Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me

by Ellen Forney

Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Suffering from (but enjoying) extreme mania, and terrified that medication would cause her to lose creativity, she began a long struggle over many years to find mental stability while retaining her creativity.

Searching to make sense of the popular idea of the 'crazy artist', she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to "cure" an otherwise brilliant mind.

Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney's memoir provides a humorous but authentic glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist's work, as she shares her own story through black-and-white graphic images and prose.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Memoir, Nonfiction, Comics, Mental Health, Psychology, Mental Illness

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2012

About the author

Ellen Forney grew up in Philadelphia and has lived in Seattle since 1989. She has been a professional cartoonist/ illustrator since 1992, and also sometimes paints, and dabbles in other artsy pursuits. She teaches Comics at Seattles Cornish College of the Arts. She drives a silver 1968 Mercury Cougar.

Reviews

[Cindy Pham]

12/25/2024 reread: i wanted to pick up this book again after talking to a friend about her bipolar disorder and wanting to learn more. i definitely appreciate this book more upon my reread, especially the detailed drawings that portrayed the author's depression and complicated emotions.

---

A nice short read that goes into the ups and downs of bipolar and depression. Forney's dark sense of humor and honest vulnerability makes her journey relatable to anyone struggling with mental health. What keeps me from rating the book any higher is simply because I wish she had gone more in-depth with her struggles and that we saw more of her "abstract" doodles from when she dealt with those difficult emotions, as that could have been more impactful. Otherwise, it's a pretty light read (but that's okay too).

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had my eye on this particular graphic memoir before, but decide just this past week to finally give it a go. I was beyond grateful to see myself so easily immerse into the intensely personal world presented in Marbles.

Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney's memoir provides a humorous but authentic glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist's work, as she shares her own story through black-and-white graphic images and prose.



I went into this expecting a similar kind of storytelling presented in Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, but this graphic novel ended up differing for me in its achingly honest representation of living with a mental illness, along with exploring the author's bisexuality. It also raises to light the significance of answering questions through a mix of research, storytelling, and honesty. From exploring the stereotype behind the “crazy artist” to questioning if bipolar disorder & creativity are actually linked, and answering the big one of: “If I take meds to prevent my mood swings, am I choosing to be less creative?”.

This is a deeply complex, dark, personal, raw, fully fleshed graphic memoir unlike anything I've read in the past. Towards the end, in particular, when the issues raised were part medical, part philosophical was when the memoir left me most grounded.

“It was a relief to discover that aiming for a balanced life doesn't mean succumbing to a boring one.”

And I think now is a good place to let the work speak for itself by sharing some of my favorite pieces:

























I'll cherish this educational, eye-opening, and personal read for a long time to come. By the end of it, Ellen Forney even shares an accurate visual of reaching that dreaded ending in your favorite books:



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[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always maintained that I failed as an artist because I am not tormented enough, (though I'm pretty sure lack of talent and creative ambition are just as much to blame). Still, I wonder . . . would I be a better artist if I were a little bit "crazy"?

Studies seem to prove it's possible. There is a long list of writers and artists who suffered from depression and other disorders, yet managed to turn out astonishing works of art.

For Ellen Forney, this was the question: would treating her bipolar disorder kill her creativity?

Just look at some of the side effects of the popular drug Lithium: hand tremors, blurred vision and cognitive dulling. Any of these could be deadly to the career of an artist.

Forney takes us along on her journey to discover if she can control her mood swings and still create art. It's a sometimes disturbing trip as panels show her both manic, and full of life, then curled into a sad, and lumpy ball on the sofa. She takes fistfuls of drugs, including pills to treat the side effects caused by pills to treat side effects.

This was an occasionally scary look at a disorder I knew almost nothing about. Four stars for this fascinating book about depression that's not a depressing read, plus an extra one for the terrific artwork.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re bi-polar, don’t look for much friendly banter with your psychiatrist.

ELLEN : I don’t want to take lots of heavy meds like Lithium.

SHRINK : Well, for untreated bi-polar, there’s a high suicide rate and an increased chance of hospitalization. (This is as chummy as Ellen's shrink ever gets.)

The following week

SHRINK : How’s your sleep?
ELLEN : All over the place.
SHRINK : Are you taking the Klonopin?
ELLEN : Yeah.
SHRINK : Let’s raise it to 2mg.

The following week

SHRINK : I’m concerned about how your platelet level is dropping on the Depakote but let’s stick with that and add some Celexa. (I imagine this is intoned in a monotone like a chant).
ELLEN : I’m worried that all these meds will make me lose my creative energy.
SHRINK : Well, maybe they will and maybe they won’t. We’ll have to wait and observe.
ELLEN : Gee, well, I guess you’re right about that.

The following week

ELLEN : I’m so sensitive and weepy all the time! Is this mixed states or rapid cycling? (Getting into the jargon.)
SHRINK : Well, rapid cycling means four or more episodes in a year and mixed states means symptoms of both mania and depression. Maybe we just need to adjust your meds.


Urrrrghhhh. So shrinks either state the blindingly obvious (“You seem to be a little bit down” when the client is bawling her head off) or chant the mantra “we need to adjust your meds”. And I don't know if Ellen is libelling her shrink, but the way she adjusts her meds is to flick through a text book and say "Here's one we haven't tried before, let's try that one."

THE SUB-TEXT OF THIS BOOK

It’s an investigation into the distressing question : are humans just soft machines?

We’re all very happy with the idea that our bodies are machines – cut that bit off and transplant a new one in, and I’ll be right as rain! - or even replacing limbs with actual machinery! – that’s no problem. But we get more ticklish when we think of our brains in the same way.

In this book, Ellen is forever struggling with not wanting her creative self which is uniquely her to be crushed by Lithium and other heavy stabilisers. We’ve all seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, so we know what she means – the fear of the chemical cosh. Her worries aren’t misplaced.

The psychiatric industry says that if we shove a drug in your brain you will feel whatever the drug programs you to feel. Your mind is just a lot of complex chemical reactions. If we get the meds right, you’ll feel okay. But right now, the science is in its infancy. Come back in a while – when we've done all the research there’ll be no bipolar people, no schizophrenics, no mental illness at all. This is something we can figure out.

So I think I would say two things – yes, we are all soft machines, I think it’s obvious, no souls, nothing like that, from nowheresville camest we, and back to nowheresville wilt we goeth; and, all bipolar sufferers should maybe come back in a hundred years or so. Everything will be fine then, if we have still got a functioning planet, of course. Between then and now, you're stuck with the chanting shrinks : "I think we should adjust your meds, I think we should adjust your meds, I think we should adjust your meds...."

I should add that this candid book is way more optimistic than I am!

[jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is so good. so so so good. i'm going to say, first of all, that the quality of the artwork is amazing. great drawing, sometimes really simple, sometimes really complex, with great utilization of über cool graphic devices (notably, a spiral notebook that seems like the real thing, ellen's real notebook, photographed, and may or may not be).

when i first got the book i quickly scanned it and saw that it dealt with bipolar disorder solely in medical terms, i.e. as something the only effective treatment of which would be the right medication cocktail. now, i don't like that. at all. i really believe that mood disorders are a very complex mixture of genes and environment -- i believe that in everything human you can never take the environment out of the equation -- so i was sorry to see that the book kind of sold medication as the only approach to ellen's terrible pain.

the book sat on my shelf for a while and then it sat in a friend's house for another while and now i read it, and it's really not like that. i mean, it is like that, but, also, it isn't. yes, ellen only sees a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist's only overt contribution to her well-being is finding the right meds (which she eventually does). but the book is also very complex about the relation between ellen and karen, the psychiatrist, in that they have regular sessions for 13 years (and counting, i suppose), and in these sessions ellen really finds an anchor, a warmth, a haven of acceptance, love, and help.

also, the whole role of medication is problematized, analyzed, discussed, investigated, studied. this is cool.

ellen definitely comes out in this extraordinary memoir as well-rounded, interesting, and intriguing. this is the perfect companion to Alison Bechdel's Are You My Mother?: bechdel approaches her pain through psychoanalysis, fornay through medication, but there is the same level of complexity, engagement with one's life, and intelligence. seriously, this is brilliant and captivating and it was hard to put it down.

