Review: Animal Farm graphic novel
Today, I’m sharing a book review for a graphic novel adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Disclosure: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy from Timberdoodle as part of their blog review team. All views expressed are my own.
My Review
I remember watching a film adaptation of Animal Farm in my high school government class, but I don’t think I ever read the actual novel. Why would I have? I hated the film. However, having noticed potential Orwellian scenarios percolating in recent months and years, I was interested in revisiting Animal Farm when I saw this graphic novel adaptation.
The story is much as I remember it, very depressing and discouraging as one form of tyranny tries to take over another.
However, the artwork is beautiful (considering the subject matter), and the layout is such that the text is very readable, with a large font and lots of white space on each page.
If you aren’t familiar with this classic dystopian novel, just let me say it’s not a cheerful, happy children’s book but a frightening, cautionary tale well worth considering.
The graphic novel makes it much more approachable than the original, especially for young readers. Timberdoodle includes it in their 10th-grade curriculum kit.
From the Publisher
In 1945, George Orwell created an enduring, devastating story of new tyranny replacing old, and power corrupting even the noblest of causes. Today it is all too clear that Orwell’s masterpiece is still fiercely relevant wherever cults of personality thrive, truths are twisted by those in power, and freedom is under attack.
Now the artist Odyr translates the world and message of Animal Farm into a gorgeously imagined graphic novel. Old Major, Napoleon, Squealer, Snowball, Boxer, and all the creatures of Animal Farm come to life in this newly envisaged classic. From his individual brushstrokes to the freedom of his page design, Odyr’s adaptation seamlessly moves between satire and fable and will appeal to all ages, just as Orwell intended.
More Historical Graphic Novels
If you (or your kids) enjoy the graphic novel format, you’ll want to check out these other historical graphic novels from Timberdoodle:
- Murder on the Orient Express (my review)
- Hidden Systems (my review)
- When Stars Are Scattered (my review)
- Stealing Home (my review)
- Amazing World War II Stories (my review)
- 24-Hour History (my review)
- True Stories of War
- The Search and A Family Secret
- Disasters in History
- Irena: Wartime Ghetto
- Graphic U.S. History
- The United States Constitution
- The Gettysburg Address
