifully illustrated graphic novel. the theme of this is something ive always held very close to my heart. ive been exposed to psychology and therapy from a very young age and the belief that it is completely okay to not be okay has been ingrained into my brain for a long, long time. it saddens me to see that a lot of people still struggle with believing that and want to go through life always being positive and gleeful. this graphic novel beautifully depicts the different primary emotions and their uses in our lives and how they are all complementary and that there are no real "negative" emotions and all emotions are very essential for our mental balance. i loved seeing joana's journey of self love, acceptance and growth. her friends were extremely supportive and delightful side characters. james is also a brilliant character with his own journey of self awareness and growth. i loved the cute little romance between james and joana. this book is adorable and explores themes that I definitely do think need to be more present in books especially in the recent times considering everything that the world has been through and is going through. this would make a very insightful and influential read for young adults and children as well. it would also make for a great resource for therapists imo.

a beautifully crafted read with strong themes explored brilliantly and absolutely gorgeous illustrations. i recommend this to everyone who is struggling even a little mentally and just needs to feel validated and accepted.

[spalanai ⛤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review***

I Feel Awful, Thanks is a cute, touching graphic novel, reminiscent of the animated movie, Inside Out. It handles the subject of mental health realistically and helps unwrap the concept of emotions very well. Since it's targeted towards children and young adults, Lara Pickle did a good job at it.

Welllll, if I'm being honest I didn't like the first half of the book for some reason..? As a studious adult, I'm a sour grape for a lot of things lmao. And it's one of my many flaws, sadly.

Regardless, it was *good* :')

I would recommend it for people suffering or struggling with anxiety.

⊹ . ⋆ ☽ ⋆ . ➶

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great graphic novel about how anxiety impacts you and how to deal with it, made better by a wonderful fantasy twist, but still rooted in reality. I absolutely loved the art style!

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a DRC from Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.

Look...mental health is important. And I am all for any book that addresses the topic in a way that young people find helpful.

I'm in the minority here, but the balance here was just so off. The storyline was extremely underdeveloped and the dialogue much too simplistic to buy in and care about the characters (also do young people still yell SLAY, QUEEN so much?). Contrast that with Joana's eventual therapy sessions that are SO detailed and lengthy--it almost feels like you're actually the one attending the session. Which again--isn't a bad thing, but for me it really made the rest of the story seem so basic. I love that Pickle is essentially creating illustrated therapy here, but man--it was hard to wade through at times.

Gorgeous artwork saved this for me, but it wasn't a hit otherwise.

[Pistis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shit hit hard.

La sesión de psicología más barata del mundo.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

No way, my dragon trainer also told me that!!

Since my mental health journey is similar to Joanas and I am not in therapy right now this was a nice and beautifully illustrated refresher.

Plus, I loved the 'magic, but make it corporate' setting, bc aren't we all just corporate witches doing our silly little office jobs nowadays?

Story: 2.5/5⭐️
Illustration: 4.5/5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and OniPress for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nuria Irala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabía que me iba a encantar, las ilustraciones maravillosas, la historia he podido empatizar tantísimo con la prota... Me ha encantando.

[Pau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo cogí sin saber de qué trataba. Solo por el título. Y ha sido un acierto total.

Me he sentido tan reflejada en Jo que casi dolía. Tratando temas muy importantes con mucha delicadeza, cuidado y responsabilidad. Y desmontando las teorías de que el super positivismo lo puede todo y que yuhuuu si quieres puedes etc. Todo es mucho más complicado que eso y me parece que la autora toca todos los puntos clave con muchísimo acierto.

[Margaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un super roman graphique!
J’ai adoré le côté witchy mélangé aux thématiques importantes dont parle ce livre (dépression, anxiété, harcèlement). Il y avait un bon équilibre entre ambiance d’automne et sujets sérieux.
Mais ce qui m’a vraiment surprise c’est qu’on ne parle pas seulement de dépression et d’anxiété, le livre nous donne de véritables clés durant tout le dernier tiers de l’histoire. On en apprend bcp sur les émotions et c’était hyper instructif
Je pense honnêtement que certains conseils m’ont fait du bien ❤️‍🩹 et je les garderai dans un coin de ma tête

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute art style with a decent message to it, i just felt like i had a slightly hard time following the plot

[Merilin (the_bookshelf_of_merilin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thanks NetGalley and the publishers from OniPress for this ARC. All of my opinions regarding the graphic novel are my own.

This enchanting graphic novel captivated me with its stunning illustrations. Delving into the heavy topic of mental health with a magical twist, the narrative follows Joana's journey as she navigates her new job in London, the stress she feels coping with her new life in a big and strange city while juggling also new job, new friends, an awful boss and her passive-aggressive roommate. She goes through a journey where she hits the realization that it's acceptable to experience a range of emotions and that you just need to tame your dragons.

The characters, particularly Joana's supportive friends, added depth and warmth to the story. The book is charming and I think it would be perfect for everyone to read who is struggling with mental health (even if it's just a little bit).

