Odyssey, I Will Become Again is a poetic exploration of resilience and transformation, inspired by Charlotte’s recovery journey. Interwoven with mythological figures like Athena and the Minotaur, the story becomes an allegory of humanity’s shared struggles with mortality, love, and the drive to return home. Through poetry and ink illustrations, it confronts primal fears, celebrates moments of connection, and searches for meaning in the face of vulnerability.

Why did you write this book?

After a major surgery that left me in the hospital for two weeks, I wrote ‘Odyssey, I Will Become Again’, capturing my experience of coming back home.

For sixteen days, I navigated two parallel worlds, the tangible reality of the hospital life, what is happening in my flesh, in my body and my inner world that travels in the raging sea like Odysseus surrounded by monsters, creatures and gods.
When I came back home, I could not think. All I had in mind were my memories, I was haunted by my thoughts.

Writing this book was my way of dealing with my emotional storm. I wrote it for myself, to be sure it was real, that It was not only in the limbo of my mind.

What is the book about?

This book, above all, is a love story, my love story. It is the journey that brings back the lovers together. Amir, my lover, is present all along the poem.

He is the character that comes back the most, but also the one with whom I interact the least. He is always present but in a distant way. He appears to be an active character once, when I encounter the Minotaur and call him for help. He is the only one who can take me away from the primal fear.

‘This experience wasn’t just mine alone.’

This experience wasn’t just mine alone. It brought me face-to-face with the universal questions of humanity. On my first night in the hospital, another patient, gripped by hallucinations, followed me into the bathroom, asking if she was going to die. I answered, “No, you are going to be okay.” I still wonder why I said it.

I recognised the primal fear we carry all. I saw the fear in her eyes. The primal fear of disappearing. I saw the core of her humanity.

What was your creative process?

The book contains two parts, an epic poem followed by illustrated poems. Often at night, I would sit in the studio, letting the music guiding my emotions.

Chronologically, I went through all my memories. I travelled through my mind to live again every moment invivid detail.

Music played a crucial role in my creative process, leading me through my memories with an almost cinematic quality.

Writing in verse was essential, I felt stopped at every point. It was a physical sensation, an oppression. I felt the need to go to the line to breathe.

The second part of my creative process was visual. Using ink, I illustrated the creatures and gods I encountered. The drawings were fluid, spontaneous, the Minotaur, Polyphemus, Athena, and Poseidon all came to life through my hand.

From these 24 illustrated poems, I selected six to turn into a series of screen prints, printed in an edition of 25 by Jealous Gallery in London. This book, along with the screen prints, are published and sold by CUEMARS.

Can you tell us a bit about the mythological parallel with the Odyssey?

During my stay in the hospital, I had many dreams. I remember being in the intensive care unit and asking the nurse what time it was, thinking I dreamed through the night. It was not even midnight. I dreamed a hundred times that night. I was fighting demons, I was a hero navigating a wild sea in the deep darkness of the night.
The decision to use the metaphor of The Odyssey was instinctive. My dreams were Greek, I was living the epic poem.

Why did you choose the Minotaur as a book cover?

As a creature that preys on humans, the Minotaur represents the primal fear, the fear of annihilation, a reminder of our mortality. The thought of being devoured by something stronger, something that reduces you to prey, speaks to the most primitive survival fear. Fear is a recurrent theme in my book. Fear is rooted in the brain, triggering physical reactions, that are common across all humans.

What about Athena?

Athena plays a major role in the Odyssey, throughout the epic poem, she intervenes in the journey of Odysseus, helping him out of difficult situations and ensuring his safe return to Ithaca. I encountered Athena in the tangible world, I felt I had to tell her that she succeeded in guiding me home. In the same way Athena protects Odysseus in his darkest moments, from the moment we met, I felt an instant trust, as though she could see clearly through the chaos.

‘It was like meeting someone you already know, someone you recognise.’

Athena and Odysseus are alike in many ways. Both value wisdom and cleverness over brute strength. There is also an affectionate tone in their interactions. This emotional connection is rare in the interactions between gods and mortals in Greek mythology.

And then what?

A few months after completing the book, I visited Ithaca with Amir, the homeland of Odysseus. I made a short movie, I did not have a clear vision of what I wanted to do with all these videos. I watched them all, and I knew. The movie is full of imperfections, but it is exactly what I wanted to say. It is exactly what I wanted Amir to see.

I returned to my love.