Book Review
Title: Guinea Pigs
Author: Benacquista Tonino & Barral Nicolas (Illustrator)
Genre: Graphic Novel
Rating: ***
Review: So all I know about Guinea Pigs is that it is a graphic novel about the human trial phase of drug testing. So we are introduced to a new drug only referred to as M2C2T and the three candidates have been chosen to test the drug. The first is 44-year-old Daniel, who has a form of amnesia which means he is constantly losing jobs, and this is a quick and easy way for him to earn some cash, then there is 23-year-old Romain, who has his own personal problems but otherwise physically healthy and finally the 26-year-old Miss Parchiby, who tried to be an artist and failed.
These three are chosen to test a new anti-anxiety drug over 21 days within the facility but I have a feeling that things aren’t going to go to plan for these three. By day 4 the group is already experiencing side effects with Daniel and the Miss Parchiby suffering from bad dreams while Romain has insomnia. As the group shares their experiences with the drug, we get to know more about each person but by day 11 they are breaking their contract by leaving the facility although the doctors don’t know this, we do learn the girl’s name is Moira.
As the end of the trail gets closer, we see the three struggling to cope with the side effects, but they are glad to be done with it. After the trail ends, they are given a small supply to get the drug out of their systems effectively, but they find they have never felt better. All three have got rid of the problems that led them to the trail in the first place, however, when they don’t turn up for their check-ups the doctor tracks them down, but they refuse his help.
Refusing the doctors help leads all three of them to become gravely injured and as they are all close, they decide to sue the company unless they are given a lifetime supply of the drug which the company agrees to allow Moira, Daniel, and Romain to go about their lives. However, due to the incident, some of the doctors start taking the drug and experience its effects for themselves.
This peace doesn’t last long when the drug becomes available on the common market thanks to someone manufacturing it themselves and the doctors as the group to track this person down which they do and are given more M2C2T in return. However, they are now hopelessly addicted to the drug and while it hasn’t been too harmful to them there isn’t much that can be done for them in the long term.
Overall, Guinea Pigs highlights both the positive and negative side effects of clinical testing on humans and what it can reduce some people to, while it wasn’t the most original or inviting story, the artwork really saves it and I’d recommend purely on that basis.
Buy it here:
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
I received this review copy from NetGalley
Comments