Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

So I read Olivia Vieweg’s Schwere See, mein Herz in German, and I’m not sure if there is an English edition, which makes me wonder if I should do a review of the graphic novel at all. But well, this one is for those who read both English and German works. If you’re a graphic novel enthusiast, the artwork surely makes the book worth a one-time read, even though the story isn’t quite gripping.

The plot of Schwere See, mein Herz is slightly offbeat. The protagonist, Heidi, is about to turn 13, lives near the North Sea, and has a huge crush on the captain of a ship, a man much older than her. But if you read between the lines, Heidi is simply obsessed with ships and anything to do with the shipping world, and the captain is more a symbol of her own dream of being out on the high seas.

Heidi has a hard time fitting in with her group of friends at school, who love looking at expensive fashion and jewellery and obsessing over boy bands, but she manages to keep up a fake facade of interest in their gossip. To keep up, she goes as far as bully those who don’t fall in line with her clique. And while ‘Schwere See, mein Herz’ doesn’t dive too deep into her domestic life, but we do learn that her family is barely making ends meet, and simply being able to afford a new jacket is a luxury.

Neither school nor home brings Heidi much joy, and she loves to dash off to the sea with her pet dog and watch the ships, especially the one with her captain. So, Schwere See, mein Herz is a rushed tale about this young girl navigating a confusing life, where even though she doesn’t relate to her friends, she can’t let them go, which makes being her authentic self a challenge.

It’s not like any of this is conveyed particularly coherently through the graphic novel, in fact, the final pages are weirdly philosophical and delivers a rather grim twist. But it’s a quick read, and I quite enjoyed the artwork. Although obviously, not all readers might enjoy the turquoise drenched panels as much.

Rating: 3 stars on 5.

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