Camille Jourdy's 'Juliette' Explores Ambiguous Relationships in Watercolor
Camille Jourdy's graphic novel 'Juliette: Or, A Weird Homecoming' (English edition, 2024, Drawn & Quarterly, $29.95) follows protagonist Juliette as she returns to her hometown from Paris, grappling with dissociation and family fractures. The story, originally published in French in 2016, is translated by Aleshia Jensen. Juliette reconnects with Polux Georges, who now lives in the house sold after her parents' divorce. Their relationship hovers between romance and friendship, exemplified by Polux's anonymous love poems delivered to strangers. Juliette's sister Marylou conducts an affair with a costume seller in a greenhouse, where he appears in animal costumes—bear, bunny, wolf, ghost—before undressing. Jourdy uses watercolor to depict bittersweet familial and romantic dynamics, suggesting relationships can be both reparative and destructive.
Key facts
- Camille Jourdy's graphic novel 'Juliette: Or, A Weird Homecoming' is reviewed.
- The English edition was published by Drawn & Quarterly in 2024.
- The original French edition was published in 2016.
- The book costs $29.95 (softcover).
- Translator is Aleshia Jensen.
- Protagonist Juliette returns to her hometown from Paris.
- Polux Georges lives in the house sold after Juliette's parents' divorce.
- Marylou, Juliette's sister, has an affair with a costume seller in a greenhouse.
Entities
Artists
- Camille Jourdy
- Aleshia Jensen
Institutions
- Drawn & Quarterly
Locations
- Paris
- France