I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At it's heart, Elle(s) is about a teen who moves to a new school, and about the friendships she makes there.
There was a lot I loved about this graphic novel. The artwork and colours were super cute and appealing. I thought the characters were wonderful, and I really liked the friendships between Elle and the other kids in her group, especially Maelys. They are so supportive of Elle, and it's wonderful to have that sort of representation for young readers.

I do think more time could have been spent on developing these relationships, as this was conveyed to the reader in a two to three page spread of 'photographs.' This also meant I was unsure how much time had passed between the prologue section and the main story. Still, I understand there are constraints when telling a story, especially in graphic novel form.

I was intrigued by the story, and I read it in one sitting, because I just wanted to know what was going to happen. I was fully invested in Elle and her friends, and the answers they are looking for.

So why didn't I rate this higher?

Mostly due to the mental illness representation. I'm a bit on the fence about it. Many other reviewers are saying that Elle has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), because the book description talks about Elle having five other 'personalities.' But Elle has actually been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (although she doesn't believe it.)
And here is where my concerns are. If she does have DID, then I don't think this is positive representation, because it seems a bit like a gimmick, The symptoms also don't really track with DID. Usually it stems from childhood trauma (like abuse), and often the person has episodes of amnesia while their alters are in control. Whereas Elle describes her dissociation more as watching someone else using her body.

Each 'personality' is distinguished by hair colour; pink is normal Elle; blonde is competitive, pretentious and aggressive; green is silent, protective, and strong; brunette is super sensitive, musical, poetic, timid and emotional; purple is funny, carefree and artistic; and blue seems to be angry and destructive, but is lurking in Elle's mind, waiting to take control of her body.

The thing is, if Elle does have Bipolar (as diagnosed) with dissociative episodes, then I think this is actually pretty decent rep. If her moods are what are represented (various iterations of mania or depression), rather than discrete "personalities", then I think this is a really fantastic way to show those in a visual way. It would mean that her blonde, purple, and blue moods are manifestations of mania, while her brunette and green moods are her depression. This volume also explores the impact it has on Elle and the people around her. It affects her moods, her relationships, her self-esteem, as well as her productivity.

So until I read the next instalment, I am unable to say whether or not I would recommend this series. It's highly dependent on where the author decides to go with Elle's story.

This book really grabbed my attention with its’ beautiful art. I loved the colors, art style, character designs, … Basically all the visuals. The story was enjoyable too, but I can’t say I was impressed.
I’m curious to see in which direction this series will go. There were some hints of more Sci-Fi elements but I really hope Elle’s personality disorder remains a focal point. I also hope we get to see more of the side characters, because now they felt a bit one-dimensional.

Beautiful artistry and an interesting topic for teens. I think mental health should appear in the story lines of all genres that young adults read.

I admit I didn't understand the character of Linotte. If this is world building I look forward to learning about her, if it is not, please explain her to me.

This is such an interesting concept. I loved the art and the storyline so much.
There are a few instances where it’s a bit confusing but overall such a cool story.
I cannot wait for the next part!


#EllesComics #NetGalley

I truly enjoyed this story, and the concept of switching between each of Elle's different 'selves'.
While within in the story, Elle's psychologist thinks she may have 'Bi-Polar Disorder', however I've heard rumors that it is actually 'Dissociative Identity Order'; which I believe is true.

Elle, the new girl at school, seems like any regular, normal girl. She makes friends easily enough, she's smart and witty, and deals with stress like anyone else. But unlike everyone else, when Elle becomes too stressed out, it's almost as if she turns into a different person entirely.

We watch Elle's life as she proceeds day-to-day, swapping through different selves (visualized through changing Elle's hair color).

