Written, drawn, and lettered by Karima Lacroix
Self-published, December 2024.
Isadora’s Feet is a short graphic novel set in Montreal, Canada, and follows Laleh, as she throws everything into her dream of becoming a ballerina. The book contains mesmerising art, a compelling plot, meaningful themes, a protagonist that you can truly root for, and left me feeling truly joyful and positive about life, no matter how challenging it can be sometimes.

I read a massive amount of comics, but sadly I don’t get much time to write reviews. However, once in a while a book comes along that makes it an imperative that I pull my finger out and put my thoughts onto paper. And Isadora’s Feet is just that book. I’ve admired Karima Lacroix’s illustrations for a while now, so I was excited when this book was announced, pretty much out of nowhere, which was one hell of a mic drop. I was even more excited when I flicked through the pages of my physical copy to see that Karima had delivered exquisite sequential art pages.
Here’s an overview of the story from Amazon:
“Laleh has always known she was destined to dance. But coming from a strict immigrant family, her journey to becoming a ballerina has been anything but graceful. Juggling work and studying, she refuses to let anything—or anyone—hold her back. Yet her ballet teacher believes she might not have what it takes to join the National Ballet Company. Enter Al, a mysterious figure with an offer that might help her reach her goal. To make ends meet, Laleh dives into the world of gogo dancing and long nights in the gritty nightlife scene. Soon her past begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the sacrifices she’s made and question what she’s really dancing toward.”

My number one takeaway from the story is that although we should always dare to dream, it shouldn’t be at whatever cost. Don’t lose yourself in the journey. Most of us have been there, fighting tooth and nail towards that dream, but having to make huge sacrifices along the way. As someone who worked the night shift at a fast-food restaurant for years, even after I graduated from university, Laleh’s struggle resonated with me, and like her, I was deeply fortunate in the end to have received a helping hand appear to give me that career push. But will that push help Laleh achieve her goal? Well, you have to read the book to find out…

While it was not the driving force in the story, I did appreciate that the main character was an Arab, and from a strict migrant family. I know I’ve harped on about this on social media, but there are simply not enough characters, particularly woman, from the Middle East and North Africa region in Anglophone comics, not to mention comic book creators from the region. This aspect alone makes Isadora’s Feet refreshing and unique, and frankly, for a lot of people in the western world, informative.
That brings me to what blew me away the most – the art! I’ve been following Karima for a long time, but I still wasn’t even close to being ready for the elegant and evocative sequential art, all rendered with an expert’s touch that inspired me to smash through the entire book in one sitting. There was just something so gentle and empathetic about it, sucking me into Laleh’s journey and making me feel every single one of her emotions on her rollercoaster ride.
Was there anything I didn’t like about Isadora’s Feet? All I’ll say is that I wish the book was a little longer. Not that it didn’t feel satisfying, but because I wanted more. It’s fresh, gripping, visually stunning, and is a magnificent meditation on ambition, identity, and personal responsibility. And not only do you know it came from deep within the creator’s heart, who migrated to Canada herself, but it shares a glimpse into a world that a lot of us would have no access to if it wasn’t for stories such as these. What else can you ask for in a graphic novel?

You can purchase your physical copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/Isadoras-Feet-Karima-Lacroix/dp/B0DPDK154D