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I Run to Make My Heart Beat
Nina is 18 in the mid-1990s. She’s trying to find her place in a world constantly throwing her differences back at her face. Nina was born in a multi-culltural and multi-ethnic her father is black Muslim of Gambian origins and her mother is of Polish-Jewish descent. But Nina will turn her differences into strength as she embraces track and field. She runs, not to escape reality, but to be the champion of her own life.
Adapted from the best selling French semi-biographical novel by Rachel Khan, “Les grandes et les petites choses” and drawn by cartoonist Aude Massot, this book will definitely prove you that no challenge is too big, regardless of where you’re from or how different your family is!
Adapted from the best selling French semi-biographical novel by Rachel Khan, “Les grandes et les petites choses” and drawn by cartoonist Aude Massot, this book will definitely prove you that no challenge is too big, regardless of where you’re from or how different your family is!
164 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 4, 2024
This GN had a good running start and plenty of potential. The execution though, tragic.
I stopped several times to check that I had not skipped a page(s) and went back to make sure I read ever panel meticulously. Still, I was left disappointed and confused. It feels like someone tripped and fell on the way to the publishers, unknowingly forgetting to pick up all pages to the manuscript.
Worst of all, the opening letter from Rachel Khan herself is exquisite. Absolutely phenomenal writing and hooks you in right away. I almost wish I hadn't read it, because now I am just left begging and pleading, "what happened here?!"
I stopped several times to check that I had not skipped a page(s) and went back to make sure I read ever panel meticulously. Still, I was left disappointed and confused. It feels like someone tripped and fell on the way to the publishers, unknowingly forgetting to pick up all pages to the manuscript.
Worst of all, the opening letter from Rachel Khan herself is exquisite. Absolutely phenomenal writing and hooks you in right away. I almost wish I hadn't read it, because now I am just left begging and pleading, "what happened here?!"
January 6, 2024
It's semi autobiographical but not truly nonfiction however I did add it to my biography/memoir category. I always dislike books that want to have it both ways because I think it's always stronger when it's truth understanding that not everyone remembers exactly everything from their life but if they're doing it with fidelity and creating a book, there will be some creative license given to how to tell the story that it's intentionally deceiving. That said, I adored the focus of the story about Nina who is an eighteen year old runner (though she did do ballet before and experienced racism and discrimination) until she leaned into her natural talent. From there it's about developing her personal relationships, deepening her understanding of her family's past-- a mom who is a Polish Jew and her father who is a Muslim Gambian including from her maternal grandfather who lives in their home.
She speaks up for herself at school and on the track. It's a strong graphic novel half memoir that's sports and identity forward.
She speaks up for herself at school and on the track. It's a strong graphic novel half memoir that's sports and identity forward.
December 30, 2023
This story was all over the place. It's adapted from a book but not all that well. It's about a girl in Paris who is part Jewish, part Senegalese. It starts off with her getting kicked out of ballet at 14 for having darker skin. Then the story jumps ahead to college without telling you. It took me about half the book to pick that up. For some reason, she's recruited to run track but it seems like it's outside of school. (Maybe that works differently in France.) There she's sexually assaulted by the hammer throwers but she tells no one and is told the track program will be shut down if she tells anyone. The focus doesn't seem to be about that though even though she went through a violent assault by three men. Instead it becomes about a boy on the track team that Nina likes. This plot is so scattered it makes my head hurt. It actually feels like there isn't a plot. Just stream of consciousness storytelling. I'd be curious if the novel this is based on is just as scattered.
February 27, 2024
Nina is mixed race, going to college, being discriminated against by her professor, being told to push her butt in by her ballet teacher, and generally not happy about life. One day she tries out for a track team, and find this is the right place for her. She loves it.
Thus begins this semi-autobiographical story based on the authors life. Like her protagonist, she is also mixed race.
Content warning, there is a rape in the story, though it is off-screen. But because Nina doesn’t pursue the rapists, and tries to ignore her hurt, she spirals downward, until she finally tells the team doctor, in confidence, what happened.
Sad, and uplifting at the same time. Nina’s story of trying to be the best, and be respected is a strong one.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book came out February 27, 2024. It is a French translation. The original book was called “Les grandes et les petites choses”.
Thus begins this semi-autobiographical story based on the authors life. Like her protagonist, she is also mixed race.
Content warning, there is a rape in the story, though it is off-screen. But because Nina doesn’t pursue the rapists, and tries to ignore her hurt, she spirals downward, until she finally tells the team doctor, in confidence, what happened.
Sad, and uplifting at the same time. Nina’s story of trying to be the best, and be respected is a strong one.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book came out February 27, 2024. It is a French translation. The original book was called “Les grandes et les petites choses”.
July 15, 2024
It feels weird to criticize a character's actions in a book that's apparently semi-autobiographical, and also I know Nina is young and is going through a lot, but I often found her behavior frustrating. She does self-destructive things, and she goes on rants about race at times when it doesn't really seem relevant (as well as times that it does). And (spoilers), I'm frustrated that there are never any real consequences for the men who assaulted her.
I'll link to my full review once it's posted on No Flying No Tights.
I'll link to my full review once it's posted on No Flying No Tights.
February 2, 2024
I liked this... And then it just ended. The parts of the story portrayed are done well in terms of the way in which the art and words play together, sometimes in sync, and sometimes depicting multiple things. However, the book feels very choppy, like vignettes we're taken from the autobiography and then smashed together, rather than thoughtfully melded. There is also not time taken on the emotional impacts of the events, which has the end result of making the main character seem like a flighty child. Then the book comes to a screeching halt.
Free advanced copy through Edelweiss+
Free advanced copy through Edelweiss+
August 21, 2024
An interesting story of trying to find who you are when all around you wants to label you their own way. Several layers, yet also straight forward, it is clever and thoughtful. The illustrations might have been a bit more simple than I would have expected at first, but they work well. TRIGGERS: assault, smoking, drugs, alcohol, some cultural situations.
February 21, 2024
A good graphic novel adaptation, and the kind of book that touches on many timely topics. A nice read.
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May 22, 2024Diamond Bookshelf Review Pending
July 1, 2024
This one bounced around a lot for me. I saw it was based on her 2016 book so maybe that would fill in some of the questions/gaps for me.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews