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N'embrassez pas qui vous voulez
Qu'un petit garçon essaie d'embrasser une petite fille, cela n'a normalement rien de dramatique. Et que la petite fille se dérobe et envoie balader son petit camarade, c'est suffisamment banal pour rester un épisode parmi tant d'autres dans les chroniques d'une enfance ordinaire. Mais si la scène se passe pendant la projection d'un film de propagande, à l'école, dans une République socialiste, bien des années avant que le Mur ne fasse mine de se fissurer, tous les ingrédients sont réunis pour que cela vire au drame... C'est ce que racontent Marzena Sowa et Sandrine Revel au fil de ce roman graphique humain et sensible. À travers l'histoire de ces deux enfants, c'est le mode de fonctionnement d'une société rongée par la paranoïa et l'obsession du contrôle qui est passé au crible. Une société où tous les gestes, même les plus infimes et les plus innocents de la vie quotidienne, peuvent vous plonger dans les pires ennuis, dès lors que la chaîne fatale de la surveillance, de la dénonciation et du chantage se met en marche.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2012
1 person is currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Marzena Sowa
39 books63 followersMarzena Sowa is a Polish cartoonist. Since 2001, she has been living in France and Brussels. Sowa studied at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow and then at the Michel de Montaigne University in Bordeaux. Sowa is the author of the autobiographical comic Marzi, a series of comics about her childhood in 1980s-era Poland. She writes about life under communism, food shortages, and her childish escapades. The illustrator is Sylvain Savoia, Sowa's life partner. So far, six volumes of Marzi have been published by comic book publisher Dupuis. In Poland, the first three volumes were collected and published by Egmont. Marzi is also translated into Spanish and, in 2011, into English.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 16, 2021
під час шкільного кіносеансу хлопчик намагається поцілувати дівчинку, а дівчинка проти. і на цьому все і скінчилося б, якби кіно не було про сталіна, татко хлопчика не був дисидентом, хлопчикові однокласники не були нажахані допитом учительки, а вчителька сама не мала чого приховувати.
на поверхні це дуже проста історія про тоталітаризм, у якій навіть використано два лобові прийоми, щоб точно було зрозуміло: по-перше, головний герой уночі тікає з дому й бачить, як чоловіка в піжамі тягнуть у воронок, а солдати гвалтують дівчину; по-друге, татко-дисидент отримує кілька розворотів на роздуми про свободу. але найцікавіші мотиви — про те, як цілком нормальні люди сповзають у колабораціонізм, про те, на що ми готові, аби нас лишили у спокої, і про те, після чого цей спокій перестає бути цінністю, — проговорені менш очевидно (і, природно, значно менш однозначно).
на поверхні це дуже проста історія про тоталітаризм, у якій навіть використано два лобові прийоми, щоб точно було зрозуміло: по-перше, головний герой уночі тікає з дому й бачить, як чоловіка в піжамі тягнуть у воронок, а солдати гвалтують дівчину; по-друге, татко-дисидент отримує кілька розворотів на роздуми про свободу. але найцікавіші мотиви — про те, як цілком нормальні люди сповзають у колабораціонізм, про те, на що ми готові, аби нас лишили у спокої, і про те, після чого цей спокій перестає бути цінністю, — проговорені менш очевидно (і, природно, значно менш однозначно).
February 5, 2018
Although it isn't named, this story is taking place after World War II in what, in the west, was known as the Eastern Block, the Eastern European countries that the Soviets took over. The children are being taught to love Russia and especially Stalin. It is at one such screening of a propaganda film that the little boy, in the title of the story, tries to kiss a little girl, and she screams. The film is stopped, and he is questioned, more than one would imagine for such a minor incident. His father is a writer, and the authorities think he is writing something that he shouldn't.
This is all being told from the view of a child. The child knows his father writes, but doesn't quite understand, in the beginning, why this is bad. As the child says in class "We can think whatever we want, but we can't say it."
It is a gripping, sad, thoughtful story of the little things you can do to not have the "state" take over your very thoughts.
Good, quick story. Recommend it highly. Very well translated.
Here are some examples of the artwork, which says so much with just a few pictures and words:
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This is all being told from the view of a child. The child knows his father writes, but doesn't quite understand, in the beginning, why this is bad. As the child says in class "We can think whatever we want, but we can't say it."
It is a gripping, sad, thoughtful story of the little things you can do to not have the "state" take over your very thoughts.
Good, quick story. Recommend it highly. Very well translated.
Here are some examples of the artwork, which says so much with just a few pictures and words:
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 4, 2024
İnsan nereden başlasa, tam olarak hangi kısma gerine gerine sövse bilemiyor. Kitabı bitirdiğimde merdivenlerden aşağı inen Serbest gibi "şimdi kimse kusura bakmasın ama allah izin teker teker belanızı versin." dedim içimden. Öyle saçma bir kitap ki anti-komünizm propagandasını bile beceremiyor.
Hikayemiz ikinci dünya savaşı sonrası bir doğu bloğu ülkesinde geçiyor. Ülke Sovyet diktasının altında eziliyor. Bir ilkokul öğrencisi olan yoldaş Viktor, başka derdi tasası yokmuş sınıf arkadaşı Yoldaş Agatha'yı öpmeye çalışıyor. Agatha durur mu? Basıyor çığlığı. Öğretmenleri de sanki Troçki Stalin'i kızıl meydanın tenhasında sıkıştırmış gibi çemkiriyor "Filmi durdurun!!" diye. Ve hikayemiz başlıyor. Hikayenin bundan sonraki kısmı yazar ve çizerin amatör bir propaganda piyesine dönüşüyor. Okul müdürü, Yoldaş Viktor'un öğretmeni Maria'ya öğüt veriyor mesela. "Bu çocuğa dikkat et, çünkü fikirleri var." diyor. Yazar burada kendince "fikirlere kurşun işlemez." tarzında bir an yakaladığını düşünüyor. Etkilenmemizi bekliyor.
Viktor'un babası şair. İlkbaharla ilgili şiirler yazıyor ama yönetim bunlara da düşman. Bunlar propaganda diyor okul müdürü.