First of all, let me mention how much I love the art style and the colours used in the illustrations of this graphic novel! The premise of the story was an interesting and unique one. The book focusses on the topic of friendship and mental health especially what seems to be dissociative identity disorder which is a topic i've studied in school and have always been interested in, hence why i requested an ARC of this book. Sadly, the book just didn't do it for me, I was expecting way more; everything felt rushed and nothing was discussed in the depths i would have wanted, the book felt like a first draft rather than a well fleshed story and left me with wanting more than what I was giving by the authors. I stand by the fact that i think it had the potential to be more than what it was and perhaps with a more in depth sequel it could be redeemable. My rating for this book is either a 2.5 stars or a 3 stars out of 5. I'm still deciding whether i will be picking up the sequel or not.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! It was a very quick read but it was one that I had to complete in one sitting as it was too addicting to put down. The book follows the story of Elle who is struggling with her multiple personalities and moods. Elle is dealing with issues surrounding friendship, family and mental health. The artwork is absolutely stunning and perfectly captures the multiple personalities/moods a person may have. Overall, I enjoyed this book!

Let me start off by saying that the art style in this graphic novel is absolutely stunning. If for nothing else, I’d say read it for that.
The story itself has an interesting premise, but I’m not sure what to think about the way it portrays DID (dissociative identity disorder). Since the book is only 100 pages and ends on a cliffhanger, I can’t be sure if the story is going to use Elle’s DID as a plot device, but it could quickly enter the realm of harmful representation if it does.

Of the main set of characters we get to see, Linotte is definitely my favorite. She’s clumsy, funny and adorable and I wish we got to see more of her.
I also really liked Maelys and her friendship with Elle.

Overall, it’s a really quick and enjoyable read and seriously the arttttt, it’s so beautiful!

Elle(s) follows a young girl by the name of Elle, who goes to a new school and makes some great new friends. We follow her as she deals with the stressful situations in her life and find out that she seems to have different personalities.
I was hooked on this from the first page. I rate it a 4.75. I loved the art style so much! It was so cute and fit so well for the story! The plot was interesting, I really cared about what was happening and about all the characters. All the characters were lovely and I can't wait to read more in the future! That cliffhanger was a crime! I NEED MORE!

The art in this graphic novel is beautiful!! While at first which of Elle's different personalities is fronting is easily recognizable by the change in hair color, as the book progressed we are able to see subtle differences in her expressions.

I loved the friend group in this story, especially the friendship between Elle and Maëlys.

However, at times it felt like this book romanticized DID, which is most certainly not okay.

Elle(s) is a compelling story about Elle and the other Elles who inhabit the same body; Dissociative identity disorder (previously known as multiple personality disorder).
Such a great creative way shows the differences in certain personalities and adds an interesting plot, both internally within Elle and outwards, with new personal discoveries and friendships.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing graphic novel! I really want to know who is really Elle because the ending killed me.
I liked it everything about this book was captivating either the story or the art style, it was mesmerizing with all the colors, a real good work.

The story is about Elle, the new girl at school, who is introduced to us by a group of teenagers that after that will become her friends but then they start to notice some changes in Elle's behavior, in reality Elle suffers from some big mood swings with the appearance of five different colorful personalities. Her new friends are worried and want to help her, would Elle let them help her ? Why is she like this? Who is truly Elle?

I loved this book mainly for the art, the friendship shared between the characters, the serious theme that the author chose to treat in such a colorful way and by this way making it less depressing. I'm happy for this discovery and I'll be waiting for the next book

Read this in a sitting! It was really good! Good to see different representation in books/comic books!
The story was great, although it felt short. The drawings are really cute, kind of Disney or Pixar style.
I liked Elle and the friends, and super interested with all the mystery! Excited for volume 2!

Elle(s) is a great book about different personalities, school life, friends, and family. It was a great read; I couldn't put it down. The Art and style are great. I can't wait to read the 2nd book! You get to meet almost all her personalities, so now I want to know who that last personality is, or well how they are different compared to her other personalities!

This graphic novel with beautiful art follows a young girl named Elle starting at a new middle school. I will start with what I did like about this book: it has a gorgeous art style with vibrant characters and unique design, and I love stories about a tight-knit group of childhood friends. I always love the fast-pacedness of a graphic novel, but it would have been nice to see Elle and her friends grow closer through the story instead of showing it quickly through a two-page spread of pictures. Thought it was adorable and I could see her friends cared for her, it happened so quickly that it didn't feel like the five had really formed any tangible bonds. Luckily, their characterization was consistent and their supporting Elle helped them grow closer in a more organic way.

