misery of love
Cartoonist: Ivan Aragbe
Translator: Donald Nicholson Smith
Publisher: New York Review Books
Publication date: July 2025
Yvan Aragbe continues his exploration of race relations and traditional family relationships in France in Misery of Love, a spiritual sequel to his widely acclaimed graphic novel The Yellow Negro and Other Imaginary Creatures. The story follows the dreamlike memories of a woman named Claire who is forced to spend time with her family during her grandfather’s funeral. Moving between memories of the past and the brutal reality of the present, the story is haunted by the legacy and impact of France’s colonial conquest of Africa. Twelve years after its first publication in France, the book has finally been translated into English, and Aragbe’s unique style creates an intimate and unforgettable read that moves you as you read it, making it even more true today.
Alagbe describes the comic as follows:
A sacred dimension that celebrates, questions and perpetuates life. I believe that life is a blessing, not a punishment.
Presented primarily in sepia-toned, cinematic panels, the piece dwells in Claire’s mind and memories as she reminisces about her long relationship with Alain, an immigrant to France. Through both the abuse she suffered from her family and the abuse her lover suffered on a daily basis from almost everyone around him, Aragbe crafts a devastatingly intimate and tragic story of romance and hatred. She remembers the good, the bad, and everything in between, creating a book that is unflinchingly emotional and authentic.
Art: Ivan Aragbe
Alagbe’s style is one of the most interesting in modern comics. His graphic novels function like puzzles, blurring intertwined memories and experiences into one coherent visual style with relatively minimal dialogue. Similar to Aftersun by Charlotte Wells, but with a more opaque visual style. He emphasizes visual storytelling in every scene, seeking to create emotional landscapes that feel incredibly vivid and intimate. This style isn’t for everyone as it requires quite a bit of investment as a reader, but I think it’s worth the investment as it unlocks a heartbreaking story about the fragile dichotomy between love and hate. How can you love someone if everyone around you hates you? How can we build a life together? The organization actively explores how the stubbornly traditional repetition of French culture leads to inherent prejudices, and whether these can be changed or resolved.
Claire herself is a very interesting and troublesome character. She has some pretty big flaws, but I really appreciated it. She often hurts Alan out of stubbornness or ignorance, and in trying to do right by him, she often makes things worse. I appreciate that Alagbe lets us sit in her ambiguity. After all, she is a product of her culture and upbringing. However, she is actively trying to change because she loves Alan deeply, regardless of whether he is an immigrant or not. Since we’re in her perspective throughout, and the vague memories that haunt her like ghosts, it would have been easy to demystify her to ease the reader’s investment. By revealing that she is flawed, he not only enriches the material itself, but also the exploration of the topic at hand. Claire didn’t choose her upbringing, and her family has always been reluctant to accept it, but now she’s willing to accept it.
In comparison, her family is completely despicable, serving as the embodiment of France’s traditionalist religious and cultural system. Physical and emotional abuse, continually undermining Claire and her needs and desires so that she can fit into a predetermined system. Claire understands that race is a painful topic that causes shame and embarrassment over overt displays of racism from older male relatives. Their judgment becomes an open rebellion on her part and makes her question why she is with Alan in the first place. Is it love, or simply Claire’s latest form of rebellion against her family? On the outside, we love our families even though we may hate them or even oppose them. Memories with her family have a great influence on Claire. This is because she cares so much about her family’s opinion that she can’t stop caring about her family even though she knows she won’t get their approval.
Art: Ivan Aragbe
Alan himself is a fascinating character. Since the story is told from Claire’s point of view, we don’t often get a glimpse of Claire’s inner thoughts, and it feels a little mysterious. But what you really get is a complex character. He aspires to break through stereotypes and not be seen for how people perceive him, but finds himself in situations where he is directly influenced by traditional racist beliefs. Although he loves Claire, he often pushes her away as he struggles to express his pain, not wanting to be seen as taking advantage of her. He is first introduced in Alagbe’s previous book, which helps provide additional context to his character, but you don’t need to have read it to understand this, and both are separate things. If there is one problem with this book, I think it could have used Alan’s perspective a little more, but I also understand that it would have destroyed the intimate structure of the book.
The book does have some sexual interactions, but it’s not pornographic or particularly appealing. It is often cold, detached, and ugly, showing people their plain truth when they are as naked as when they were born. Desire is closely related to both love and hate, and much of the book explores how the dynamics of sexual relationships reflect sociocultural dynamics. Many of Claire’s relatives have had sexual and sexual problems, and Claire tries to stay away from such situations as much as possible. This book thoroughly delves into the sexualization of black men, and is another example of how black men are undaunted in their examination of central power relations. Not many stories are willing to go to places like this, and I admire Aragbe’s skill in tackling these themes and subjects with sensitivity and grace.
After all, the book reaches back to France’s colonial past and its modern return. No one forced France to invade and conquer African countries, it did so of its own free will, yet people who were brought up to speak French, believe in French beliefs, and appreciate the country express their anger and dissatisfaction when people move to Africa or try to live there. Alan is just one of many, but so is Claire, and the inevitable cycle of prejudice and hatred may never be resolved. But it’s still possible, even if only momentarily. Alan and Claire’s relationship is just a series of moments, and when they’re at their happiest, nothing else matters and everything makes sense. It may have been torn apart and destroyed, but the memories remain.
Art: Ivan Aragbe
In conclusion, Misery of Love is not an easy book. Unflinching in its brutal emotional honesty, it looks at the ugliness and hate that fuels bigotry. It also depicts love in a gloomy and heartbreaking way, and the ending will leave you feeling just as devastated and empty as its characters. It’s a puzzle, a blurred memory and recollection that forms a cohesive, heartbreaking whole, but only if you put in the effort.
Aragbe’s latest English release is visceral and topical, and if that’s what you’re looking for, it’s not going to be a fun escapism. This is not to say that this book revels in misery or glorifies misery. There is a consistent and consistent flow of new life as older generations decline and new generations experience changes that actually produce lasting social change. This book does not hold your hand, but it is essential and deeply needed. Surrender yourself to this work, embrace it, let it ebb and flow between past and present, and you’ll be treated to an unforgettable and truly exceptional graphic novel.
Art: Ivan Aragbe
Misery of Love is available now
Read past entries in the Weekly Wednesday Comics Review series or check out other reviews here!
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