Sonra Agatha'ya konu geliyor. Agatha'nın babası rejim tarafından hapsedilmiş. Agatha küçük kardeşine durumu "babam kıyılarımızı istila eden ve beyaz ayılarımıza saldıran kızıl ayılara karşı savaşıyor. Ama kızıl ayıların rengi doğal değil. O renk beyaz ayıların kanından geliyor." diye açıklıyor. Okurun malı denk gelir, verdiğimiz mesajı anlamaz. Dur bi de böyle alegoriyle anlatalım sovyetlerin kötülüğünü diyor yazarımız. Bulduğu yöntemde kandan kızıla dönmüş ayı.
Klişelere ekmek banarak devam ediyoruz ama ne klişe. Bi yerde Agatha'nın annesi kuyudan su çekerken gözyaşlarını da kovaya akıtıyor. Çizim o kadar sakil duruyor ki "ulan acaba yazar/çizer bizi mi trollüyor?" şüphesine düşüyorsunuz.
Bitti mi bitmedi.
Hani şu başta anlattığım öğretmen, yoldaş Maria var ya, meğer lezbiyenmiş. Ama yer mi zalim sovyet askeri yemez tabi. Hop yakalıyorlar Maria'nın sevgilisini. Müjder Ar filmlerindeki garip kötü adamlar gibi "sen gerçek erkeğe ihtiyacın vardır." diyerek tecavüz edip hapsediyorlar. Elbette Maria'nın evinden çıktığını gördükleri için yoldaş Maria'da araya kaynıyor. Yazar/çizer nefreti körükleyebilmek adına araya böyle bir bölüm sokuşturmuş ama genel hikayenin işleyişine asla hizmet etmeyen, "dur lan bunu da yazalım" modunda eklenmiş bir kısım. Netflix’in gay karakter kontenjanı misali.
Viktor'un babası ve okuldan arkadaşlarıyla konuştuğu bir bölüm var misal. "Hayatım tehlikede. Bir şeyi keşfettim: Gerçeği!!" diye başlıyor diyalog ve gerçek aşağı gerçek yukarı gidiyor. Sanarsın bunlar ilkokul çocuğu değil de Adorno, Baudrillard ve Heidegger. Az sonra Morpheus, Matrix'ten fırlayıp "what is real?" diyerek sohbete dalsa, bağınızda bülbül olmaya geldim erenler dese garipsemeyeceğiz. Öyle sakil ortam.
Yazar bi noktada artık bu kadar saçma mevzuyu ve hikayeyi toparlayamayacağını anlıyor ve "ya şu Agatha gitsin, Viktor'u öpsün de mutlu sonumuz olsun." diyor ve bitiriyor hikayeyi.
Fakat hikayenin nazarımda sıçıp batırdığı bir nokta var. Yani bi sürü nokta var ama bu bölüm artık zurnanın zırt dediği yer. Okul müdürü evde bıyığı ile oynarken bir anda Hitler bıyığı bırakmaya karar veriyor. Bu bıyıkla “kendini” buluyor.
Yazar/çizer burada bize bir Stalin-Hitler göndermesi ile mesaj iteliyor.
Ben dili sivri, yer yer dangalak ve lafını esirgemeyen sosyalist bir adam olarak bile Stalin'den konu açıldığında kendisine verilen dönem ödevini fazla ciddiye almış liseli ergen gibi 4 fasikül metin yazabilirim. Ama bu metnin hiç bir noktasında Stalin ya da sovyetlere ait bir allahın kuluna Hitler benzetmesi yapmam. Hele ki yazar/çizerlerimizden biri gibi Polonya kütüklü isem (Evet hani Hitler'in dümdüz edip zevk için milyonları öldürdüğü Polonya) hiç yapmam. Yapana da hayırlı bi gözle bakamam.
ABD'nin Marshal yardımları ile Türkiye'de dağıtılan anti komünist propaganda metinleri bile bu kadar insafsız değil. Daha ölçülü, daha ayakları yere basan şeyler.
Ne diyeyim. Allah belanızı versin.
Hikayemiz ikinci dünya savaşı sonrası bir doğu bloğu ülkesinde geçiyor. Ülke Sovyet diktasının altında eziliyor. Bir ilkokul öğrencisi olan yoldaş Viktor, başka derdi tasası yokmuş sınıf arkadaşı Yoldaş Agatha'yı öpmeye çalışıyor. Agatha durur mu? Basıyor çığlığı. Öğretmenleri de sanki Troçki Stalin'i kızıl meydanın tenhasında sıkıştırmış gibi çemkiriyor "Filmi durdurun!!" diye. Ve hikayemiz başlıyor. Hikayenin bundan sonraki kısmı yazar ve çizerin amatör bir propaganda piyesine dönüşüyor. Okul müdürü, Yoldaş Viktor'un öğretmeni Maria'ya öğüt veriyor mesela. "Bu çocuğa dikkat et, çünkü fikirleri var." diyor. Yazar burada kendince "fikirlere kurşun işlemez." tarzında bir an yakaladığını düşünüyor. Etkilenmemizi bekliyor.
Viktor'un babası şair. İlkbaharla ilgili şiirler yazıyor ama yönetim bunlara da düşman. Bunlar propaganda diyor okul müdürü.
Sonra Agatha'ya konu geliyor. Agatha'nın babası rejim tarafından hapsedilmiş. Agatha küçük kardeşine durumu "babam kıyılarımızı istila eden ve beyaz ayılarımıza saldıran kızıl ayılara karşı savaşıyor. Ama kızıl ayıların rengi doğal değil. O renk beyaz ayıların kanından geliyor." diye açıklıyor. Okurun malı denk gelir, verdiğimiz mesajı anlamaz. Dur bi de böyle alegoriyle anlatalım sovyetlerin kötülüğünü diyor yazarımız. Bulduğu yöntemde kandan kızıla dönmüş ayı.
Klişelere ekmek banarak devam ediyoruz ama ne klişe. Bi yerde Agatha'nın annesi kuyudan su çekerken gözyaşlarını da kovaya akıtıyor. Çizim o kadar sakil duruyor ki "ulan acaba yazar/çizer bizi mi trollüyor?" şüphesine düşüyorsunuz.
Bitti mi bitmedi.