it seems to me increasingly important, as i think about these issues, to understand that there are things that work for someone and things that work for someone else. there's a strong strain in the "survivor" community that is virulently anti-drugs. i think it hinges on some people's disastrous experience with drugs. drugs can have terrible consequences on some bodies, and positive consequences on some other bodies. when you are someone whose life has been ruined by psych drugs, you tend to totalize your experience and proclaim them the devil. but they are not the devil for everyone. there are people whose life has been saved by psych drugs.

the other thing is that ellen's experience of psychiatry is incredibly gentle. her psychiatrist seems absolutely fabulous. this is not a common experience. many psychiatrists (all too many) are dismissive, arrogant, and belittling of their patients. this happens all the time. so if you work on getting better with a psychiatrist who actually listens to what you say, takes in what you want, and honors your experience with respect to what does and does not work for you, medication might be a much better experience than if you deal with a psychiatrist who simple decides what you should take/do/feel/etc.

i had a student once whose psychiatrist regularly mocked her. whenever she had something to say for herself, he'd say that she was being manic and to calm down. this was a kid. a college kid. i told her, why don't you change psychiatrist? but when someone gets into your head and makes you feel that he is god and you are an ant, you keep going back.

anyway, great book. thank you ellen for writing it. i don't know how you guys (you, alison, etc.) do it. this stuff must be harder than hell to put down on paper. so, again, thank you.

[jv poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Forney bares all. Her story is moving, captivating, heart-wrenching and hopeful. I particularly liked that she spent time discussing the side-effects and/or limitations created by many of the medications, along with the trial and error involved in finding the right combinations.

[Book Riot Community]

This is a graphic novel, likewise a memoir, about Ellen Forney’s life before she was diagnosed, being diagnosed, not quite accepting that diagnosis, and then slowly coming to grips with it and with the medication. You’ll note that these books tend to follow similar paths, because on the whole people tend to follow similar paths. Her art style is amazing, simple and cartoonish (except when it’s precise and detailed), and just from her art style and storytelling alone, I realized I’ll read her on any topic now. This was the book I was most excited to read, thanks to seeing some pages in a Huffington Post article about the book. When it arrived, it didn’t disappoint. Go read it. Go read everything by her. It’s definitely Not For Kids, but it’s all excellent.




From Buy, Borrow, Bypass: Books About Bipolar Disorder http://bookriot.com/2015/04/06/buy-bo...

[Julie Ehlers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I read Marbles, I was a bit disappointed—given the title, I was expecting the book to have a strong focus on the connection between bipolar disorder and creativity, and what impact medication might have on that connection. While that topic is touched on to a certain extent, this was mainly Forney’s autobiographical account of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, how it has affected her life, and the struggle to come up with a drug combo that worked for her (in all areas of her life, not just in terms of her creativity). Since I knew all this going into my second reading, I was able to appreciate the book more for what it actually is. This is an entertaining read that’s also quite informative on this topic, so if you want to learn more about bipolar disorder without investing in a longer, heavier read, I would recommend Marbles.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic memoir about a young artist struggling with manic depression is like the chatty little sister to the works of Alison Bechdel. While Forney's work is less dense than Bechdel's, it is just as interesting and forthright. I initially picked this one up because Forney is the artist/illustrator of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. But I was quickly drawn into her tale of twenty-something angst where she tried to use her bipolar diagnosis to her creative advantage, exploring the number of artists who were also known to be suffering from manic depression. For anyone who's ever wondered where creativity comes from, how our emotions play into it, and whether or not modern therapeutic drugs dampen our imaginative impulses.

[Melania 🍒 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75|5

- Book Riots 2020 Read Harder Challenge -4.Read a graphic memoir -

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comic has been on my TBR for a decade and I'm so glad I finally picked it up! Forney's cartooning is so clear, articulate and accessible; it really opened up a window for me into the experience of being bipolar. I loved the many creative visual metaphors, the inclusion of sketchbook pages, and the self-compassionate tone. I can see what this book set such an early high standard in the genre of comics memoirs!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Marbles, Ellen Forney invites us in to the realities of what it's like to live with bipolar disorder. The blessing in this book is that it isn't harrowing or tearful (though there are times my heart wanted to hug her while I was reading) or dry, like many works on mood disorders. Instead it's frank and honest and beautiful and ugly and funny. Just like life (any life, even the lives of mysterious depressed and bipolar people).

