ONE IN A MILLION

In this graphic memoir, Lordon recounts what it was like to go from being an active, thriving high school junior to struggling when her life took a terrifying turn.

Claire began experiencing weight gain, brain fog, headaches, and exhaustion, turning what should have been an exciting new phase of life into a series of doctor visits that resulted in a shocking diagnosis of Cushing’s disease. In this account drawn from her diary entries, readers are thrust into the heart of her mysterious health journey, feeling each moment alongside her. Refreshingly pushing back against tropes that often appear in these types of stories, Claire is not required to be heroic in the face of her declining health or to find meaning in it; she expresses all the frustration of a typical high school student. She values her hobbies and time with caring friends even as she drifts away from or is not allowed to do things that bring her joy. Claire’s family is supportive but not smothering, providing companionship that buoys her, and her love of sports and art carries her through. Where Lordon succeeds most is in making her losses, compounded by disorientation, feel both frightening and ordinary. The visual format is the ideal medium for depicting her emotional state: Simple, expressive character designs and backgrounds in white and shades of purple help soften even intense situations. Interspersed are grayscale sections vividly depicting how her symptoms felt.

Informative and full of relatable honesty.