Hani şu başta anlattığım öğretmen, yoldaş Maria var ya, meğer lezbiyenmiş. Ama yer mi zalim sovyet askeri yemez tabi. Hop yakalıyorlar Maria'nın sevgilisini. Müjder Ar filmlerindeki garip kötü adamlar gibi "sen gerçek erkeğe ihtiyacın vardır." diyerek tecavüz edip hapsediyorlar. Elbette Maria'nın evinden çıktığını gördükleri için yoldaş Maria'da araya kaynıyor. Yazar/çizer nefreti körükleyebilmek adına araya böyle bir bölüm sokuşturmuş ama genel hikayenin işleyişine asla hizmet etmeyen, "dur lan bunu da yazalım" modunda eklenmiş bir kısım. Netflix’in gay karakter kontenjanı misali.
Viktor'un babası ve okuldan arkadaşlarıyla konuştuğu bir bölüm var misal. "Hayatım tehlikede. Bir şeyi keşfettim: Gerçeği!!" diye başlıyor diyalog ve gerçek aşağı gerçek yukarı gidiyor. Sanarsın bunlar ilkokul çocuğu değil de Adorno, Baudrillard ve Heidegger. Az sonra Morpheus, Matrix'ten fırlayıp "what is real?" diyerek sohbete dalsa, bağınızda bülbül olmaya geldim erenler dese garipsemeyeceğiz. Öyle sakil ortam.
Yazar bi noktada artık bu kadar saçma mevzuyu ve hikayeyi toparlayamayacağını anlıyor ve "ya şu Agatha gitsin, Viktor'u öpsün de mutlu sonumuz olsun." diyor ve bitiriyor hikayeyi.
Fakat hikayenin nazarımda sıçıp batırdığı bir nokta var. Yani bi sürü nokta var ama bu bölüm artık zurnanın zırt dediği yer. Okul müdürü evde bıyığı ile oynarken bir anda Hitler bıyığı bırakmaya karar veriyor. Bu bıyıkla “kendini” buluyor.
Yazar/çizer burada bize bir Stalin-Hitler göndermesi ile mesaj iteliyor.
Ben dili sivri, yer yer dangalak ve lafını esirgemeyen sosyalist bir adam olarak bile Stalin'den konu açıldığında kendisine verilen dönem ödevini fazla ciddiye almış liseli ergen gibi 4 fasikül metin yazabilirim. Ama bu metnin hiç bir noktasında Stalin ya da sovyetlere ait bir allahın kuluna Hitler benzetmesi yapmam. Hele ki yazar/çizerlerimizden biri gibi Polonya kütüklü isem (Evet hani Hitler'in dümdüz edip zevk için milyonları öldürdüğü Polonya) hiç yapmam. Yapana da hayırlı bi gözle bakamam.
ABD'nin Marshal yardımları ile Türkiye'de dağıtılan anti komünist propaganda metinleri bile bu kadar insafsız değil. Daha ölçülü, daha ayakları yere basan şeyler.
Ne diyeyim. Allah belanızı versin.
February 12, 2018
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
This one sounded really good, plus I am always interested in stories taking place during the Soviet rule. But sadly this one was, just like the previous comic I read today, not good. I was annoyed with all the characters, there were just too many of them that we follow (not just our young boy, but also Agatha (the crush), a girl who takes lessons and does much more there, then there are the friends of the boy). I would have liked it more had it focused on only the boy who wants a kiss, and the girl he wants to kiss.
Plus there is one rape scene, we don't see anything happening, but we do know it happens, and I was quite startled with it, especially as we never find out what happens to her afterwards. Is she still alive?
It was interesting at points to see how the country was ruled, the rules, how indoctrinated people were, how the kids were treated and manipulated to tell on their friends.
After all the things in the book, it felt weird to go back and give a conclusion to the first part of the story (the kissing). It was also cute and brought a bit hope to the sadness of the everything happening in the country... but still it was also a bit weird.
The art was a bit hit and miss for me. At times it was quite a nice style, but at other times I didn't like it at all.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This one sounded really good, plus I am always interested in stories taking place during the Soviet rule. But sadly this one was, just like the previous comic I read today, not good. I was annoyed with all the characters, there were just too many of them that we follow (not just our young boy, but also Agatha (the crush), a girl who takes lessons and does much more there, then there are the friends of the boy). I would have liked it more had it focused on only the boy who wants a kiss, and the girl he wants to kiss.
Plus there is one rape scene, we don't see anything happening, but we do know it happens, and I was quite startled with it, especially as we never find out what happens to her afterwards. Is she still alive?
It was interesting at points to see how the country was ruled, the rules, how indoctrinated people were, how the kids were treated and manipulated to tell on their friends.
After all the things in the book, it felt weird to go back and give a conclusion to the first part of the story (the kissing). It was also cute and brought a bit hope to the sadness of the everything happening in the country... but still it was also a bit weird.
The art was a bit hit and miss for me. At times it was quite a nice style, but at other times I didn't like it at all.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 9, 2018
Two young children (a boy and a girl) in a communist country are at school watching a film about Stalin. The little boy tries to kiss the girl next to him and she screams. The film is stopped and the teachers begin to interrogate the children. To them this isn't a childish prank, it is a form of resistance and it needs further investigation
And so an investigation starts which leads to the young boy's father who is a poet, but the ripple effect touches the lives of others who are coping with this communist regieme. The story explores how different people cope with life under a communist regime and how some dont survive.
It is an interesting multi layered story and I am not sure i understood everything but I enjoyed it. The art was clear and the story is told at a steady pace.
Copy provided by publisher via Negalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
And so an investigation starts which leads to the young boy's father who is a poet, but the ripple effect touches the lives of others who are coping with this communist regieme. The story explores how different people cope with life under a communist regime and how some dont survive.
It is an interesting multi layered story and I am not sure i understood everything but I enjoyed it. The art was clear and the story is told at a steady pace.
Copy provided by publisher via Negalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
December 2, 2019
It should have been better, but until the end it felt that something was missing. There are some peculiar aspects of a communist regime, the drawings were pretty good, but, in the end, it didn`t felt complete at all.
Anyway it`s worth having a look...
Anyway it`s worth having a look...
