Genre: Graphic Novel, WWI
Pages: 118
Published: 2010
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
Source: Library
World War I, that awful, gaping wound in the history of Europe, has longbeen an obsession of Jacques Tardi s. It Was the War of the Trenches is Tardi s defining, masterful statement on the subject. Tardi is not interested in the national politics, the strategies, or the battles.Like Remarque, he focuses on the day to day of the grunts in the trenches, and, with icy, controlled fury and disgust, with sardonic yet deeply sympathetic narration, he brings that existence alive as no one has before or since. Yet he also delves deeply into the underlying causes of the war, the madness, the cynical political exploitation of patriotism. And in a final, heartbreaking coda, Tardi grimly itemizes the ghastly human cost of the war, and lays out the future20th century conflicts, all of which seem to spring from this global burst of insanity.
My thoughts:
It was a bit jumpy so for that it would get a 2, but still he used poems and the way the novel was done, well it gets a 3 for that. Impressed I was not, but it was still a very good WWI graphic novel. It showed the horror in its truth.I liked the way it portrayed war. The horrible thing is not men killing the enemy. It's war after all. Yes it is unimaginable why it is being done, but that is the way it always have been. The horrible thing here is killing your own.
There was the man who did not understand French and was sentenced to death for not following an order. It was the man when the war started who did not stand up and praise France and was beaten to death. It was the Jewish man sent out to take down a corpse, a task everyone knew would kill him. The men who tried to take a trench, but had to turn back, and then was shelled by their own for being cowards. It was the women and children being used as human shields and was killed because the enemy was behind them. It was the man who did not ran fast enough and was killed by their own for it. That is the horrible fact of war.
"I'm back. I got lost. In which trench, and for how much longer, the mud, the cold, the rats, the fear and the lice?
Wow...sounds like a really intense book. WWI, I find, is a little more hard to read then WWII. I don't know why, perhaps because the onslaught seemed to be "worse". It was a new dawn to war with new weapons and technology. Gas was used for the first time too. Men would charge and be cut down by the new machine guns. It took a while for battle stragy to morph around the new technology and weapons. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI wish my library had these. I'm intrigued. Good review.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very bleak indeed.
ReplyDeleteCarole
ReplyDeleteIt is harder to read. The last real war, even if modern things came to play there too. But still those useless charges to win a trench, and instead they just all died.
Linda
For once my library did well int eh graphic novel section
Chris
It was
Interesting format for such a heavy subject. I'm afraid I just can't get into graphic novels - didn't like comics as a kid either.
ReplyDelete"It showed the horror in its truth."
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, Blodeuedd! You amaze me. I don't think I could stomach a story like this, and least of all in a graphic novel.
Dana
ReplyDeleteIt works well like this. It shows it more in a way
Missie
Well, there was this one scene with a dead horse in a tree, and that was just the beginning of it
Sounds way too tough for me. You're review talks about all the reasons I avoid war books.
ReplyDeleteCarole
ReplyDeleteIt is not an easy book to read, but then war is not easy. Just terrible
I wish that sort of book or GN could hold my attention but they just don't. Reading about war shakes me to my core, my Dad who is sadly gone now, was in the end of WWII and he rarely talked about it but when he did there were often tears in his eyes. He was part of the Air Force that flew many of the emaciated barely alive jewish prisoners out of the war camps-he had seen such atrocities that I don't think he ever really got over it.
ReplyDeleteI think there is just so much ugliness in the world right now that I prefer my fictional romance-paranormal, if you please!
That's why every war is bad - it is stupid. It makes people die for stupid reasons or without any reason at all.
ReplyDeleteI've never done a graphic novel review - you definitely encouraged me to try one. Thanks!
I have yet to read a graphic novel, I always worry I won't be able to follow the jumpiness of them. Still, I think I would enjoy the illustrations, though war stories aren't for me so much. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you read for this challenge though!
ReplyDeleteKristi
ReplyDeleteI can understand that. I really do not undesrtamd how anyone can stay sane after having been in a war. For me I knew that my granddad had been injured during the war (even if he died ebfore I was born), but no oen ever talked about the war. Injured was the only thing I knew, and that my grandmother had taken the kids and fled during a bomraid. More was never said. Not something they wanted to discuss
Ana
Try it! It's hard, but that's life :)
And yes, war is idiotic
Jenny
The illustrastions here was more gruesome, so I can't say I liked them. Or the jumpiness. But he got me with the war bit
I don't think this is for me. I'd toss it against the wall too much. So I REALLY can't get this in ebook format!
ReplyDeleteKilling their own. *shivers* Oh yes, this is horrid.
Melissa
ReplyDeleteNo no, do not read this one, do not break that poor kindle!
wow this sounds so intense!
ReplyDeleteI think this would be very intense and graphic in the horrific sense. I don't know if I could handle the images or not.
ReplyDeleteAll wars are horrific but almost every movie I’ve seen and books I’ve read about WWI make it seem especially chilling.
ReplyDeleteSounds like something my husband would like. It seems weird to have war in a graphic novel. Personally I have a hard time with that format in general no matter the subject matter.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a world war kind of reader. Thanks for the review. And that is one rough challege there, hope it goes wonderfully for you. :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds intense. I'm not sure about a war story in the graphic novel format, but I'd give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually read this time period, but it sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteHEY B!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know that I tagged you! That means you are it, so you have to give 6 random facts about yourself and then (if you want) tag other people! Here's a link to my post with my 6 facts and the guidlines:
http://www.caroleraesramblings.com/2012/02/6-facts-about-me.html
Carole
I don't think this one's for me. War books are always so intense and this one comes with the pictures too.
ReplyDeleteCarrie
ReplyDeleteIt both was and wasn't
Staci
It was not overly icky in the end, so you would be ok
Steph
I do not know why, perhaps it as the last true war. The war that was just so stupid, everyone was only canonfodder
Karen
He does make it work wonderfully, so yes do recommened it
Melissa
ReplyDeleteI think I said I would read one book ;) Well done! Shall try to find more though.
Bermuda
He makes it work in his own way
Yvonne
I have been intersted in WWI ever since this class I took
Carole
Cool :)
Jenny
I have seen movies more gross though
This does sound intense. I can imagine it is hard to read.
ReplyDeleteI really don't like reading about the war. Even though I like history. But this might be something for my boyfriend to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds interesting. I haven't read too many graphic novels, but the ones I've read seem to focus on war. Even if you didn't rate it too highly, it still sounds like a good book for the challenge! We'll get your review on War Through the Generations soon.
ReplyDeleteI don't read a lot of graphic novels, but this one sounds like something I should consider for the WWI reading challenge. We're featuring a snippet on the home page from your review on March 2. We've linked to your review on the reviews page.
ReplyDeleteNaida
ReplyDeleteThat's war
Aurian
I am not a big fan either, but I liek the poems, and if books are written like that then I am there.
Anna
It was just, oh well, jumpy. But it's a graphic novel and I cut it some slack cos it was good and I liked how he used poems though out the book
AaS
Good :)
Your review was quite moving and thought provoking. People tend to romanticize the great wars, and they shouldn't all the time. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteJenny
ReplyDeleteI sure do not know why people do that. But that is the case with many wars and soldiers. It's sad really