I liked the variation of Elle's different personalities and their worlds within her mind. However, inaccurate depictions of disassociative identity disorder (DID), formerly known as multiple personality disorder, can be really harmful to those who deal with the disorder daily. You cannot be born with DID or have it injected into you through a science experiment; it is caused by trauma, usually occuring during childhood. I was hoping this would be a contemporary story and was excited for a story where kids with DID might be able to see themselves, but the mystery surrounding Elle's birth makes me worried this is yet another story using a personality disorder for shock effect or a plot device without doing proper research and thinking of the ramifications. I'm equally worried that Elle's black & blue-haired alter will fall into the harmful stereotype of people with DID having violent alters in later volumes. Elle(s) is beautiful, but unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone because of this.

Well this was a fabulous little gem. This is a graphic novel that focuses on a girl, Elle, with dissociative identity disorder (also known as multiple personality disorder). Her multiple personalities are identified by different hair colors and they change quickly based on the position Elle is in.

This was really cute. The artwork was great - it was bright and eye-grabbing and each page was really appealing. There's one page in particular where each personality has their own box (6 boxes total) and their facial expressions all slightly differ to capture their distinct personalities. That was just beautiful and it really showcased the illustrator's talent.

Also, this explores DID in a way that is understandable for the YA audience while displaying how important it is to have friends that are supportive and accepting. Kind of like how Eeyore's buds at the Hundred Acre Woods just accept that he's depressed, Elle's friends just accept that she has multiple personalities. It was really sweet.

A quick, fun, and enlightening read that's making me realize that I really enjoy different disorders being portrayed in graphic novel form.

I enjoyed this first volume and am excited to see where it goes. Since it was a first volume a lot of different plot points were introduced without any resolution, I'm hoping things get more fleshed out as the series progresses. Elle seems to present with DID, but she has been diagnosed by her psychiatrist with bipolar disorder. I liked seeing Elle's inner world where she seems to be fighting a personality we haven't seen in the real world yet. Each of her different personalities is seen with a different color hair so that the audience gets to know who is in control. I also really liked that her friends didn't abandon her when a different personality came out, but asked what was wrong and then supported her, asking how they can help. As this comic focuses on Elle, her friends and family aren't fleshed out too much, but I'm hoping we get to learn more about them in the next volumes. I'm also waiting to see if she ever gets diagnosed with DID. So far it seems like all the adults in her life, including the psychiatrist, just see the personalities as dramatic mood swings, not different personalities, like Elle and the audience sees them. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next volume

Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing me with an e-copy of this beautifully illustrated middle grade graphic novel.
We follow Elle who seeming has dissociative identity disorder. She starts a new school and periods of dissociation quickly begin to return and Elle discovers some hidden secrets about her life.

The art style really drew me in. I found it stunning and I'm very keen to now own a physical copy purely for the beautiful art work, its softer than the usual style and so easy on the eye.

I'm not going to lie its the first Graphic novel I have read in a long while and now I'm obsessed!
I think its a really great place to start if your looking for a light read or are venturing into the world of graphic novels. As someone newer to this style I felt it flows and reads really well.

In the few pages of this first volume, I got a really good feel for Elle and her friends and how they interact together but I would have loved more from this volume, I literally devoured it in less than an hour and although I understand they are short it was just so quickly finished. That said I think that's a testament to how much I enjoyed it and how keen I am for the story to develop.
I am so very keen to see where this lead as its left on a cliff hanger and has defiantly left me wanting more!

Such a quick and pleasant read! I love the art style and plot so much already and can't wait to read more! The different Elle's were all so interesting, and the cliffhanger had me yelling aloud because I have to wait for the next installment!! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

things i loved: the art style, the different colours representing elle’s identities & the characters (loved their friendship group!)

things i didn’t love: the story seemingly progressing into some sci-fi which made me feel they used dissociative disorder as a gimmick of sorts.