October 20, 2017
Set in a sad and depressing time in Poland, Viktor tries to kiss his classmate during a mandatory screening of Stalin. Poor innocent boy. All this led to a weird classroom interrogation that eventually blew out of proportion. But the ending was so cute!
February 27, 2018
"We can think whatever we want, but we can't say it.”
I admire the reserved, muted colours of the artwork and the layers of emotion and story within a relatively short, not very wordy graphic novel. There is power in its compactness and restraint.
"You can't just kiss anyone you want" pivots on one small incident that becomes a big deal within the context of a school in a socialist republic. It is a thoughtful little story about the lack of freedom in a totalitarian regime such as the post-WWII Stalin period of Eastern Europe. The place and time are never made explicit in the text, but I'd guess Poland (since that it where the author grew up) and sometime pre-1953 (given that Stalin is still alive in the book).
"You can't just kiss anyone you want" is also about how art and writing in particular can be nourishing and subversive in opposition to political propaganda. In about only 96 pages in total, Sowa and Revel manage to deliver a graphic novel which includes a comic, a bit of a play and a poem within it – and all of which are on point. Plus childhood friendships, a sense of a school community and a larger community, familial relationships, a romantic same-sex relationship, a dissident poet, the masks people wear, and the tensions of the republic. That’s covering a lot of territory for a relatively compact publication.
Should there be a trigger warning?: A woman is sexually assaulted in this book. Though not directly depicted, it clearly happens off-page and is overheard by a young character. I mention this for TW purposes, but also to make clear that just because a book is illustrated or comic-like and features children, doesn't mean that it is necessarily appropriate for young children.
I appreciate "You can't just kiss anyone you want" enough that I looked up Marzena Sowa on the Europe Comics website and have put more of her work on my to read list, including "Marzi" [https://www.goodreads.com/series/1348...], a series inspired by her years growing up in Poland. I also chose other titles from Europe Comics to check out, such as "Flora and The Shooting Stars" [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...], and a couple of titles by Vanni Vinci.
It’s exciting for me to discover a new publisher who you want to follow, so I’m glad that I came across "You can't just kiss anyone you want" on NetGalley.
I read "You can't just kiss anyone you want" courtesy of NetGalley.
#Youcantjustkissanyoneyouwant #NetGalley #EuropeComics
I admire the reserved, muted colours of the artwork and the layers of emotion and story within a relatively short, not very wordy graphic novel. There is power in its compactness and restraint.
"You can't just kiss anyone you want" pivots on one small incident that becomes a big deal within the context of a school in a socialist republic. It is a thoughtful little story about the lack of freedom in a totalitarian regime such as the post-WWII Stalin period of Eastern Europe. The place and time are never made explicit in the text, but I'd guess Poland (since that it where the author grew up) and sometime pre-1953 (given that Stalin is still alive in the book).
"You can't just kiss anyone you want" is also about how art and writing in particular can be nourishing and subversive in opposition to political propaganda. In about only 96 pages in total, Sowa and Revel manage to deliver a graphic novel which includes a comic, a bit of a play and a poem within it – and all of which are on point. Plus childhood friendships, a sense of a school community and a larger community, familial relationships, a romantic same-sex relationship, a dissident poet, the masks people wear, and the tensions of the republic. That’s covering a lot of territory for a relatively compact publication.
Should there be a trigger warning?: A woman is sexually assaulted in this book. Though not directly depicted, it clearly happens off-page and is overheard by a young character. I mention this for TW purposes, but also to make clear that just because a book is illustrated or comic-like and features children, doesn't mean that it is necessarily appropriate for young children.
I appreciate "You can't just kiss anyone you want" enough that I looked up Marzena Sowa on the Europe Comics website and have put more of her work on my to read list, including "Marzi" [https://www.goodreads.com/series/1348...], a series inspired by her years growing up in Poland. I also chose other titles from Europe Comics to check out, such as "Flora and The Shooting Stars" [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...], and a couple of titles by Vanni Vinci.
It’s exciting for me to discover a new publisher who you want to follow, so I’m glad that I came across "You can't just kiss anyone you want" on NetGalley.
I read "You can't just kiss anyone you want" courtesy of NetGalley.
#Youcantjustkissanyoneyouwant #NetGalley #EuropeComics
February 6, 2018
This unusual graphic novel shows a slice of life under Communism through the eyes of school-children, revealing how small, innocent acts can have unexpectedly significant consequences in a society where it seems that everyone is lying, both to others and often to themselves. It begins with a childish kiss that forces a stop to a Stalinist propaganda film and ends with a small child being pressured to steal the work of his dissident poet father while his friends in turn find themselves revealing harmless pieces of information which could amount to a denunciation.
It’s a curious and not quite stable mix of the child-like and the more adult with the view-point of children on scenes of violence and oppression as well and truth and ethics and sometimes this makes it difficult to identify the intended audience. At times it veers close to an interpretation that seems a little too black and white, the good people too good and idealistic the bad people too bad (and idealistic too) but the glimpses of the personal lives and thoughts and doubts of the teacher and headmaster, as the representatives of the loyal, just prevent it from becoming too simplistic to be effective.
The artwork is beautiful, the depth of the scenes and the range of expressions on the face of the characters subtle and moving. The fear and suspicion pervading society is powerfully portrayed when children are placed under interrogation and used as evidence against their parents and there is a powerful message for independent thought and a defence of small truths in the service of larger ones, the small resistances in the face of oppression. Overall a thoughtful and beautifully produced story that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be or for whom.
It’s a curious and not quite stable mix of the child-like and the more adult with the view-point of children on scenes of violence and oppression as well and truth and ethics and sometimes this makes it difficult to identify the intended audience. At times it veers close to an interpretation that seems a little too black and white, the good people too good and idealistic the bad people too bad (and idealistic too) but the glimpses of the personal lives and thoughts and doubts of the teacher and headmaster, as the representatives of the loyal, just prevent it from becoming too simplistic to be effective.
The artwork is beautiful, the depth of the scenes and the range of expressions on the face of the characters subtle and moving. The fear and suspicion pervading society is powerfully portrayed when children are placed under interrogation and used as evidence against their parents and there is a powerful message for independent thought and a defence of small truths in the service of larger ones, the small resistances in the face of oppression. Overall a thoughtful and beautifully produced story that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be or for whom.
