Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Reading ‘Hidden Heartbreak’ by Emma Lee is a collection of cartoons where she draws about dealing with a crippling break-up. Read the books often feels like glimpsing into somebody’s private journal about how they coped with a break-up.
Unlike many entries in the genre that feel randomly put together, ‘Hidden Heartbreak’ follows a structured, linear flow. It traces the protagonist’s journey from falling in love to reliving the relationship, highlighting both the moments that swept her off her feet and the red flags she failed to notice. It is filled with funny, sad, and relatable moments.
And unlike many creators who focus only on the ‘brighter’ sides of things, Emma doesn’t hold back from sharing her vulnerable sides. Perhaps that’s the biggest charm of ‘Hidden Heartbreak’, where the creator honestly shares her experiences with her reader, like she would with a close friend.
The second half of the book then deals with how Emma dealt with loneliness, and heartbreak. And the creator also makes things a little interactive by slipping in pages where she invites the reader to draw/write about their own experiences.
Take the pages above for instance, Emma first lists things that ‘hooked’ her to her ex-boyfriend, then in the next page asks the reader to write their own list of things that they found attractive about their last partner. Or in another, she lists the things she pays attention to in a partner and stuff she usually overlooks, then invites the reader to do the same.
Honestly though, the artwork is very basic, and the illustrations for the ex-boyfriend looks like it was borrowed from a meme, which might’ve been deliberate. And for more than half the book, she uses pretty much the same illustration for the ex, with minor tweaks to his hands and gestures.
Overall, ‘Hidden Heartbreak’ is an interesting collection of cartoons that will probably appeal best to younger readers, especially those going through a heartache themselves but unsure of how to navigate their complicated feelings. I would’ve preferred more vibrant and detailed artwork.
‘Hidden Heartbreak’ is also on Kindle Unlimited.
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