Graphic Novel Review: Blossoms in Autumn

(SelfMadeHero)

We're all getting old. It's one of life's inevitabilities; grey hairs, sagging skin, the odd wrinkle here and there.

But the aging process shouldn't mean the decline of sexual and romantic love, especially if you're faced with the prospect of spending your twilight years alone. That is the grim fate which awaited widower and former removals man Ulysses Varennes following his retirement at the early age of 59, and this is the story of how he avoided loneliness and found a new lease of life.

With his son consumed by work and no grandchildren to occupy his time, he finds himself drawn to Mediterranea Solenza, a former model who now runs the cheese shop once owned by her late mother.

The relationship that develops surprises them both, especially after it becomes physical, but soon proves that there's no age limit on either love or sex, and that miracles can come from the most unlikely of circumstances.

Belgian writer Zidrou (why is it that European comics creators are often referred to by just one name?) and artist Aimée de Jongh - with translation by Matt Madden - have crafted a deeply sentimental study of an often overlooked romantic theme, that of finding love in later life.

Soft, subdued colours fit the gentle tone of the narrative, which offers an at-times brutally frank look at how the passage of time affects us all, but retains a sensitivity and compassion throughout.

An uplifting, heartfelt exploration of the rich and diverse nature of love, which gives hope to all of us approaching our golden years that where there's life, there's hope!