February 13, 2018
You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want by Marzena Sowa and Sandrine Revel; this is the second graphic novel ARC I have read published by Europe Comics and they are making some fantastic publishing choices!
You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want begins with a boy and a girl with their class watching a film about Stalin, one to promote love for him, the boy then attempts to kiss the girl who screams out loud and the film is stopped. Nice little everyday story about kids trying to kiss and the girl finding it gross, etc...etc, right? Nope. From this point onward we are then taken through the obsession and paranoia of those who the boy and girl are around everyday, teachers, parents, etc. During this Socialist Republic, where families have to travel for water and carry it home, where any free thought of or touching anti-Stalin is punishable, you are thrown into this realistic black hole of profoundness and I can safely say this novel will stick with me for a while.
The artistry of this novel has a simplicity to it, which is necessary, I think if they had been overly intricate, it would of dulled the punch. There's a nostalgia with this art work and the dim browns and blues, giving this uniform quietness that matches the words really well.
In terms of characters, we have an overly patriotic principal, a poet father who urns for change and a teacher who must keep her sexuality a secret. The questions they ask one another and the fear tactic of trying to catch a 'traitor' out is uncomfortable and sad, to say the least. There is even a scene of implied rape.
There's not much more I can say about You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want except that it is a slowly absorbing, eye opening story, that's small in size and length but large in message and story. It is definitely worth the read!
You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want begins with a boy and a girl with their class watching a film about Stalin, one to promote love for him, the boy then attempts to kiss the girl who screams out loud and the film is stopped. Nice little everyday story about kids trying to kiss and the girl finding it gross, etc...etc, right? Nope. From this point onward we are then taken through the obsession and paranoia of those who the boy and girl are around everyday, teachers, parents, etc. During this Socialist Republic, where families have to travel for water and carry it home, where any free thought of or touching anti-Stalin is punishable, you are thrown into this realistic black hole of profoundness and I can safely say this novel will stick with me for a while.
The artistry of this novel has a simplicity to it, which is necessary, I think if they had been overly intricate, it would of dulled the punch. There's a nostalgia with this art work and the dim browns and blues, giving this uniform quietness that matches the words really well.
In terms of characters, we have an overly patriotic principal, a poet father who urns for change and a teacher who must keep her sexuality a secret. The questions they ask one another and the fear tactic of trying to catch a 'traitor' out is uncomfortable and sad, to say the least. There is even a scene of implied rape.
There's not much more I can say about You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want except that it is a slowly absorbing, eye opening story, that's small in size and length but large in message and story. It is definitely worth the read!
April 6, 2025
Une histoire d'enfants, de baisers, de vérité et de son interprétation. Très intéressant quand on voit le contexte politique actuel ...
February 19, 2018
A close depiction of the resistance and challenges during soviet era.
Nice story line and artwork.
Nice story line and artwork.
February 14, 2018
i got my copy from netgalley
I thought this was going to be a cute childrens love story and boy way I wrong. I’m unwilling to give any critical review of this because it is an extremely politically induced work and I won’t take sides and I want to stay neutral in all political accusations just as this work showed the way disappeared in Russian during the communism. it includes manipulation, propaganda, hiding of western pop culture and literature, rape and homosexual themes. I give it 1/5 stars because someone put effort to make it but what the authors and publicists don’t take into consideration is that this could be just as bad propaganda for America or even Europe as the movie the book explains to be a brainwashing element.
I thought this was going to be a cute childrens love story and boy way I wrong. I’m unwilling to give any critical review of this because it is an extremely politically induced work and I won’t take sides and I want to stay neutral in all political accusations just as this work showed the way disappeared in Russian during the communism. it includes manipulation, propaganda, hiding of western pop culture and literature, rape and homosexual themes. I give it 1/5 stars because someone put effort to make it but what the authors and publicists don’t take into consideration is that this could be just as bad propaganda for America or even Europe as the movie the book explains to be a brainwashing element.
April 27, 2018
Judging from the art style and the illustrator's past work with children's books, you'd think this is a children's book set in Soviet Russia, but You can't just kiss anyone you want clearly isn't for kids, yet at the same time far too childish for grown-ups. What I got (the societal implication of censorship in Soviet Russia) differed from what I expected (a lesson about consent?), yet there wasn't any plot or deeper meaning to be communicated. Maybe I shouldn't judge the book so harshly, but it is marketed towards adults and it simply didn't give me anything?
*I received a digital copy through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received a digital copy through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.*
October 7, 2015
Seré yo que no tengo la sensibilidad adecuada para estas criticas a las repúblicas soviéticas de postguerra, pero a mi este tebeo me ha dejado mas que frío, a pesar de sus buenas criticas. Polonia y la falta de libertad para decir lo que se piensa, traído a colación a través de un incidente con un niño que intenta besar a una niña durante una proyección de una película de propaganda. Lo que la gente, piensa o es en contraposición a lo que muestra. Pues vale, pero a mi ni fú ni fá.
February 18, 2018
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Author Marzena Sowa gained fame from her autobiographical graphic novels about growing up in communist Poland. Part bittersweet, part biting social commentary of life in that period, her books are full of pathos but also the joys of youth, even in the hardest of environments. With You Can't Just Kiss, she turns her hand to fiction, giving yet another view of life in Poland and every day life of the common folk. Part coming of age and part social commentary, this is a beautifully told and illustrated work that starts with a kiss and ends with the hunt for traitors and non conformists - and the tough decisions made to survive.Story: In a school theater during a Stalin propaganda movie showing, a boy leans over and gives a girl a kiss. She is horrified and screams, the class is disrupted, and suddenly a lot of scrutiny comes on the boy for being disruptive during a commemorative film glorifying Stalin (one they have seen many times, they have noted). Suddenly, the boy's father is under investigation for writing 'subversive' poetry, friends turn on friends and give them up to the secret police, and even teachers face harsh punitive sentences. During it all, the young boy tries to hold his family together, not get upset by friends ratting out his father, and make sense of why he wanted to kiss the girl in the first place.
