Engaging story for both genders, which moves more to a life story than a tragedy. ( )

Cartoonist Marisa Acocella shares her personal battle with breast cancer in a way only a New Yorker can in this illustrated memoir. On the eve of her marriage to a handsome Italian restaurant owner, Marisa finds a lump in her breast and it feels like everything she loves is about to be sucked into a black hole. But with courage, her faithful fiance, slightly crazy Italian mother, brutally honest friends and a little dose of fashion, she manages her eleven month treatment with grace and more than a little humor.

If you never thought a memoir on Cancer could make you laugh-out-loud, think again. With bold, witty and emotionally powerful illustrations, Marisa takes us through one of the most chaotic times of her life. This graphic novel has continually been named one of the best in its genre. ( )

Great stuff, even if I can't really identify with the absolute importance of not losing hair during chemo.

Especially liked the "sour grapes" drawings. Really wondered why all those skinny, grasping models were even doing in a restaurant, concluded these were Mean Girls because they were all starving.

Light-hearted graphic memoir of 40-something cartoonist's cancer diagnosis and treatment. A Sex & the City-style New Yorker, Marchetto is on the brink of marriage for the first time when she finds out she has cancer. She chronicles her experience in great detail, from the kinds of shoes she wears to chemo appointments, to the number of injections she receives, to the reactions of family and friends, and details her spiritual growth along the way. ( )

Surprisingly, "Cancer Vixen" was brightly coloured with exaggerated comic style pictures. I assumed a true story about a battle with cancer would look like a sombre black and white story. This graphic novel was a sassy interpretation of one woman's battle with cancer. The illustrator's use of symbolism is amazing and the book is a lot of fun to read. ( )

This is the true story, told as a graphic novel, of a NYC cartoonist and her battle with breast cancer. She is diagnosed mere weeks before her wedding to resturantuer Silvano Marchetto, and between that, her job, and the constant nuisance of models hitting on her fiance, things start to get a little harried. The comic format lends levity when needed, but never detracts from the serious parts. Since Marchetto describes every excrutiating step of her diagnosis and treatment in great detail, I learned a lot about the process. My mom had breast cancer a few years ago (she survived and is doing fine now, thank goodness), but since I was living 700 miles away at the time I didn't really experience it first-hand. I don't usually like reading survivor stories, but this one was pleasantly non-glurgy, even if I couldn't always relate to her fashionista tendencies. This is something I would urge all women to read, especially those dealing with a recent diagnosis. It's funny and touching and ultimately uplifting. ( )

I LOVED this book! It got me choked up, it made me smile and most of all it made me laugh. It was gutsy and honest and straight from the heart. There are so many personal accounts of cancer out there but this one is unique and was enjoyable to read. I even learned a thing or two. It has seriously changed my attitude towards graphic books as well. ( )

"What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-addressed, wine-swelling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city cartoonist with a fabulous life finds...a lump?" In this memoir, Marisa shares her life story and her battle with cancer with humorous illustrations and amusing captions. Find out all about the cartoonist who has drawn for the New Yorker and Glamour. ( )

This is the second graphic novel I have read. The cancer sections were good--the author captured the shock of diagnois, the problems of treatment, the fear cancer patients deal with. I hated the rest of the content--too much New York chic-chic stuff--libstick colors, shoes styles, food.
The graphics were good. One thing I did agree with--the examination gown ratings--that gave me a really good laugh. ( )

I loved her first book, "Who the Hell is She, Anyway." Her drawing style has gotten more relaxed but her self-absorbed humor hasn't. A good, light-hearted look at living with cancer and chemo. ( )

Marisa is a cartoonist who developed Breast Cancer and wrote about it as it was happening. It has all the panic and stress and repeition that goes with cancer and treatment. It reminded me of my own treatment without making me too depressed about it and reminded me of shiny moments that I sould continue to grasp. ( )

It's hard to pin down why this book is as good as it is; objectively there's not that much of a story here. But I think her visual sense makes it stand out from the general 'illness memoir' genre, particularly the way she transforms her treatment's tedious repetitions into visual repetitions.

"What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life finds . . . a lump in her breast?" That's the question that sets this powerful, funny, and poignant graphic memoir in motion. In vivid color and with a taboo-breaking sense of humor, Marisa Acocella Marchetto tells the story of her eleven-month, ultimately triumphant bout with breast cancer--from diagnosis to cure, and every challenging step in between.

Watch Bethanne Patrick interview Marisa Acocella Marchetto about her book "Cancer Vixen" on The Book Studio