I've been a fan of Forney's comic style for many years, and the illustrations in this book are just as engaging as in the past, but it's also really interesting to see her not-so-pretty sketches. The doodles of her head and what it feels like... the version of her clawing to keep from being sucked into a deep dark void... these are moving insights into the other ways she's used art to journal and heal.

I loved reading Marbles. As someone who lives with depression, Forney's book is "company" (her term) for my own journey.

[☆☽Erica☾☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great and creative work documenting the author's experience with bipolar disorder. The book is fun and imaginative, yet still extremely dark. She also makes the story somewhat easy to swallow.

Great for anyone who is interested in learning more about bipolar disorder or mental illness in an entertaining way.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd recommend it to just about anybody, whether or not you have or (realize that*) you know someone challenged by a mental illness. (And whether or not you're into graphic novels, as it's very easy to read.) Thank goodness my depression responds to attentive personal care because meds look troubling (though the fact that Ellen smoked pot several times a week during the four years her doctor was trying to get her the right combos and doses, without knowing of Ellen's secret habit, probably made finding the right meds more difficult).

So, yeah, Ellen smoked pot pretty often, used other drugs occasionally, and drew some very dramatic pictures of things like what crazy feels like.... She also drew some very graphic pictures of a lesbian porn shoot, and then just dropped that whole story... I want to know what happened to that project, because her friends are affected.

And yes, she has friends. And a pretty fulfilling career. And a loving family. And she is healthy and exercises. So, just goes to show, things like that aren't always enough.

Her doctor seemed mostly into pills and books, but they did talk some. One thing Karen said that might help ppl like me, ppl who have very mild cases, is: "Mania is a time of energy going out, & depression can be a time of passivity, or energy going in. This could be a time to listen, & to observe."

Highly recommended to all who are even a little interested.

*Odds are very good that you know someone with a mental illness even if you don't think you do. People still, unfortunately, feel stigmatized and unwilling to share, especially with people who underestimate how common mental illnesses actually are.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you or someone you know has a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder don't be frightened to pick up this book. Ellen Forney has brought bi-polar out of the closet in this brave, honest, funny and creative memoir. Your experience may not be exactly the same as hers but you're bound to see the similarities. After all, like any other illness, you will share some "symptoms".

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, & Me is the best explanation of bi-polar I've read. That it is a graphic novel makes it all the more compelling. Somehow I have always seen bi-polar visually and Forney's depiction hits the nail on the head. It's a gutsy, right in your face way of understanding a disorder that is often misunderstood and hard to explain. It might not be an easy read, but it is truly fascinating.

If you'd like to know more of Ellen Forney's creative spirit Ellen's Blog.

Frankly I'd love to read a copy of the book she facetiously mentions in her May 12th, 2014 blog post:
The Bipolar Emily Post in answer to the question regarding dating"when do you tell the person that you’re crazy?" Sounds funny but all too true.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far the best work I have seen from Ellen Forney (though as a huge fan of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I appreciate her drawings in that, but this is really just an aside since it is not primarily her work!). Marbles is a detailed story about her life with bi-polar disorder, with plenty of focus on her relationship with her psychiatrist and meds... maybe too much, I 'd say in the last 1/3, when I got a little restless and bored with the level of detail in the same way I had with the somewhat obsessively detailed self-analysis in Are You My Mother? But this is a valuable story for anyone going through this frightening disorder, obviously, a valuable record of the roller coaster ride through hell it is... Her most ambitious work, best drawn, that I have seen. She also looks into the relationship between madness and creativity, which is very interesting, given how many crazy artists and writers there have been and are. She wonders if you can medicate your creativity away... I wrote a short story about this, "LIllie Dancing," which is also about this, and my very real questions about this after working with a girl with bipolar I met when I was working in a psych hospital. My 13 year old son has some as yet undiagnosed psych issues that led me to read this, and I was grateful for information and her lively perspective on all this, and in the process became a fan of Ellen Forney again...