If the above sounds serious, rather, it is and it isn't. The narrative is told from the viewpoint of the young boy - and his perspective on life. Kids definitely don't have the answers and clearly he is learning that non conformity is extremely dangerous. Sowa is very careful to not give us the final fates of characters who 'disappear' as so many did during the era - the kids and townsfolk would not have known any more than anyone else at the time. And yet there are the scenes of simple joy as the kids live their lives and grow up despite the hardships and the dangers in Poland under Communist rule.
The artwork is solid and tells the story perfectly. Most of the color schemes are drabs - olives, beiges, grey, steel - they give the feel of the time in a way beyond just the illustration work and the story. Because the art is by Marzena's lifelong partner, there is a synergy and accord that elevate this work beyond a simple story about communist Poland. It's both serious and lighthearted, joyful and mournful. As with life, there are so many nuances in this place and time that the rest of the world has never really had a chance to see. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
June 2, 2025
Marzena Sowa and Sandrine Revel (Illustrator): You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want (2013, trans. 2017)
- Comrade Viktor Gorski kisses Comrade Agata during the screening “All For Him”, a Stalin-cult movie the boy (along with his fellow pupils of the whole school) was watching for his 3rd time
(A) Viktor: Edward (father, writer)
a) Edward, who can read French, writes poem and try to publish it abroad through the help of a friend; this friend brought French comics to Viktor
b) both his parents smoke
c) Comrades Piotr & Konrad are Viktor’s friends, so is Agata
(B) Agata: Jadzia (mother), Roman (father), Tucja (sister)
a) Agata doesn’t write poetry but likes to draw (the cartoon she drew was at the end of the book on p94, plus a story she wrote w/ attendant pics to be shown to Edward)
b) Roman, sturdy, was a white bear
c) Tucja has grown up and never knew her father (??)
d) Also has an unnamed baby brother
e) Has an old woman, neighbor, whose husband was killed by soviets and son defended communism and severed mom-son relationship
- Jurek: the school principal, and a father w/ wife (very pragmatic “just take what comes”), Jasiek (son), and a bedridden sick father (or father-in-law); seem to have been stricken by Jasiek’s painting in which Stalin replaced him as father and dominated his son’s tender imagination
- Comrade Maria: the school teacher; seem to be a lesbian, loving her tutorized student who also has a daytime job; Maria loaned her a book, Gustave Flaubert: Sentimental Education
- Soviet movie “All For Him” (original title: "Vse dlya nikh") which depicts a young boy who admires the country and the Great Leader Joseph Stalin so much that he steals all his mother’s savings to buy a train ticket to Moscow to see the leader during a parade (motif: one loves his/her country and leader than his/her own mother)
- Kino in Polish means cinema or movie theatre
- Viktor/Konrad/Piotr/Agata all enjoy a French comic book which includes 2 main characters: Barnaby and Theophilus
- People's Republic of Poland: 1945–1989
(A) The communist-era coat of arms of Poland (1944–1990) featured: A white eagle (traditional Polish symbol) but without a crown (removed to reject monarchy). Often placed against a red background or surrounded by wheat stalks (symbolizing workers and peasants). Sometimes accompanied by a red star, hammer and sickle, or other socialist motifs
(B) Red bears v. white bears
- Comrade Viktor Gorski kisses Comrade Agata during the screening “All For Him”, a Stalin-cult movie the boy (along with his fellow pupils of the whole school) was watching for his 3rd time
(A) Viktor: Edward (father, writer)
a) Edward, who can read French, writes poem and try to publish it abroad through the help of a friend; this friend brought French comics to Viktor
b) both his parents smoke
c) Comrades Piotr & Konrad are Viktor’s friends, so is Agata
(B) Agata: Jadzia (mother), Roman (father), Tucja (sister)
a) Agata doesn’t write poetry but likes to draw (the cartoon she drew was at the end of the book on p94, plus a story she wrote w/ attendant pics to be shown to Edward)
b) Roman, sturdy, was a white bear
c) Tucja has grown up and never knew her father (??)
d) Also has an unnamed baby brother
e) Has an old woman, neighbor, whose husband was killed by soviets and son defended communism and severed mom-son relationship
- Jurek: the school principal, and a father w/ wife (very pragmatic “just take what comes”), Jasiek (son), and a bedridden sick father (or father-in-law); seem to have been stricken by Jasiek’s painting in which Stalin replaced him as father and dominated his son’s tender imagination
- Comrade Maria: the school teacher; seem to be a lesbian, loving her tutorized student who also has a daytime job; Maria loaned her a book, Gustave Flaubert: Sentimental Education
- Soviet movie “All For Him” (original title: "Vse dlya nikh") which depicts a young boy who admires the country and the Great Leader Joseph Stalin so much that he steals all his mother’s savings to buy a train ticket to Moscow to see the leader during a parade (motif: one loves his/her country and leader than his/her own mother)
- Kino in Polish means cinema or movie theatre
- Viktor/Konrad/Piotr/Agata all enjoy a French comic book which includes 2 main characters: Barnaby and Theophilus
- People's Republic of Poland: 1945–1989
(A) The communist-era coat of arms of Poland (1944–1990) featured: A white eagle (traditional Polish symbol) but without a crown (removed to reject monarchy). Often placed against a red background or surrounded by wheat stalks (symbolizing workers and peasants). Sometimes accompanied by a red star, hammer and sickle, or other socialist motifs
(B) Red bears v. white bears
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2018
3/5*
Potete leggere cosa ne penso in italiano qui♥
When I started reading this graphic novel I didn't know what to expect from it. I was just curious because recently I'm into reads about the Eastern Bloc, and reading a story from a child's point of view intrigued me a lot.
First of all, I loved the art style and the dull colors that guided me immediately towards the image that we all have in our minds of the Soviet Bloc and the dark and unsafe ambiance of the states under a strict Government control. I truly appreciated the representation of the juvenile curiosity and imagination, conditioned by the education based on propaganda.
The story of this graphic novel is cruel, I'm not sure that I would recommend it to children, but I would highly recommend it to adult and teen readers, that can enjoy it with more awareness of the historical overview and that are mature enough to not be disturbed by the delicate topics like violence, disappearing because of political reasons and censorship. I loved how crucial the relevance of culture and freedom of speech is in this book. The fact that people aren't allowed to do something as natural as kissing someone else was a nice metaphor to describe how you can't do everyday things when you're under strict political control and oppression.
