Léo en petits morceaux

by Mayana Itoïz

En 1967, un Allemand fait visiter le Pays basque à sa femme. Dans le bâtiment où il était cantonné durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, et qui était alors une auberge, il retrouve par hasard Léo, jeune fille à l'époque. Cette rencontre inattendue plonge celle-ci dans son passé en la confrontant à ses souvenirs. Certains lui rappellent des moments agréables, d'autres se révèlent plus douloureux. Vingt-cinq ans plus tôt, Léo traversait la guerre en vivant en secret une histoire d'amour avec Félix, un soldat allemand, tout en travaillant comme serveuse dans l'auberge familiale avec sa grande soeur. Entre les contraintes matérielles et les instants fugitifs de bonheur, dérobés à un quotidien difficile et angoissant, la vie suivait son cours...

À partir d'une photographie prise durant le conflit et retrouvée en 1961 par le mari de Léo, Mayana Itoïz - créatrice avec Wilfrid Lupano et Paul Cauuet de la série à succès Le Loup en slip - évoque le destin contrarié de sa propre grand-mère, dans un magnifique récit porté par un graphisme pictural subtil et une narration tout en légèreté.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Bande Dessinée, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Nonfiction, Romance, Memoir

178 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2022

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Léo in Little Pieces is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel based on the true story of the authors grandmother. Léo lived in France, and during the war, her family had German soldiers staying in their home. Léo began a love affair with one of the German soldiers and was left pregnant when he returned to Germany. The illustrations really make the story come to life, and the use of colour for the time period was perfect. This was such a sweet but heartbreaking story, and I thank the author for sharing this with us.

[mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo in Little Pieces is a story of a young girl Leo. It's a sad story told in fractions, set in France in WWII. The story is assembled from pieces from her youth and later in life when she becomes a mother and grandmother.

Color illustrations are beautiful. Also, the font for speech is lovely and still easy to read.

Thanks to Europe Comics for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to #EuropeComics and #Netgalley for sharing this wonderful graphic novel with me. This was very good, translated from the French, and with marvelous, stylish French graphic art. The story is based on true events, and opens up a conversation on what is the right way to live a full life. It is not lost on this reader that it was the women who suffered the most during WWII as they do during any war, and even after. The shaming of collaborators focuses solely on women. Men can be profiteers and be thought of as clever. A woman who finds any way she can to feel alive, to savor the smallest joys, to keep from starving or freezing to death during war, is not often considered heroic. But, I think those are exactly the people who also deserve our understanding.

[টক দইয়ের চা · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.75/5
Outstanding!
What makes this graphic novel so beautiful is its realistic storytelling. Like other good French comics, it's rich with color and human emotion. If anyone is interested in WW2 or that period then I'll recommend it.

[andreea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very quick read and a straightforward story, and I would have liked it to be a tad more complex and delve deeper into some narratives, but perhaps that was not the point. Overall, it was okay.

[arc via netgalley]

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this graphic novel was quite perfect. A little funny, very tearful, grave but with a touch of lightness. The drawing and colours are a delight. The story is very moving, especially because it is intertwined between the past an the present, memories that are bittersweet and a present that looks even brighter thanks to the comparison. I liked the use of the different generations that we should all be thinking about during these tough periods when the first and second world wars do not seem that far from us... I really enjoyed my reading all the more because it made me feel a lot of emotions.
I just saw a little something to improve maybe, but that is just a detail, it is that the writing is a bit too little when you read it on the computer.
Regardless, it was an wonderful read and I look forward to reading more from the writer.

[Yusra ❥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Léo in pieces by Mayana Itoïz is a story based on the authors grandmothers real life. I would describe it as a kind of slice of life graphic novel set in world war II. Overall I enjoyed the premise more than the story itself, but it feels wrong to even have an opinion because this story is so deeply personal and and bitter-sweet. I just found that the snippets felt random, a bit to short and I confused charcters since the chapters were that short. I really liked the art style though and appreciate the story for what it is.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Put on some 40s French swing and immerse yourself into the world of Leo, a young waitress who works in her family’s inn in occupied France. She’s carefree and fun-loving, and determined to not allow a world war and German soldiers commandeering the inn interfere with her embracing life.

A beautiful story and memoir pieced together and lovingly -if not quite polished-illustrated by the author, as relayed to her by her grandmother-Leo. Looks like it was done with countless Procreate brushes -a dedicated creative effort for sure.

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnifique BD: les mots s'accordent parfaitement avec les dessins qui restituent fidèlement (je crois) ce qu'était l'atmosphère de l'époque.