[fer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorei!!! A hq é tipo um diario da autora focando nos anos logos depois que ela descobriu sofrer de bipolaridade. É otimo pra quem quer entender sobre bipolaridade porque com desenhos você consegue formar uma imagem bem vivida dos momentos de mania e de depressao. Tem varias paginas sobre o proprio desenvolvimento da terapia e tratamento da autora, como tal remedio afetou ela, quais coping methods ela usou... E a autora é artista (quadrinista) entao durante a hq inteira ela pesquisa e debate sobre o esteriotipo do "artista louco", se artistas famosos e que sofriam de algum transtorno mental, como van gogh por exemplo, eram mais produtivos em momentos de mania, se o sofrimento deles foi o que fez suas obras serem tao incriveis, se realmente um tratamento da bipolaridade da autora iria impactar na sua propria criatividade artistica

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest and compelling personal account of one person's experience of bipolar disorder and how that person chose to deal with it. The author illustrates how a greatest (and common) fear involved in seeking mental and behavioral health was that she would lose her creativity in the exchange (she's an artist). This very creative book is a most concrete piece of evidence that one need not exchange creativity for stability! Forney is an engaging writer and talented storyteller, but best of all, her illustrations (to my mind at least) really capture in a visceral way what the highs and lows of mania and depression are like, and how they can affect one's emotions, cognition, behavior, and relationships. I actually *felt* her illustrations. Recommended!

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the library because the cover caught my eye and the title piqued my interest. It far exceeded my expectations. Forney's drawing style is not one that would normally appeal to me, but her unmitigated honesty and her story were endearing. The memoir essentially covers the years she spent coming to grips with being diagnosed as "bipolar" and trying to find balance (and a treatment plan with which she could still live creatively). She manages not to take herself too seriously while still capturing the very realistic self-criticism and crushing doubt her depressive episodes delivered. Along the way, she takes a closer look at the stereotype of the "crazy artist" and what correlation exists between creativity and mental illness.

Some of her other work can be seen on her website: https://www.ellenforney.com/home.html

This animated gif from her site does a good job of capturing her personality:

[liv ✶ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cara, a forma que a Ellen escreveu sua própria história com a bipolaridade é de uma forma intensa e incrível. Você se coloca no lugar dela e parece que sente todas as sensações que ela sentiu por tanto tempo. O final da um abraço no coraçãozinho, um conforto sabe? De que as coisas podem sim ficar bens na medida do possível.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

MARBLES: MANIA, DEPRESSION, MICHELANGELO, & ME is a graphic memoir by Ellen Forney that delves into the author's journey with bipolar disorder. Through her intricate and detailed illustrations, Forney captures the rollercoaster of emotions and experiences that come with mental illness. The book is a raw and honest portrayal of the challenges faced by those with bipolar disorder and highlights the importance of seeking help and finding ways to manage the condition. The art is stunning and adds to the depth of the story, making it a visually engaging read. Forney's use of humor and pop culture references also make the book relatable and accessible to a wide audience. This is a must-read for those who are struggling with mental health, as well as for those who want to understand and support those who are affected. Overall, MARBLES is a powerful and moving work that sheds light on the complexities of mental illness and encourages readers to be kind and patient with themselves and others.

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[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Forney is crazy – literally! A comic book artist diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental condition that sends her moods shooting from one end of the spectrum – soaring higher than high with happiness and manic energy – to the other – skull-crushing depression and immobility – with unerring suddenness, Forney has created an honest and engaging comic book of her experience living with the illness in Marbles.

The book follows her diagnosis and its impact on how she views herself and her family and friends’ reactions, to her concerns about how the treatment of her moods with a kaleidoscopic cocktail of drugs will affect her creativity and work. There are a lot of scenes set in Forney’s therapist’s office as they spend months and months figuring out the best combination of drugs for her, and work through her various concerns but unlike another book that followed this route – Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel - the theory and science side of her illness doesn’t overwhelm the book.