Despite the fact that I've appreciate this read a lot, I think that the presence of several characters and their stories, even though they were there to represent the living conditions of people under the regime, made the read a bit too dispersive and made it very difficult for the reader to empathize with the characters. According to the topic of the book, that it's supposed to be a very sensitive one, the graphic novel seemed a little bit too "cold", at least for me, I expected a very emotional read.
Potete leggere cosa ne penso in italiano qui♥
When I started reading this graphic novel I didn't know what to expect from it. I was just curious because recently I'm into reads about the Eastern Bloc, and reading a story from a child's point of view intrigued me a lot.
First of all, I loved the art style and the dull colors that guided me immediately towards the image that we all have in our minds of the Soviet Bloc and the dark and unsafe ambiance of the states under a strict Government control. I truly appreciated the representation of the juvenile curiosity and imagination, conditioned by the education based on propaganda.
The story of this graphic novel is cruel, I'm not sure that I would recommend it to children, but I would highly recommend it to adult and teen readers, that can enjoy it with more awareness of the historical overview and that are mature enough to not be disturbed by the delicate topics like violence, disappearing because of political reasons and censorship. I loved how crucial the relevance of culture and freedom of speech is in this book. The fact that people aren't allowed to do something as natural as kissing someone else was a nice metaphor to describe how you can't do everyday things when you're under strict political control and oppression.
Despite the fact that I've appreciate this read a lot, I think that the presence of several characters and their stories, even though they were there to represent the living conditions of people under the regime, made the read a bit too dispersive and made it very difficult for the reader to empathize with the characters. According to the topic of the book, that it's supposed to be a very sensitive one, the graphic novel seemed a little bit too "cold", at least for me, I expected a very emotional read.
February 10, 2018
You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want is a really interesting comic for it happens during the Soviet rule. A young boy tries to kiss his friend, a girl, in the middle of a movie about celebrating Stalin and it ends up in a big mess. The boys father lives and breathes resistance and many have secrets they aren't willing to expose, people disappear and you can't be safe unless you are silent and invisible. The story is like a snowball effect, although it doesn't end up in a disaster, but more like in a life lesson for kids about freedom and truth. I liked the story, although the kids seem slightly too intelligent and understanding and the ending seems so easy. I perhaps wanted something heavier and meaningful, since all it was in the comic already.
The art is great, slightly naive and the mundane and dark colors work well with the art. The art looks a bit like that of Hergé, but it's a good choice. There's not so much text and instead the story is moved with pictures a lot and Sowa can make it work. I love the panels and how they seem to be alive somehow and the shading works well too. The coloring reminds me of Raymond Briggs, so there's slightly this 1980s/1990s feeling to it. I like historical and pseudo-historical comics a lot, but perhaps this didn't feel very Soviet-like, but it was still a great reading experience.
The art is great, slightly naive and the mundane and dark colors work well with the art. The art looks a bit like that of Hergé, but it's a good choice. There's not so much text and instead the story is moved with pictures a lot and Sowa can make it work. I love the panels and how they seem to be alive somehow and the shading works well too. The coloring reminds me of Raymond Briggs, so there's slightly this 1980s/1990s feeling to it. I like historical and pseudo-historical comics a lot, but perhaps this didn't feel very Soviet-like, but it was still a great reading experience.
January 25, 2018
Un niño intenta besar a su compañera de clases en el cine durante la proyección de una cinta de propaganda de Stalin y el comunismo. El pequeño gesto del niño no busca la autosatisfacción, sino que nace del cariño y la ternura que en él suscita la conmoción de ella ante lo que ve en la pantalla.
El pequeño gesto desata una cadena de interrogatorios que va pasando de niño en niño en el aula de clases, llega a sus hogares, a sus padres, marca a todos con su paranoia y debilita su moral, su amistad; un gesto que de tan genuino, espontáneo e inocente llena de terror a un sistema que ante todo, le teme a la libertad.
Hasta ahí, la estructura narrativa es muy interesante, la tensión va in crescendo hasta que se diluye cerca del final, pues pasa de ser una sutil y poderosa advertencia a un sermoneo didáctico.
El final final, como tal, es simpático e inspirador.
Igual, es una novela que sí recomendaría leer, es corta y la ilustración, además de ser hermosa, enriquece la narración gracias al contraste de su suavidad con el duro ambiente en donde se desarrolla la historia.
El pequeño gesto desata una cadena de interrogatorios que va pasando de niño en niño en el aula de clases, llega a sus hogares, a sus padres, marca a todos con su paranoia y debilita su moral, su amistad; un gesto que de tan genuino, espontáneo e inocente llena de terror a un sistema que ante todo, le teme a la libertad.
Hasta ahí, la estructura narrativa es muy interesante, la tensión va in crescendo hasta que se diluye cerca del final, pues pasa de ser una sutil y poderosa advertencia a un sermoneo didáctico.
El final final, como tal, es simpático e inspirador.
Igual, es una novela que sí recomendaría leer, es corta y la ilustración, además de ser hermosa, enriquece la narración gracias al contraste de su suavidad con el duro ambiente en donde se desarrolla la historia.
February 12, 2019
'You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want' by Marzena Sowa and Sandrine Revel is a graphic novel that takes place in another time and place where innocent things can make governments feel endangered.
A little boy and girl are at a movie. He moves to kiss her, and it becomes a big issue. Along the way, his father's poetry is questioned because it's subversive. The boy realizes that his father is in danger. The father realizes the son is in danger of losing his innocence. It's a story that takes place in an unknown Eastern Bloc country about 50 years ago and it's about what people will do to be free, even if it's just inside.
The story is good, as is the art. I think I wanted a bit more, and I felt a little let down by where the story ends, but I liked the message and it is heartfelt.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
A little boy and girl are at a movie. He moves to kiss her, and it becomes a big issue. Along the way, his father's poetry is questioned because it's subversive. The boy realizes that his father is in danger. The father realizes the son is in danger of losing his innocence. It's a story that takes place in an unknown Eastern Bloc country about 50 years ago and it's about what people will do to be free, even if it's just inside.
