Graphic Novel Review - 'Living with Viola' by Rosena Fung

Such a sweet, cosy, funny, if sad and harrowingly true to life - which suits it given its subject matter and themes - and normal semiautobiographical graphic novel for children and young adults. It's tragic because the subjects that 'Living with Viola' explores - childhood anxiety, self-doubt and self-hatred - shouldn't even be normal. But they are. They are far too common.

What are we doing to our children? Kids should not have to feel anxious, overwhelmed, overworked, and unloved and unlovable if they are not perceived as "perfect", and who never make mistakes. They should never have to be depressed. They're kids! They're not miniature adults who are clones and extensions of their family's expectations of them. The pressure we put on them is ridiculous, and dangerous. Let them be kids! Let them be themselves! Let them play and have fun every now and then, and carefully and respectfully teach them about the real world, hard work and responsibility along the way. Every child is different, and so let them go (grow!) at their own pace, steadily and healthily, as long as they are not hurting anyone. Or hurting themselves.

Remember empathy, and teach children that too while you're at it.

No child should have to grow up thinking that their parents' love is conditional.

But yeah that's my two cents on that topic. It's only brought on by the fact that the main character of 'Living with Viola', Olivia "Livy" Tong, is eleven years old - eleven! - and her story is all about her anxiety getting the best of her and taking over her life. As nice, sweet and quiet yet cartoony as the graphic novel can be, its painful realism and universal human relatability can hit home very hard. But there is help and hope at the end of the dark, miserable, seemingly never-ending tunnel. 'Living with Viola' (Viola is the name Livy gives to her anxiety, personified as her dark side, her shadow, her negative self) can help a lot of people, but especially young people, who are dealing with similar issues that Livy is going through.

Breathing exercises can help with negative thoughts and feelings, for example. It's terrible and frustrating how intrusive and persistent those are.

Your anxiety and depression may never go away for good. They are a part of you. But learning to live with them, and how to not let them control you and affect your life, can be easier, if you allow yourself to be helped by others. You are not alone.

These are among the important lessons that 'Living with Viola' teaches us.

Another thing I really like about 'Living with Viola' is that Livy is a creative who loves to draw fantasy worlds and creatures, and she is a bookworm. Fantasy, cats, unicorns, cat-unicorns, her cat-unicorn plushie, cat-mermaids, rainbows, warrior women, mushrooms, dumplings and all other Chinese foods are her favourite things. She's a sweetheart; passionate and very talented.

It's a shame she feels alone most of the time, and unsupported by her family. A daughter of Chinese immigrants living in Canada, Livy starts off the book at a new school and friendless, and thus utterly vulnerable to Viola. Plus her extended Chinese family give her a lot of grief and pressure her to be the perfect daughter for her poor, immigrant parents. Many things in her current situation in life take a toll on her self-esteem. And she finds that once she does start to make friends at school, it isn't as easy to keep them as she'd thought...

Oh Livy - never stop drawing and reading! Never stop doing what makes you happy. Keep going to therapy if it helps. Suffering from mental health issues, such as those stemming from overwork and pressure, leading to anxiety and depression, should be approached with compassion, patience and understanding, and they are nothing to be ashamed of. We are all human, and different and wonderful the way we are. Perfection does not exist. Living up to one person's perfect ideal is impossible.

'Living with Viola' - realistic and hopeful, and all through its dark times it doesn't stop being cute and funny. It also touches a little on toxic friendships, and how everyone involved can heal, and learn and apologise, from that. As well as mental health, the book doesn't shy away from issues of racism (like how microaggressions and "humour" that is racist are harmful and toxic, too), and how immigrants and foreigners are treated. Different does not equal weird or bad. In fact there's nothing wrong with being weird, so there!

I like Charlotte Zhang, the other Chinese girl who Livy befriends, and their dynamic and how different yet not-so-different they are in terms of how being Chinese Canadian is for both of them, and how hard each of them works for their parents' approval. Then there's cool cousin Fiona. Livy is also very lucky to have the funny, supportive and understanding Ms. Leroy as her teacher.

I bought 'Living with Viola' on a lickety-split whim while online shopping, and I'm glad I did. What a lovely and much needed slice-of-life treat. If you adore graphic novels such as 'Seance Tea Party', 'Anya's Ghost', 'Page by Paige', 'El Deafo', 'The Magic Fish', and 'The Girl from the Sea' like I do, then give it a go.

Final Score: 4/5