Forney finds comfort in reading about other artists who were allegedly bipolar like Van Gogh, Hemingway, and Sylvia Plath, all of whom troublingly committed suicide, but also produced some of the greatest art in the world. This is also another aspect of why it’s great this book exists – for other people like Forney who’ve been diagnosed and are looking for a book to tell them it’s not the end of the world.

It’s a very stark look at the author’s condition, including photo-static images from her sketchbook detailing visually how she felt while deeply depressed, and the drawings are nightmarish, like something out of Lovecraft or Bosch! Forney also captures what it’s like to be manic through some really energised page layouts, words and images cascading together, sentences toppling over the side, linked in with looping arrows – these sequences are really imaginatively presented and give the reader a look into both sides of bipolarity.

I found Marbles to be a thoughtful and interesting look at a difficult condition. It shows those of us who don’t have the illness a glimpse of what it’s like for someone who does in a way that’s informative and entertaining to read. Forney’s art is excellent and her writing nicely balances factual scenes with memoir in a tone that’s humane and humourous, keeping her story moving at a nice steady pace throughout - I really enjoyed it. Plus anyone with a tattoo designed by Kaz is alright by me!

[Bruna Oliveira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Li essa graphic novel há séculos, mas lembro de ter achado bem engraçada e emocionante :)

[Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGsogood. I'm totally proud that Ellen Forney is a pacific northwest resident. I've read everything by her I can get my hands on. But it's especially awesome that her first full-length narrative work is such a freaking triumph.

It kind of blows my mind that this is her first non-collection book. I've always loved Forney's illustration style -- unlike a lot of authors, she really doesn't need color in any way. Her linework is similar to Craig Thompson's, with an accessibility similar to Alison Bechdel's. Here, she includes relevant sketches from her in slightly different styles from the core narrative of the book, always to set them apart or as samples from a particular, genuine period of her life.

And she reveals a lot. About how it felt to be up, or down. About her family history. About her process with her therapist. About balancing her medication needs. It's an honest unpacking of how things went down.

As all the reviews and summaries will say, she focuses a bit on the ramifications of her bi-polar diagnosis as it pertains to her art. Is her (in)sanity level the reason she is creative? Will medicating her moods kill her creativity? Questions that I suspect anyone interested in art has thought about at some point.

This is important. I really believe that graphic memoirs are one of the best ways to get inside someone's head. This is illuminating, educational, and touching. And hot. Let's not forget the sex appeal.

[Katey Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bipolar is complicated, and too often nuanced discussions about what it’s like to have bipolar are overly sanitised. This is especially true for issues around creativity and inspiration - a connection all too often silenced by mental health advocates and allies for fear of romanticisation of what can be a fatal illness. I am cautious of such discussions and the harmfulness of romanticisation is absolutely real, but to police the honest expression of someone with a lived experience sharing their thoughts when science knows so little about bipolar is, in my opinion, messed up. And, at the end of the day, despite psychiatry’s best efforts, bipolar refuses to be confined to a neat little box, so how can anyone expect our varied experiences of it to? All that is to say that I appreciated Ellen’s willingness to explore what her bipolar meant to her and her identity, especially as an artist.

There’s a lot of use of words like ‘crazy’, which not all readers will appreciate. I know the pain of being silenced or dismissed with ableist words like this. But I also appreciate the challenge of accepting a highly stigmatised illness like bipolar, and confronting our own experience of that word is important. I will say, though, that early on in the book there is a comparison made between Ellen’s kind of ‘crazy’ with someone who has schizophrenia, which I think is harmful. I know accepting ourselves in the face of a diagnosis of bipolar is a complex journey, but can we not do it through some twisted mental illness version of acceptability politics please?

One thing that I did notice - and I’m not sure if this may be influenced by the time (‘90s to early ‘00s) or place (USA) Ellen was writing in - but I was taken aback by just how much focus was placed on medication. I’m fully aware of the importance of meds in treating bipolar, but for me at least, it was one part of a much bigger puzzle of therapy and lifestyle. We got some insight into those other puzzle pieces for Ellen, but the emphasis really did seem to be primarily on the medications, and it was sad to see how often Ellen didn’t seem to have much say in her own treatment plan or be offered options.

