Hidden Heartbreak
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15
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From the popular Instagram project, @HiddenHeartbreak, comes a book for anyone who's had to get over an ex, offering honesty, laughter, and a reminder that you're not alone. Hidden Heartbreak follows the progression of a doomed relationship from blissful beginning to devastating end, capturing the all-encompassing and blinding euphoria of love as well as the crushing doubt and disappointment that accompany a breakup. In comics that are relatable, vulnerable, and often funny, as well as interactive pieces that invite readers to process their own heartbreak, Emma Lee charts a path forward, reminding us that the heart is a resilient thing.
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All I knew, going into this, was that Hidden Heartbreak was originally a woman's comics about the end of a bad relationship, and that it had been turned into this collection. I'm no stranger to crappy breakups or relationships with toxic people, so I figured I'd give it a whirl, but I can't say I enjoyed it enough to recommend it much.
The toxic relationship featured is actually incredibly similar to one I was in some time back—like, jarringly similar—so it isn't that I didn't relate or “get” the point, it's just that I couldn't bring myself to care. Fussing about how someone told you they were emotionally unavailable, proceeded to give you mixed signs for a while, and then ditched you in the end because you got attached anyways? Of course that's an awful, painful, brutal place to be in, but... how does one get 200+ pages of comics out of it?
I truly don't mean to sound so callous. I'm sorry the author was hurt so badly, and I genuinely do feel for her. Like, I'm a broken record here, but the relationship I was in was literally almost identical to what she details in this collection! But honestly... had I written an entire book about it, it would have done exactly what I think it did to this author: gave her an opportunity to mire in misery for a long, long time instead of moving on and recognizing that, at the end of the day, when someone tells you they don't want what you're offering in a relationship, at some point, you have to protect yourself and accept that they're probably telling the truth.
On a less preachy note, I also just really, really did not care for the art style. It isn't lacking in creativity or talent, it's just one that I'm very much not a fan of.
Thank you so much to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