I would like to give my thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher and also to the author for creating such a captive and beautifully illustrated story.

[Potato · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐4'5

Es un cómic precioso que aborda algunos temas de salud mental de una manera delicada. Algo que me gustó mucho fue que en una de las solapas de la portada avisa de que puede contener rastros de depresión, ansiedad, conductas alimentarias problemáticas, acoso laboral y luz de gas.
El arte es muy bonito y representa muy bien cómo se va deteriorando la salud mental de la protagonista en cada momento.

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful, important comic about mental health, how it's okay to not be okay, and getting help. Highly relatable in a few ways, and brilliantly told through magic and witches.
And, there was a Princess Bride reference, which just completes it for me!
TW for mental health issues, depression, toxic positivity, alcohol, workplace bullying, anxiety.

[Barby chapterbychapter_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nunca había escuchado de esta novela gráfica hasta que llegó a mis manos y debo decir que la disfruté muchísimo.

Joana es una bruja que siente que tiene todo para ser feliz, acaban de llamarla de su trabajo soñado en la ciudad donde siempre quiso vivir y sus expectativas son gigantes al llegar y comenzar a buscar su piso. Muy pronto se da cuenta que las cosas no son tan fáciles como ella creía, su trabajo es estresante, su jefe es un horror, encontrar un lugar donde vivir parece misión imposible y para colmo está completamente sola. Mientras intenta mantener su mantra positivo se da cuenta que sus emociones se van saliendo un poco de control y obsesionarse con tener la vida perfecta está haciendo que cada día esté más triste.

Me gustó MUCHO como toca los temas relacionados con la salud mental, más de una vez me he visto en algunas de las situaciones de la protagonista y no es fácil saber gestionar todo eso sin ninguna ayuda. Me gustó mucho el papel de la domadora de dragones y ver como van evolucionando esas emociones mientras que las va transitando y va aprendiendo a encontrar su lugar y hacerse valer.

Siento que el mensaje que transmite esta novela es importante y traspasa de una forma clara y super entretenida. Sin duda voy a tener a la vista a la autora para leer lo que publique.

[Dr. des. Siobhán · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free graphic novel.*

"I Feel Awful, Thanks" is a very very cute and touching graphic novel about a young witch trying to make her way in the world (London). A strong focus is put on mental health and how to tackle emotions. It was very much over the top but I kinda loved it for it. A quick read but especially the parts with her therapy were well done!

4 stars

[Irene ➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

- Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy through NetGalley. -

What a delightful read this was. I have to say it's been a while since I read a very good graphic novel.
First of all, I loved the art in it. It felt so colorful and pretty to look at.
Then of course, kudos to the story.
I think it has a super duper important topic and everyone should read about it. This journey of self discovery was beautiful and how the author decided to put it into drawings was very well played.

It's a journey of feelings, how some of them are new and how some of them are undiscovered or unknown to us, of friendship, hard work and justice.

[Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this. Will be among my favorites this year for sure. I hope Lara Pickle does more using this world-it’s so well thought out and I loved reading her world building in the appendix at the end!

[Alex Z (azeebooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Feel Awful, Thanks is a wonderful, endearing graphic novel that deals with mental health, relationships and professional life. I thought the approach to support and therapy was so balanced and thoughtful. Honestly, I feel like I’ve been through therapy after reading this. Pickle encourages self love, self appreciation and self worth through her writing which is so refreshing! Not to mention beautiful artwork that really conveys the magical world her characters live in. It’s a relatable story in a magical realism setting that will speak to a lot of people!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Available March 5, 2024

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I Feel Awful, Thanks shows a young witch going to the city for her first big job, only to discover that her boss is cruel, her roommate is insane, and her boyfriend is gaslighting her. In a normal story, these elements would be portrayed naturally, perhaps part of a bigger plot point or theme. Not so in I Feel Awful, Thanks. The cruelties are the point. Basically, this witch is having a really shitty time and you, the reader, are going to learn that therapy is the solution.

"Didactic" is the word that comes to mind here, and I'm not 100% certain it's right, but I Feel Awful, Thanks reads like a textbook. The dialogue is so stilted, the scenes are so aggressively forced. I had to stop reading after 100 pages of dense, painful text about bad things happening to this poor witch. Absolutely none of it felt like a real story, it all felt like a lesson I was being taught.

[Juan Manuel Sarmiento · Rating 3 out of 5]

No esperaba que tocase tanto el tema de la salud mental, y me parece guay que se le de visibilidad a la ansiedad y el cómo gestionar las emociones.

Pero esperaba más trama, teniendo en cuenta que va de brujería en el mundo moderno, y es casi una infografía sobre positivismo

[Drululu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entiendo su punto y lo que quiere transmitir, pero no he soportado a Joana.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet, magical graphic novel stars an ambitious young witch, Joana, who starts a job at a London potions company...and quickly finds herself in over her head and struggling with challenging emotions, which in this world are visible entities.

There are elements in this story that I very specifically related to, which took me by surprise, honestly. The potions company uses animal fur to create some of their concoctions, which Joana objects to. She makes a reasonable recommendation to her team leader, an older man, about working to develop cruelty-free alternatives. He immediately belittles and dismisses her. Good lord, the number of times I was a young girl/woman, being disparaged by an authority figure because I asked about making some change that would lessen cruelty to animals? This is essentially the story of my life, and I was stunned to see this as a plot element in a mainstream graphic novel. I wondered if this storyline would have been present had this been originally published in the U.S., where animal welfare is not as valued as a common concern.

There were also other elements I related to as well, and the story's depiction of anxiety was creative and relatable. Helping readers, along with the characters, navigate their emotions is also part of the comic's mission. It is true, however, that the dialogue veers into the unrealistic when they start having conversations that read more like a therapy blog than actual speech.

(Also: Props to Joana for getting out from under the thumb of the bizarre, passive-aggressive landlord/roommate/whatever she was! Another reference that was weirdly accurate to my college experience.)

[dreamgirlreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’m made of emotions. They make me the person I am—the whole range of them.”
I Feel Awful, Thanks is a graphic novel originally published in Spanish as “Estoy Fatal, Gracias” In a world where magic is a normal part of everyday life, Joana lands her dream job as a potions maker in Paris but quickly becomes overwhelmed with balancing work life, social life, home environment, and her mental health soon declines. She carries her emotions (that turn to dragons if not understood) in a locked box. When the box is cracked open, she goes to a “dragon tamer” (therapist) and learns about her emotions and about herself. It’s a really beautiful story of the “other side” of anxiety and depression (which takes hard work and so much self love and compassion), there’s an emphasis on the goal not being happy all the time, instead to embrace positive and negative emotions and what they can teach you. It’s okay to ask for help, from your family and friends, and from professionals. I would suggest this for Inside Out lovers of all ages. The art style is bold and detailed, really adding life to the story. Definitely recommend.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

Oh my goodness, where to start. First, I want to acknowledge that this is a translated work, originally written in Spanish. Second, it is gorgeous! I love the art style. The art combined with the title instantly pulled me in. I think this book is super important for teens to read, especially those who may be surrounded by toxic positivity and are struggling to cope with their emotions in healthy ways. This graphic novel also makes it a point to show a strong, healthy support system and had some amazing things to say about working on yourself as an individual and as a partner in a relationship and having open and honest dialogue. Aside from Joana learning to acknowledge and give space to her emotions and learning healthy coping mechanisms, I really loved how her and James's relationship arc panned out. I love that it showed toxicity on both sides, but then accountability for those actions from both parties as well, and how the two worked on their relationship. As the author says in an interview included in the back of the book, their relationship ends imperfect but healthy. I think that is so important for teens to see as opposed to some of the other messaging that is pushed by other media.

[María · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me esperaba un libro más juvenil, más simple pero me ha terminado sorprendiendo. Utiliza muchas metáforas relacionadas con la historia que narra pero que hacen referencia a temas muy actuales. Se tratan temas como el acoso laboral, la depresión, ansiedad... Además de lo que rodea al malestar emocional. La prota termina yendo a la psicóloga o lo que en el libro se conoce como "domadora de dragones", se exponen las sesiones de terapia en la que utilizan muchas técnicas que son bastante útiles y actuales, me ha sorprendido muchísimo. En fin, me ha encantado! Y más aún porque me recuerda a mi Ainowis 🩵💙

[Ainhoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo micho que me ha gustado este comic…🥰
No podía haberlo leído en un mejor (peor) momento. Me ha llegado al corazón, me encanta la forma que tiene la domadora de dragones de ayudar a Joana a superar sus miedos y domar sus dragones. Debería ser lectura obligatoria para la supervivencia de la edad adulta. Te enseña a afrontar los miedos plantar cara y salir adelante pese a las complicaciones que encontramos en el camino. Simplemente perfecto. Ademas la domadora de dragones me recuerda mucho a mi domadora de dragones personal, Mery💙.

[Emily Sørensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jeg skjønner ikke helt hvorfor denne historien er satt i et magisk univers, når man lett kan ta bort magien og heksene uten å endre på noe? Jeg skulle ønske vi fikk vite mer om verdenen og konteksten der, annet enn «En heks som skal lage eliksirer i London». Karakterene føltes flate og dialogen var veldig stiv gjennom hele boka.

MEN! Liker veldig godt tegnestilen. Det er et relevant tema med konflikter på arbeidsplassen og indre angst, men skulle ønske det kunne blitt formidlet på en mindre åpenbar måte. Det er et hekseunivers! Bruk magien til noe!! Bare mine tanker.

[Laura Lonbong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho como trata el tema de la salud mental y me he visto muy reflejada en mi experiencia con mi psicóloga. Qué importante es aprender a entender e interpretar las emociones y cuidarse a una misma!