Mediterranea, 61, is feeling her mortality more than ever after her elderly mother passes - now she’s the oldest woman in her family. Ulysses, 59, widowed, forced into early retirement, and lacking the skills to get back into the job market, finds his days empty and frustratingly lonely. And then one day they meet each other. Amour... eh?
I didn’t rush to read this one initially because when I read the premise and saw the title, I thought I knew the story already: it’s gonna be overly sentimental, dull, trite, predictable. And, actually, what I’m gonna say next is trite, not least because I’ve said it numerous times before but, fuck it, it’s true: it really isn’t the story itself but how it’s told that matters, and the storytellers, Zidrou (these French writers and their single names - who do they think they are, Cher?!) and Aimee de Jongh, tell the story of Blossoms in Autumn so superbly that it was anything but all of my (admittedly cynical) expectations. And honestly, I love it when I’m wrong like that!
We get to know both characters’ quiet lives before they meet each other. Neither’s are as empty as they say but they are certainly made to feel like their lives are over because they’re near retirement age and our youth-obsessed culture makes it seem like older people aren’t allowed to live vibrant lives after a certain age.
Both characters are so sympathetic, relatable and plain likeable that it’s a joy to see them find happiness in a new love and genuinely uplifting to see them embark on a relationship, as passionate and life-affirming as young love, after being alone for so long. It’s a beautiful message too: life is never over until it’s over, and not to let age dictate the way you live your life.
The plain cover really doesn’t prepare you for the beauty of Aimee de Jongh’s incredible art inside. Sharp inks and well-placed lines perfectly capture the characters’ expressions and the scenes’ emotions. There are some unflinching looks at what age does to the human body, and the love scene is a tastefully drawn swirl of gentle pencils. De Jongh is a master and does justice to Zidrou’s moving script.
It doesn’t make me like the book any less but the way it ended was a bit much. Mediterranea becomes pregnant. Which isn’t unheard of at 62 but the story didn’t need to do anything that melodramatic to close out on - it was exceptional as it was. I guess Zidrou really wanted that poetry of starting the story with a death and ending on life, and I suppose it ties into the story’s overall theme and message.
Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and recommend it to everyone who loves comics. A wonderfully written and drawn story that’s effortlessly compelling, powerful and leaves you with the warm fuzzies - Blossoms in Autumn is a comics masterpiece.
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