Description
Something is wrong with Claire, but she doesn’t know what. Nobody does, not even her doctors. All she wants is to return to her happy and athletic teenage self. But her accumulating symptoms—chronic fatigue, pounding headaches, weight gain—hint that there’s something not right inside Claire’s body. Claire’s high school experience becomes filled with MRIs, visits to the Mayo Clinic, and multiple surgeries to remove a brain tumor. But even in her most difficult moments battling chronic illness, Claire manages to find solace in her family, her closest friends, and her art.
A deeply personal and visually arresting memoir that draws on the author’s high school diaries and drawings, One in a Million is also a sophisticated portrayal of pain, depression, and fear that any teen or adult can relate to. With a sensitive preface and an author’s note connecting past to present, this true story of resilience strikes a moving balance between raw honesty in the face of medical and mental trauma and the everyday musings of a teenager.
Review
In this graphic novel we share the real life experience of the author, Claire Lordon, as she journeys through the end of high school and into college with a growing health concern.
Initially unsure what is wrong with her, she is experiencing many symptoms including weight gain, headaches, extreme tiredness and hair growth, but doctors are having difficulty diagnosing her condition.
Having to travel interstate to a specialist hospital, Claire is told that she has a tumour in her pituitary gland at the base of her brain. After removing one third of the pituitary gland in surgery, the surgeons found that they missed it and had to take another third. Obviously there could not be a third attempt, so it has to work this time…
We see the many challenges she faces, and how many opportunities are taken from her - particularly the opportunity to develop proper friendships, attend school and study to the level that she wanted to due to being off school so much from illness and treatment.
Remarkably, Claire finished in the top third of her school, was accepted into Rhode Island School of Design, with a degree in illustration - hence the graphic novel format of this book - and she has even competed in marathons.
Although the story covers a lot of the dark thoughts and anxiety that she felt throughout her journey, at the end we are amazed by what Claire has been able to achieve in her life. This is a terrific graphic novel for all teenagers.
Reviewed by Rob
