This graphic novel was an illuminating exploration of an Arab American's experience of epilepsy, while navigating graduate studies amid ableism from loved ones and professionals alike.

This beautifully done graphic novels follows Isaac who is trying to graduate from college while suffering from epilepsy. His seizures are so bad he loses an eye after a bad one at a party at a friends place. Having to deal with his seizures and ending up in doctors offices and in the hospital where doctors don't really listen to him while trying to attend class, barely managing to get through without flunking out. He learns that him pushing away in hopes of not inconveniencing them and that his life, despite his chronic illness, is worth living.

This story hit really close to home, leaving me still close to tears as I write this. I suffer from a chronic illness that had me flunking out of high school right before graduating, in too much pain just to breathe, let alone attend classes. I graduated four years later, when I was finally able to balance the pain and manage to listen to my body and not push it over the edge again. I still have bad episodes that leave me nearly unable to finish my own college classes and I don't have anything to manage the pain, but I'm learning that my life is still worth it, just like Isaac. Like Jo, I suffered from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome while taking the same medication to help with my depression. I was lucky because I was warned ahead of time, so when my back started burning so bad I couldn't have clothes touching it, my mom rushed to my pharmacist for me and got me started on meds to get it out of my system (I was in no condition to be going out. It took me a few days before the rash went down fully, so I didn't end up in a life threatening experience like Jo, thankfully). I'll always have the spots on my skin from it, in which almost flare up every now and again for one reason or another. But I didn't fully know that it was that until I read this comic, that I wasn't the only one that got it on my back instead of my feet and hands, which is why they didn't send me straight to hospital for it. I cried because I wasn't alone. And that's why representation matters.

This book is simply beautiful as it is horrifying. But in that horror it isn't hiding the truth or making seizures out to be something 'romantic' but life threatening. I showed that chronic illnesses can affect people and their lives so much and how hard you have to fighting with doctors over it because they don't want to listen. I still end up in the ER being told my ribs are probably just inflamed and it's not my Fibro and told to go home despite struggling to breathe. It's not easy and this read isn't either. But it does tell you the truth about chronic illnesses that many people don't fully understand. 

I highly recommend this book not only for the writing, but the art. It's beautifully done and ties in the fact Isaac is Arab beautifully. This graphic novel is beautifully done as it is important. So do me a favor, read this book. And support those of us that are sick and understand that things aren't easy for us. But we are trying our best. Don't think we're lying. Don't abandon us because you don't think we're being true when we need you the most. I might not have had a Jo in person, but I had someone who was there for me when I needed them most and I admit, I fear I wouldn't have survive it.

Reading graphic novels on an iPad isn't the same in book format. The drawings always feel too cluttered to appreciate at full value. There were many positive elements on this book, and I'm sure I would more to say about those elements had I read the book in print.

This is a very intense story about epilepsy, coping, and healing. The story itself is told by an Arab American living with epilepsy. The artwork adds a completely different layer. His condition is also rendered as a character. I'll definitely be recommending this for my library.

Mis(h)adra is a graphic novel about a college student named Isaac who has epilepsy. The comic illustrates the feelings of different kinds of epileptic seizures. Additionally, the comic shows how epilepsy effects Isaac's daily life, job, school work and friendships. Through out the comic you also see Isaac's struggle with hospitals and doctors to believe that what he is experiencing is more than just anxiety. This comic is a beautifully drawn comic about Isaac's journey to the edge and back.

I greatly enjoyed this comic, the artwork is incredible and the story is an eye opening tale of epilepsy. Even though this is not an experience I have, I still found the comic and Isaac easy to relate to. I am glad I had an opportunity to read this.

Very cool way to depict epileptic seizures and what it was like for the author to come to terms with his disorder and how his culture impacted his family's reaction to the illness.

Ata's evocative, incisive art style makes us feel as though we are right there beside Isaac through experiences that seem impossible to describe in words. The agony and disorientation are so immediate, as is Isaac's struggle to be just a regular nineteen year old who goes to school, makes friends, enjoys beach days and parties. A beautiful work of art that will make you feel renewed and hopeful.

This is the story of an Arab-American college student, Isaac, who struggles with living his life with epilepsy which is represented in the story by a chain of knives constantly pointed at him, ready to strike at any moment. Balancing the weight of an unsupportive family, a college courses, disbelieving doctors, and day-to-day responsibilities, Isaac is constantly under stress and feels at the end of his rope. The title, Mis(h)adra, is a play on the Arabic words “misadra,” which means “seizure,” and “mish adra,” which is slang for “I can not.”

The art in this was absolutely perfect. I think it honestly may be the best art I’ve seen in a graphic novel ever, and I bumped this book up to 5 stars for that alone. The story pacing was a bit off in some places and the ending didn’t strike as hard as the rest of the story, but the overall message and plot were solid.

+ The color scheme is gorgeous. The pinks, purples, and blues worked well together, and I really like how the shade of color shifted to show different scenarios. (e.g. When Isaac experiences one type of attack, the shades got lighter, but a different type of attack and the shades became very saturated.)
+ The art is really well done. The text becomes part of the story. The angles are fresh and interesting. If Ata needed to show flashbacks or time jumps or relay the
+ Great commentary on mental health as well as invisible illness.


Triggers: detailed suicidal thoughts, condescending doctors, some graphic medical situations

I love the the art in this graphic novel. Using the art to convey epilepsy is really cool.

Oh my gosh. This book was beautiful, gritty, and heart choking. Iasmin Omar Ata certainly has the great gift of tapping into his own experience to truly bring out some very raw, very needed, understanding of what an experience with his type of seizures can feel/look like. I hope to see many more books like this one.