Bellissima graphic novel, le parole si adeguano perfettamente ai disegni che rendono in modo preciso (o almeno penso) quella che fosse l'atmosfera dell'epoca.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

[eya_mtr · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
J’ai ADORÉ les dessins et la plume , c’est juste dommage qu’on ai pas eu plus de détails sur la relation et la vie des deux protagonistes c’est peut être pour ça que je me suis pas vraiment attachée aux personnages.

[Léa · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai adoré. L'histoire était belle d'autant plus que c'était une histoire vraie (l'autrice raconte l'histoire de sa grand mère). Et les dessins étaient magnifiques.
Les vraies photos glissées tout au long de la BD apportaient un etit quelque chose en plus !

[Tanvi Pawar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this book will make me cry just after reading the first chapter. My heart broke a little more when I got to know it was inspired by real events. Loved this book and those real pictures at the end <3

[Emma]

Basado en hechos reales

[· Fany · · Rating 3 out of 5]

On dirait que j'en aurais pris plus... mais les filigranes de vraies photos m'ont beaucoup plu.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it! As the title says, it's a collection of memories and moments from the life of Léo, the author's grandmother, inspired by ripped up photos Léo showed to her grandchild. I really liked how Mayana Itoïz turned these photographs into a comic book - the fragmented nature of the narrative worked well and really captured the feeling of finding a box of old memories and going through them. The best description of the art style I can think of is light and airy - it has a watercolor feel to it and I think it worked really well with the story.

It's a nice and emotional glimpse into the life of a family and a story about how Léo loved and lost during WWII. I could tell how much this comic book means to the author, which I liked a lot. I definitely recommend it!

- ARC provided by NetGalley -

[Opal Edgar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little bits and pieces of Leo's WWII life during German occupancy of France and her later encounters around that experience united in a graphic-memoir volume.
Very beautiful illustrations, interesting grey themes, but my main criticism is that while we see all kinds of Leo's romance / difficult moments / heartbreaks... I actually felt like she was never really introduced in any emotionally impactful way. We see what people see when they look at her, I guess, but not her own feelings and impressions. Being kept at bay in this way was a bit of a disappointment, it made it hard to understand her choices. A person is made of many facets, obviously, some contradictory when you look on from the outside... but the problem is, we never get the inside view of Leo. The point of this comic might have been that people are just people no matter the times, falling in love, looking for fun, getting by, helping people that touch them... those themes are important, but it felt very superficial and in the end I'm not sure what the author wanted us to remember of Leo.

[on storygraph (macclown) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my usual read but I was intrigued enough by the description to have a read.

It's very pretty and the general story was good, I was definitely invested. But, and maybe it's just me or the translation, it felt quite disjointed. Everything felt like it was going to fast, but that's usually a general problem with shorter graphic novels like this.

Knowing this was based on real events though gives it a bit more strength. Overall pretty solid, but could do with more fleshing out.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

[Les Lectures de No · Rating 4 out of 5]

À travers ce roman graphique, Mayana Itoïz nous livre l'histoire de sa grand-mère Léocadie, dite Léo, sous forme de biographie romancée.

L'auteure nous offre une histoire où elle alterne les temporalités.
En 1942, dans le Pays Basque occupé, Léo est une jeune femme insouciante qui croque la vie à pleines dents et seconde ses parents dans l'auberge familiale réquisitionnée par les Allemands. Léo est aussi amoureuse.
Vingt ans plus tard, toujours au Pays Basque, Léo est mariée et mère de famille. Cette année-là, son mari la quitte après avoir découvert des photos d'elle à l'époque de la guerre, dont une déchirée en petits morceaux.
En 1992, Léo est désormais grand-mère et vit chez l'un de ses fils. Un reportage télévisé sur le retour des camps l'interpelle quand elle y reconnaît son amie de jeunesse. C'est alors que les souvenirs remontent et que Léo se confie à sa petite fille.

Au fil des chapitres, Mayana Itoïz nous dévoile la vie de sa grand-mère par petits morceaux. Avec des dessins emplis de délicatesse et de pudeur, l'auteure nous livre un très joli hommage à sa grand-mère où l'on ressent la force de la famille, de l'amour et de l'amitié aussi bien en temps de guerre qu'en temps de paix.

L'originalité de ce roman graphique, ce sont les photos, déchirées pour la plupart, posées sur des pages de calque intercalées dans le roman venant s'assembler avec les dessins de l'auteure.