The story is good, as is the art. I think I wanted a bit more, and I felt a little let down by where the story ends, but I liked the message and it is heartfelt.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
July 21, 2019
Lo compré porque el nombre de Marzena Sowa estaba sobre la portada. Leí la serie de Marzi hace algunos años y fue muy interesante. Así que cuando vi este comic en la Norma de Barcelona lo compré.
La historia comienza de un niño que quiere besar a la chica che le gusta. Este pequeño gesto provoca un terremoto en la vida de la personas que rodean a Viktor. Su padre escribe poemas que se publican al extranjero. Su profesora tiene un secreto y cuando la policía secreta lo descubre, todo va por el desagüe. Los niños tienen que aprender que es necesario guardar secretos y no tener confianza en ninguna persona.
Creo que hay demasiado personajes en esta historia y poca páginas para describir lo que pasa a estos personajes. Son sólo bocetos de historia que no podrían nunca desarrollarse.
El estilo de dibujo es normal y los colores... vale, predomina el marrón, ¡que no me gusta para nada!
Esperaba algo más articulado. Me parece una ocasión perdida.
La historia comienza de un niño que quiere besar a la chica che le gusta. Este pequeño gesto provoca un terremoto en la vida de la personas que rodean a Viktor. Su padre escribe poemas que se publican al extranjero. Su profesora tiene un secreto y cuando la policía secreta lo descubre, todo va por el desagüe. Los niños tienen que aprender que es necesario guardar secretos y no tener confianza en ninguna persona.
Creo que hay demasiado personajes en esta historia y poca páginas para describir lo que pasa a estos personajes. Son sólo bocetos de historia que no podrían nunca desarrollarse.
El estilo de dibujo es normal y los colores... vale, predomina el marrón, ¡que no me gusta para nada!
Esperaba algo más articulado. Me parece una ocasión perdida.
November 4, 2022
Lepa i interesantna priča o odrastanju u diktatorskom režimu u Poljskoj.
Kroz priču jednog dečaka vidimo na koji način sistem u kome žive akteri utiče na sve pore društva. Niko nije bezbedan i niko nije povlašćen. Priča je vrlo jednostavna, ali dovoljno široka da dotakne više različitih aspekata i likova kroz pojedinačne priče.
Crtež je lep, veoma uprošćen bojama koje su sive a opet dovoljno tople da dočaraju ovu priču. Iako je sam grafički izraz u skladu sa pričom, često kadriranje i povezanost kadrova na stranici nisu najadekvatniji. Često priča kroz crtež deluje suviše pojednostavljeno, čak i u trenuci gde se mogla uneti dinamika kroz crtež.
Kroz priču jednog dečaka vidimo na koji način sistem u kome žive akteri utiče na sve pore društva. Niko nije bezbedan i niko nije povlašćen. Priča je vrlo jednostavna, ali dovoljno široka da dotakne više različitih aspekata i likova kroz pojedinačne priče.
Crtež je lep, veoma uprošćen bojama koje su sive a opet dovoljno tople da dočaraju ovu priču. Iako je sam grafički izraz u skladu sa pričom, često kadriranje i povezanost kadrova na stranici nisu najadekvatniji. Često priča kroz crtež deluje suviše pojednostavljeno, čak i u trenuci gde se mogla uneti dinamika kroz crtež.
April 23, 2025
2 stars as that's the "it was ok" rating. It's fine. Communist Poland. Some students snitch on another student after he is in trouble for messing around during a movie about Stalin. There is not much story here. I like the historical setting, but the story has no ending and should have been way better. I can't really recommend it. And furthermore some very adult things happen so it's for sure not for kids. I feel like maybe the author tried to say a bit more about Communism and how awful it is. But for that she needed to do more research not just write a fast small story.
February 6, 2018
This book is fine when it takes a bittersweet look at the repercussions of a young kid trying to kiss a school-mate, but a polemical ending tries its damnedest to negate the benefits of what's gone before. Before then, the tightness of the story, the surprises it can offer, and the conveyance of the character of Soviet life, are all to its credit.
February 12, 2018
I was drawn to this book purely because of the title (which made me laugh out loud), the illustration, and the portrait of Stalin. I started reading it and was blown away by how powerful the story and illustrations were. I would love to use this book in my history classes, to give students a sense of political indoctrination, censorship, and fear in the Soviet Union.
January 4, 2019
First, it looks like a children's book, but it is DEFINITELY not a children's book. Yes, it is told from the POV of a child (several children in fact), but it is set in the Stalin-era Soviet Union and it touches on some tough subjects, including rape and the criminalizing of homosexuality.
Beautiful art adds a bleak yet somehow still hopeful atmosphere to the book. Very touching.
Beautiful art adds a bleak yet somehow still hopeful atmosphere to the book. Very touching.
August 31, 2020
Una historia dulce y entretenida que representa la opresión de las repúblicas socialistas; sin embargo, no llegué a conmoverme ni a engancharme con la situación o los personajes. Siento que decía lo que ya se ha dicho antes, sin ahondar en nada ni presentar nada nuevo. No es mala, solo es OK.
Disfruté muchos los dibujos.
Disfruté muchos los dibujos.
January 31, 2023
Ik vond 't heel mooi, het verhaal, de tekeningen, de ontknoping. Wel een beetje zoet, misschien, of bitterzoet, maar gelukkig loopt het goed af met de kinderen.
De vertaling voelde niet altijd fantastisch, een beetje stijf - het had wel iets danseriger gemogen qua metrum. Het gaat tenslotte over poëzie.
De vertaling voelde niet altijd fantastisch, een beetje stijf - het had wel iets danseriger gemogen qua metrum. Het gaat tenslotte over poëzie.
March 15, 2025
Mes connaissances sur l’histoire de la Pologne, sur la Vérité, ne sont pas assez développées pour que je puisse avoir apprécié ma lecture.
Dans la BD, on retrouve plusieurs éléments qui étaient interdits et cachés dans un pays sous la dictature soviétique.
Au moins, il y a de l’espoir pour Viktor et Agatha 😉
Dans la BD, on retrouve plusieurs éléments qui étaient interdits et cachés dans un pays sous la dictature soviétique.
Au moins, il y a de l’espoir pour Viktor et Agatha 😉
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews