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Graphic Literature

From “A Taste of Paradise”

By Nine Antico
Translated from French by Anjali Singh
MY NAME IS VIRGINIE .

WAY LONG BEEEEEP .

(alarm clock): 7:58

I'M A GOOD GIRL .

AND I DONT WANT ....

{Bip}
(alarm clock): 8:00

TO GET UP .

I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT GOES ON IN MY ROOM WHEN I'M AT SCHOOL .

I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY " YOU KNOW , TODAY I THINK I'M GOING TO STAY HOME ! "

" TODAY , I'M GOING TO CUT OUT PICTURES." "TODAY , I'M GOING TO HAVE SEX ."

TODAY , I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CROSS THE BLACK TOP FOUR TIMES AND , LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY , IT'LL BE A PAIN IN THE ASS .
I WATCH CARTOONS WITH MY CORNFLAKES .

YUP ! CORNFLAKES AGAIN .

WHEN HSN COMES ON , I TELL MY SELF ..

I'D BETTER GET ON WITH HY DAY .

Mother: AND WHO is CLEAN NG THAT UP ?

VIRGINIE: OH , LET'S SEE , I HADN'T GIVEN IT A ANY THOUGHT ... BUT WHY DON'T I DO IT , BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THE MAID .

SHIT , NOW I'LL BE LATE AGAIN !

I STARE INTO MY CLOSET FOR AGES ...

LOOKING FOR JUST THE RIGHT OUTHT

WHICH ISN'T EVEN THERE .

USELESS SWEATERS

CHEESY T - SHIRTS

UGLY PANTS

AND WORSE SKIRTS

CLEARLY , I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO SHOP .

NANOU DOESN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM .

BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT SHOPPING .

IT'S ABOUT ALLURE .

YOU'VE EITHER GOT IT OR NOT . I DON'T .
ONE DAY , SHE SAYS , ON THE SUBJECT OF MASSIMO , " I JERKED HIM OFF . "
SO MANY THINGS SEPARATE US NOW .

I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT ... SHE MUST'VE UNLOCKED SOME KEY TO LIVING FAST .

SHE TATTOOED HERSELF WITH A NEEDLE ,

AT THIRTEEN

I DON'T GET HOW SHE ACTS . IT FASCINATES ME , AND AT THE SAME TIME ...

I WOULDN'T WANT TO CHANGE PLACES .
SHE PUCKS MY EYE BROWS FOR THE FIRST TIME . I DON'T REALLY SEE THE POINT BUT ANYWAY ...

VIRGINIE: OWWW.SHIT ! THAT HURTS !!!

NANOU: DON'T WORRY , YOU'LL GET USED TO IT .

MY ASS . IT STILL HURTS ...

SHE HAS A BUNK BED , AND A HAMMOCK EVEN , AND A T.V.

A BIG BROTHER WHO'S A CURE FAN , PRETTY RARE AROUND HERE .

NANOU BROTHER: WHO'RE THESE GUYS YOU RUN AROUND WITH ? TELL ME !?

HE DOESN'T MAKE LIFE ANY EASIER .

IT'S HARD ENOUGH BEING WHITE .

Crowd: Hi !

Crowd: Hi !
NANOU HAD LUCK WITH BOYS FROM THE FIRST , AND LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH GIRLS .

(Cross sign): BIBLICAL HUMILIATION

Girl Bully: BE ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AT 6 , WE'LL KILL YOU , YOU'RE GONNA MAKE YOUR MOMMA CRY !

THE FIRST TIME , SHE MAKES HER MOM CRY .

THE SECOND TIME , SAME THING . TO TOP IT OFF , THEY STOLE HER KEYS , THEN SHE GOT ROBBED ....

THE THIRD TIME , SHE MADE THEM CRY . THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE SAYS . I WASN'T THERE . NOT ANY OF THE TIMES . I MISSED THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND .
I CAN'T DO A PARTICULARLY GOOD JOB SHOWING HOW YOU REALLY BEAT UP SOMEONE .

HOW YOU REALLY BEAT YOU MAKE THREATS .

YOU CLENCH YOUR FISTS .

YOU KICK .

BUT WHERE ?

AND HOW DO YOU DO WHEN IT HURTS ?

ALL WHILE TRYING TO FORGET HALF THE SCHOOL'S WATCHING YOU .

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU GET THE COURAGE TO FIGHT , WHEN YOU COULD JUST GO HOME AND MAKE YOURSELF SOMETHING YUMMY TO EAT , AND MOVE THE NEXT DAY .
EVERY DAY , ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL ,

I THINK , I HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THINGS . SO I LIFT MY CHIN HIGH , I FROWN .