🗝 Roman Graphique - Seconde Guerre mondiale - Romance - Autobiographie

[Zana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic memoir was such a treat to read! I loved that the author used her skills to memorialize her grandmother's memories and experiences this way. Talk about a labor of love!

The artwork is beautiful and gives me such warm vibes. The illustrator's style fits perfectly with the storyline. I'd love to read more from the illustrator/author.

When it comes to WWII stories, I like to read about everyday people's lives under Nazi occupation. This is a wonderful glimpse into the French Basque country as Léo (the MC), her family, neighbors, and friends try to keep a sense of normalcy in their lives.

The fact that Léo was in love with Felix, a German soldier, brings some complications. Being young and in love, I think Léo saw him through rose-colored glasses. Even though he treated her well, and we don't see any instance of wrongdoing on his part, he was still part of the occupying force.

Along with Felix, the Nazis (especially their officers who never leave Léo's family inn even after the regular troops have left) are always there in the background, made even more ominous by the artist's use of dark colors contrasted against the lighter colors that represent the Basque country and its people. Great juxtaposition.

I'd recommend for anyone interested in WWII and day-to-day life under Nazi occupation.

Thank you to Europe Comics and NetGalley for this arc.

[Meggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Léo in Little Pieces - the little really sold me on this book and it didn't disappoint.

The story jumps through time periods, focusing on our main character Léo and her life during and post-WWII. It is a moving story, illustrating beautifully and powerfully the experiences of women during this time.

What I loved:
💖 The illustrations - WOW. I could have spent hours just analyzing the beautiful drawings in this book. They really made the book great!
💖 The fact that this book was based on real events. It made the story even more convicting and emotional.
💖 It was translated from French but it was a seamless read. I easily read it in one day!

What I didn't like:
⭐️ There were quite a few characters in this book and because it was such a quick read, I often got lost in who was who.
⭐️ This may be due to the translation but I felt that the writing was often choppy, quickly transitioning from one scene to the next.
⭐️ I often found myself confused about the time period as the book very often jumps back and forth many decades.

If you love historical fiction/non-fiction, particularly WWII settings, you should definitely get your hands on this beautifully illustrated book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review 💓

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this graphic novel memoir, although I probably should have read it in the original French (I read an ARC from NetGalley of the English edition) because I feel like there were some aspects that got lost in translation. Maybe not, but I do find that sometimes the translation makes the story choppier and leads to gaps in the narrative.

I get that Léo is a life in pieces and that we only have parts of the story. And that we have to pull together some of the pieces in between ourselves. But I kept having to recall dates in order to string together the chronology and align who was who and what was going on with the history of the times.

The artwork is lovely, but maybe that contributes to the disjointedness because the characters often blend together and then as they jump through time, I lost which character was Léo.

Despite that, I did enjoy the graphic novel and Léo as a character. And I wanted to know more, to find out the things that I just assumed so that I could truly piece her life together.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very moving story about the life of a free spirited young woman living in France during the Second World War and the Nazi occupation. The story is based on the recollections of the author’s grandmother Léo.

Leo worked as a waitress in the family inn, which had been requisitioned by the occupying German forces and we see the war and the occupation through her eyes. She is carefree and also rather oblivious to the dangers around her. She flirts and shares secrets with the enemy, she buys things from the black market, she works in the cafe dreaming of the future. It is only in her much later years that she finds out the truth about some of the people who had been in her life at that time.

It is an excellent memoir that shows more than it tells through artwork that at times feels whimsical even though there is darkness in the story. Definitely worth reading.

Copy provided by Europe Comics in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Léo is my grandmother. During the Second World War, Léo worked as a waitress in the family inn, which had been requisitioned by the occupying German forces. Cheerful and carefree, she divided her days between her work at the inn, her friends, and her secret love affair with Felix, a young German soldier. Time passed. Léo became a mother, then a grandmother. Toward the end of her life, she told me about her past, which I present to you now in the form of these little pieces of her life."

Leo in Little Pieces was wonderful. A part of history that I didn't really learn in school. The art was gorgeous and the time jumps were well done. A quick read but still impactful. And I appreciate the real-life photos in the end! I felt like it tied everything together.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics!

[Snowdrop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Très touchant car c’est un livre écrit par la petite fille de Léo (qui a vraiment existé), c’est donc un témoignage, de vrais souvenirs transformés en dessins, fractionnés comme sa mémoire et ses photos.

La BD raconte le passé de Léo, une jeune femme vivant au pays Basque durant l’occupation allemande en 45, certains vivent même chez elle. C’est un livre vraiment poignant car c’est un récit qui est vrai, qui a été vécu, puis entre quelques chapitres on a des photos d’archive de la famille, imprimées sur du papier transparent, ce qui ajoute une autre dimension au récit, le rendant aussi doux que douloureux.

On a un côté avec des souvenirs très lourds mais aussi avec des moments de joie et de rires. Ça me brise tout de même le cœur qu’elle n’ait pas eu l’histoire d’amour qu’elle convoitait tant avec Félix.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a random book I found when starting up my new kindle :) and I really liked it!

I think the art style is so nostalgic and sweet, despite taking place in World War II. I can't say I loved all the characters because I read the whole thing in an hour. I wanted to read more graphic novels this year and this being my first digital read, I am hungry for more.

The story feels very much that of a grandparent or elder telling you snippets of their life over Sunday dinner. I liked the jumps in time and how simple the chapters were because life is both heartbreaking and full of joy, and this book beautifully captured that. My only complaint is I want more! But it being based on a true person and their life, I respect it being the short story it is. All in all, I loved it.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Southern France, 1941: Léo is in love. Sneaking off to make out in the fields, and stealing a few minutes behind a secluded outbuilding, and making excuses to be in town—because the trouble is that while being in love is sanctioned, being a French girl in love with a German soldier is not.

Léo in Little Pieces is Itoïz's beautifully illustrated telling of her grandmother's story, told in some of the little pieces that her grandmother told her. (There's a second meaning to the title, but it would be a bit of a spoiler.) Most of the story takes place in the 1940s—Léo against the Nazi invasion of her home yet head over heels for a certain Nazi soldier—but there are snippets from later in Léo's life, as the war recedes into the past and her life becomes steadier, and as her granddaughter (Itoïz) starts to get curious about her grandmother's past.

There's a wonderful complexity here—Itoïz leaves a lot unsaid about Felix, perhaps because there is much that Itoïz does not say but also perhaps because there are many questions that her grandmother could not have answered. That is: Felix is neither portrayed as a hard-line Nazi nor as a sympathizer of the Resistance; the reality was probably somewhere in between, which is an uncomfortable grey area that isn't often enough talked about. Meanwhile, Léo is firm in what she believes but...maybe best described as "young." Confident and headstrong and perhaps with a bit of a sense of invincibility. No excuses here, just one woman's story. (It's worth looking up more info on "horizontal collaboration"—it's touched on here, but other articles and books give far more information and context.)

Altogether a really lovely, if (at times, and for obvious reasons) sad, read.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

[Swati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leo in Little Pieces by Mayana Itoiz is an autobiographical graphic novel based on the author’s grandmother’s experiences during WWII. Leo, the titular character, works as a waitress at her family’s inn in France. During the war, it’s occupied by the Germans, and Leo has a relationship with Felix, one of the German soldiers. She later becomes pregnant and we follow her life in the years that follow.

Told through flashbacks and memories, Leo in Little Pieces moves quickly but a bit jaggedly. The biggest drawback is that the author does not pause to give depth to any of the characters, and the story stands only at a very superlative level. The illustrations are beautiful though. An okay-ish read.

Thanks to Europe Comics for the ARC.

[Darkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank NetGalley & Europe Comics for getting Léo in Little Pieces.

We follow Leo woman who fell in love with a german soldier during the war. We follow her love for him after he was gone after was even when she had children and grandchildren. You will see how her life was not all sunshine and rainbows. How war changes people and being in love with a german soldier was not something people in franc were fond of. Impact of life during the war, being afraid and wanting to be free.
This was a heartwarming and sad story. But it shows how we don't know the hardship of their time. A time when people suffer. The art style is beautiful and I love how it fits the story.

[Ankita Goswami · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was struggling between a four-point-five and five-star rating for this graphic novel, but settled for a five because I couldn't find a flaw to talk about. I loved the story, the way it was told and I absolutely loved the artwork and the text font. Once I started it, I couldn't stop reading it. I went through a range of emotions in less than an hour which culminated with me sobbing at the end. It is a very moving personal story told exquisitely well by the author/artist.

Europe Comics is like the A24 studios of graphic novels - they rarely disappoint.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely engaging story of a French girl going out with a young, innocent Nazi soldier in occupied France, but it doesn't really show us that much that is brand new. There was a black market, there was bravery, there were people needing to flee, there were "horizontal collaborators", and there were enforced disappearances. I'm not a hundred per cent sure about the more modern scenes, not all of which seem to add much. While it's nicely designed, and clearly is a personal work, it didn't have the spark to suggest it was a must-read. Three and a half stars.