Ellen’s descriptions and visual depictions of bipolar symptoms were really effective, capturing so many experiences I can strongly identify with. She managed to portray the energy, chaos and agitation of mania, the lethargy and hopelessness of depression, and all the weird and wonderful in between bits. It was messy, sad, nuanced, hopeful. I really liked this a lot.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/2/18: Just reread this and it's still a wonderful book; just sent it and Forney's new book to someone I love who is battling to get their bipolar disorder under control. Highly recommended!

There have been so many terrific graphic novels this year; among the ones I've read are Alison Bechdel's challenging Are You My Mother, Leela Corman's lovely Unterzakhn, Derf Backderf's horrifying My Friend Dahmer, Julia Wertz's hilarious and touching The infinite Wait, as well as the gorgeous concluding volume of Carol Tyler's You'll Never Know trilogy. Add to this stellar company Ellen Forney's autobiographical Marbles, a brave, searingly honest, often harrowing look at her diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder shortly before her 30th birthday, and her long struggle to get it under control. Bipolar is a mental disorder that is difficult to treat (there are as yet no universally effective treatments), and Forney takes us step by excruciating step on her four year road of alternating manic highs and crushing lows to a final sense of equilibrium. She also explores the relationship between mental illness and creativity, with some surprising discoveries. Marbles is highly absorbing and entertaining, and often very funny - Forney shows off her considerable cartooning chops in particular when delineating her manic episodes. It's all very informative and painfully immediate to boot. I learned a lot reading this and I consider myself a fairly knowledgeable layman with regards to mental illnesses. I personally know two people who I'd like to give this book to - one who has been recently diagnosed and another who I strongly suspect should be diagnosed. Forney's frank storytelling and superb cartooning skills make this one a Don't Miss. Five stars.

[Evie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marbles is a graphic novel memoir by cartoonist Ellen Forney, that depicts 4 monumental years of her life, during which time she is diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder, and the treatment course that follows. I always find these types of books extremely insightful, but they also make me feel a little voyeuristic. Forney lets you completely into her life and mind, and although at times a little uncomfortable, she was very relatable.

One thing that I appreciated from an artist’s perspective was how she used chaotic, busy panels to channel the manic frenzy of an episode. I’d find my heart racing as I read along. Then she’d change up the tone and placement of the next panels to reflect a depressive episode. That is so unique! I loved the idea! I also liked that she wrote in depth about links between great artists and mental illness in times past when medication wasn't available, and her fear of losing aspects of her talent by seeking treatment. A great read for lovers of graphic novels and psychology.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am biased, and love this book for many reasons. Forney's account of her own experience of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder provides some insight for the cases of so many who have struggled with a mood disorder. She weighs what it is to be an unbridled 'crazy artist,' a romantic concept for many creatives, with what it means to be a medicated artist. Forney's deceptively simple drawing style takes you on a fun, friendly, comfortable journey, even though her difficult stretches of depression.
Highly recommended for creative people, both 'normal' and 'crazy' alike. Anyone personally wrestling with a mood disorder, and fear what medications may do to their art should most definitely read this book.

[Viv JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge Task to "read a book with a main character that has a mental illness". The author is a comic artist with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and this graphic-art book charts her journey coming to terms with her illness, her experience with medication and her ruminations on the links between creativity and mental illness. It is an honest, humorous, engaging and touching book. I am so glad I read it and would recommend to anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of bipolar.

[Petergiaquinta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cartoonist Ellen Forney's depiction of her struggles with bipolar disorder is entertaining and informative and the compelling way she presents herself in this graphic novel is a hoot at times and painfully honest at others. Forney also explores the relationship between mental illness and creativity in these pages and makes some interesting connections to artists and writers like Sylvia Plath, Vincent VanGogh and Edvard Munch. I gotta say I enjoyed Forney's graphic novel a lot more than reading The Bell Jar.

An added plus for me is the appearance of some footnotes to Dr. Nancy Andreasen from the University of Iowa who has done some important brain research Forney has read. Her daughter Susan kissed me on the swingset back at Penn School in second or third grade...now she's dead. So it goes.