Blue Is the Warmest Color

I didn't even know that the film was based on a graphic novel. That's so cool! It felt just a bit disjointed at times and for the first time I felt that having watched the film helped me to understand the progression of the story a little bit better. It's a moving story that is fundamentally different from the film. Well worth a read as it's a wholly different experience, really. I think I might try reading it in the original French.

I am taking on Book Riot's 2017 Read Harder Challenge, with the intention of reading 24 books in categories I don't ordinarily gravitate towards. Does Blue Is the Warmest Color qualify for the “all-ages comic” category? Maybe not. Clearly I am not a big reader of graphic novels, or comics, but I really liked this one–touching story and lovely images.

I think that this is one of those important books that someone should read once in their life.

Just once.

It is too heart-rending to read more than once. This is a story of the hardness and softness of first love. How it can both shred your soul like tissue paper and leave you like a piece of hardened steel.

Le bleu est une couleur chaude Also known as Blue is the Warmest Color is about Clementine. A young girl at the start of the story, a 16-year-old junior and her fascination with Emma. Emma is everything that Clementine is not at the beginning: outgoing, sure of herself, and most importantly... out. They have instant electricity and start a sweet love affair that challenges Clementines preconceptions of herself and helps her become the person she wants to be.

Blue is the Warmest Color talks openly about the challenges of being a homosexual, and finding that love sends chills through your body. What I enjoyed and laud the author over is how she wrote the love story so openly and honestly. Oftentimes when reading about a gay or queer character it can get unauthentic and tropey. This isn't.

“I can not feel anymore. I feel like I'm carrying light in my veins. All that happens to me has a name ... Emma, ​​her name is Emma. ”


Aside from the gorgeous writing, it is stunningly drawn. The scenes are crafted carefully with a limited color palette of grays and the single color blue. Most often found in Emma's hair. Emma's hair is almost a blue flame burning through each scene. You can tell why Clementine is so attracted to her. She lights up every room. There are quite a bit of sex scenes dealt with very honestly in this story. I appreciated it and I thought that it enhanced the love story between the two of them without detracting from the overall story. Some readers might not be comfortable with that level of open sex between two consenting adults. Just know that, unlike the movie, this isn't pornlike. This is a loving depiction of a romantic couple expressing their passion for each other.