by Henrik Rehr ; illustrated by Henrik Rehr ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2015
Princip, in this contemplative version of history, isn’t evil, and he isn’t heroic. He’s just a hapless man who fired a gun.
Graphic novelist Rehr offers a fictionalized biography of Gavrilo Princip, who killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand and started World War I.
Whether it actively intends to or not, this book might end up reducing violence in the world, because it makes the life of a terrorist seem incredibly dull. As imagined in this book, revolutionaries spend their time lecturing one another on politics and arguing about strategy. Sample dialogue: “Courage as such doesn’t exist. It’s all a matter of pressures and rewards.” Pages are filled with black-and-white illustrations that have the look of scratchboard, many spreads entirely wordless. This often has the effect of slowing the action down and drawing out an already-sluggish script. But the final scenes are surprisingly powerful. Rehr shows the entire war in a series of strange, fragmentary images: a sky filled with biplanes, an armless Jesus suspended against the cross in the ruins of a church, a crowd raising its hats into the air. In these moments, the stark illustrations become appropriately frightening. Elsewhere, the book is too dry and matter-of-fact for its own good, but maybe that’s the point. Late in the book, Princip says, “No one person causes the wheel of history to turn. The war would’ve come anyway. Me…I just pulled the trigger!”
Princip, in this contemplative version of history, isn’t evil, and he isn’t heroic. He’s just a hapless man who fired a gun. (Graphic historical fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4677-7279-2
Page Count: 232
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
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by William Shakespeare & developed by The New Book Press LLC ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 2013
Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced...
A pairing of the text of the Scottish Play with a filmed performance, designed with the Shakespeare novice in mind.
The left side of the screen of this enhanced e-book contains a full version of Macbeth, while the right side includes a performance of the dialogue shown (approximately 20 lines’ worth per page). This granular focus allows newcomers to experience the nuances of the play, which is rich in irony, hidden intentions and sudden shifts in emotional temperature. The set and costuming are deliberately simple: The background is white, and Macbeth’s “armor” is a leather jacket. But nobody’s dumbing down their performances. Francesca Faridany is particularly good as a tightly coiled Lady Macbeth; Raphael Nash-Thompson gives his roles as the drunken porter and a witch a garrulousness that carries an entertainingly sinister edge. The presentation is not without its hiccups. Matching the video on the right with the text on the left means routinely cutting off dramatic moments; at one point, users have to swipe to see and read the second half of a scene’s closing couplet—presumably an easy fix. A “tap to translate” button on each page puts the text into plain English, but the pop-up text covers up Shakespeare’s original, denying any attempts at comparison; moreover, the translation mainly redefines more obscure words, suggesting that smaller pop-ups for individual terms might be more meaningful.
Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced e-book makes the play appealing and graspable to students . (Enhanced e-book. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: The New Book Press LLC
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2013
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by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Crystal S. Chan & Michael Barltrop ; illustrated by Julien Choy
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by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Crystal S. Chan ; illustrated by Poe Tse ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2019
Shakespeare’s fantastical dream in an appealing format that can be shared with a wider audience.
Manga that brings to life Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy.
This third entry in Manga Classics’ adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays maintains their practice of reproducing the full text of the original. The black-and-white illustrations allow readers to easily follow the plot while also picking up on subtle themes that are significant to understanding the play. For example, the abundant imagery surrounding the moon is emphasized by the moon’s presence in the backgrounds of many panels throughout the book, drawing readers’ attention. Long dialogues are also explained visually, which allows young readers to grasp what is being discussed without the need for a glossary or translation into modern English. The nobility is portrayed in a typical manga fashion with large eyes, small noses, and well-defined ears—but with appropriate Grecian clothing—while the commoners are easily visually distinguishable from them in style. The guide to reading manga at the beginning unfortunately describes the right-to-left reading order as “backwards from the normal books you know,” a strangely judgment-laden description for a book using manga to broaden the cultural exposure of young readers. However, the creators’ notes at the end offer fascinating insights into the adaptation process and may inspire budding manga artists to attempt their own works.
Shakespeare’s fantastical dream in an appealing format that can be shared with a wider audience. (cast, creators’ notes, character design sheet) (Graphic fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-947808-10-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Manga Classics
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
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More In The Series
by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Crystal S. Chan & Michael Barltrop ; illustrated by Julien Choy
by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Crystal Chan ; illustrated by Julien Choy
by L.M. Montgomery & Crystal Chan ; illustrated by Kuma Chan
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by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Georghia Ellinas ; illustrated by Jane Ray
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