(Badge):REQUIRED SOCIAL EDUCATION

I ACT CONFIDENT .

BUT AS I GET CLOSER , GROUPS FORM .

AND I SAG , I BECOME ME AGAIN .

THEN , THERE'S THAT EVER - PRESENT DRUGSTORE WINDOW ,

THERE TO REMIND ME OF MY " DADDY'S GIRL " FACE .
I CHECK AGAIN IN THE BAKERY MIRROR , STILL THE SAME OLD FACE .

TODAY'S DIFFERENT THOUGH . I'VE BEEN CALLED TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE .

Mom: HURRY UP !

AND MY MOM'S WITH ME !

I FEEL TEN TIMES MORE RIDICULOUS .

THE CLOSER WE GET , THE MORE SCARED I AM . WHAT'LL HAPPEN ?

Mom: Listen , YOUNG LADY YOU JUST BUMPED INTO ME !

Person: GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME ! YOU WANT AN APOLOGY ? DROP DEAD !

OR

Mom: YOU'RE ASHAMED OF ME IS THAT IT

VIRGINIE: SHH , PLEASE ...


I HAVE TO TELL HER ....

VIRGINIE: MOM ,

VIRGINIE: COULD YOU PLEASE MOVE TO THE OTHER SIDEWALK ?
IT'S CRUEL , BUT WHAT A RELIEF !


VIRGINIE: Hi !

Student: Hi ! WHAT ROOM'RE YOU IN ?


VIRGINIE: I'VE BEEN CALLED IN

Student: OH , YEAH !

VIRGINIE: YEAH !

THE WORST IS OVER .

VIRGINIE: SEE YA !

WE'LL SORT OUT THE APOLOGIES TONIGHT ...

THE PRINCIPAL

PRINCIPAL: YOU KNOW , THIS SUSPENSION
IT'S JUST FOR ONE DAY .

I'M BEEING PUNISHED FOR BLOWING OFF STUDY HALL BECAUSE I'M A GOOD STUDENT .

IT'S UNDERSTOOD .

PRINCIPAL: IT'S ONLY A FORMALITY .

PRINCIPAL: TO SET AN EXAMPLE .

BUT MY MOM STILL CRIES THE MINUTE WE LEAVE .

VIRGINIE: IS THIS CAUSE OF CHANGING SIDEWALKS

Mom: {SNIF}
I'M GOING .

SIGH ! IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME ! I CAN'T BE NICE HERE ... SHIT !!!

I CAN'T BE THE SAME SELF I'M AT HOME .

NANOU IS HERSELF - ALL THE TIME . SHE MADE HER BED AND SHE COULD DO IT AGAIN .
NANOU: WE HAVE TO WEAR CAPS .

VIRGINIE: I TOLD YOU .

KEEPING HER FRIENDSHIP'S ALREADY A STRUGGLE ..

SMELLS LIKE CHLORINE

AND ALL THESE GROSS FEET ...

Swim Instructor: FIRST , YOU'LL EACH SWIM A LENGTH , SO I CAN ASSESS YOUR LEVEL , THEN YOU'LL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS .

Swim Instructor: LEVEL 1
AND LEVEL 2

D'YOU GUYS KNOW HOW TO SWIM ?

NAH I DON'T LIKE IT

I HATE IT !

WHO CARES ABOUT LEVEL 1!

YEAH ! LOOK AT THAT ...

WE HAVE TO BE TOGETHER !

VIRGINIE: LET'S GO NANOU !

Swim Instructor: NEXT !

Swim Instructor: NANOU LEVEL 2

HEE

VIRGINIE: GOT FOR IT , ANGELIQUE

ANGELIQUE: PUFF PUFFI OH , OH , PUFF , OH !

ITLL BE MY TURN SOON .

Swim Instructor: YOU CAN'T SWIM AND LAUGH AT THE SAME TIME ANGELIQUE !
THE PROBLEM'S I KNOW HOW TO SWIM .

I TOOK LESSONS WHEN I WAS LITTLE , AND I GO TO THE BEACH EVERY SUMMER IN ITALY .

I DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO PRETEND .

SO I LANDED IN LEVEL 1

I GET WHAT I DESERVE .

NANOU: HAPPY NOW , HUH ?

From Le goût du paradis, by Nine Antico. Copyright 2010 by Nine Antico. Rights arranged through Nicolas Grivel. Translation copyright 2011 by Anjali Singh. All rights reserved.

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