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sayakel's review against another edition
5.0
The artwork is absolutely and the story flows seamlessly like a stream of consciousness. Absolutely loved it!
lindsayb's review against another edition
4.0
I'll admit that I don't know a whole lot about Hinduism, but reading gorgeous comics such as these makes me hungry to learn more. I loved the dreamlike quality of the narration, drifting between linear plotted scenes and more abstract discussions of life. I feel like I mostly know Hinduism through its sagas, but not necessarily its philosophies per se, and Krishna definitely gave me more of an idea of its moral framework, beautifully conveyed through Singh's lush artwork. There is so much going on on every page, there were times I wished the book was larger so I could get a better look at everything.
I will say that the art had stylistic qualities akin to newer Disney animation, which I can't say whether I found as a benefit or drawback. On one hand, it's compelling me to look for animated Hindu tales (or hope that some will be made soon!) because these dramatic tales would lend themselves so effortlessly to that format; on the other, there were a few times where it detracted slightly from my engagement in the story. This occurred primarily with the depiction of women, who, more often than not, had that Disney-like hypersexualized form and very little agency. That, of course, may just be a by-product of the institution of the religion itself, but nevertheless took me out of the flow on occasion.
Regardless, I give this two enthusiastic thumbs up and am on the trail for more Hindu comics.
******
Counting as my "religion other than your own" comics for the Panels' Read Harder challenge.
I will say that the art had stylistic qualities akin to newer Disney animation, which I can't say whether I found as a benefit or drawback. On one hand, it's compelling me to look for animated Hindu tales (or hope that some will be made soon!) because these dramatic tales would lend themselves so effortlessly to that format; on the other, there were a few times where it detracted slightly from my engagement in the story. This occurred primarily with the depiction of women, who, more often than not, had that Disney-like hypersexualized form and very little agency. That, of course, may just be a by-product of the institution of the religion itself, but nevertheless took me out of the flow on occasion.
Regardless, I give this two enthusiastic thumbs up and am on the trail for more Hindu comics.
******
Counting as my "religion other than your own" comics for the Panels' Read Harder challenge.
kintha's review against another edition
5.0
This book has a certain obvious appeal to me in particular, but I doubt anyone would argue that it isn't interesting and beautifully illustrated. The first person POV adds interest to an old story. Any one who is or was an Indian kid is going to be making the comparison to the much beloved Amar Chitra Katha comics that tell these and other stories. The art here is very different in style, I found myself eager to turn the page when I knew the iconic scenes approached. I wasn't disappointed.
kurtwombat's review against another edition
3.0
I was hoping this might be a soft entry into the Mahabharata and Hindu mythology. Unfortunately, a basic understanding of the story is really necessary before fully enjoying this version. More like the euphoria after a revelation than an actual story, the gorgeous art in Krishna: A Journey Within dreamily delights while falling short of delivering a fulfilling tale. The art is pure beauty like eating the whipped cream off the top of a dessert but it is empty calories without a fuller understanding. My rating is based upon my ignorance, when I am better versed I will revisit this again.
tbr_the_unconquered's review against another edition
4.0
In a story full of passions brimming over the rim, there was this one character who preached and practiced dispassion. Amidst a maelstrom of love, hatred and bloodshed he moved with a cold and calculative precision to restore what was dharma. For his seemingly ethereal way of life, this character was given the guise of a god as the ages went by. His sharp mind metamorphosed into a cosmic intelligence and his compassion for all living beings became a sort of divine love. Krishna has had many a role put upon him and the image of a god was but one of them and interestingly enough it is the one that stuck to him most. In Abhishek Singh’s graphic novel, it is this compassion of Krishna that attains a focal point around which all other attributes of the life and times of this blue god revolves.
The art work in the book is stunning and simply too good to be ignored. If you look at it with a critical eye, one can also say that it lacks a consistency in terms of visual style. One page might show great vistas of the Kurukshetra battlefield or the city of Mathura while in the next page the characters might be depicted as cartoonish, you move on to the page that follows it and the style of art effortlessly slips into the lines of south Indian murals. This to me as a reader was a clever move and rather than serving as a deterrent, it kept me engaged and interested in where the style of art would head next. Krishna also appears in three of his most popular roles in the book : the mischievous child, the young boy in love and the man who determined who would sit on the throne of Hastinapura. Underlying all these is Krishna’s understanding and acceptance of the world around him and of all the living beings that share the world with him. There is for instance the story of Kaliya – the giant serpent and his encounter with Krishna. Myths tell us that Krishna tap-danced away on Kaliya’s hoods until the living daylights went out of the snake. In this story however Krishna makes Kaliya see the wrongness of his ways and abashed, the serpent slinks away into the muddy depths of his watery realm. There are such hints dropped all through the book about the divine nature of the character and having seen, heard and read many a rendition of the character it was hardly surprising.
Do not make the mistake of making this your starting point to know about this wonderful character or the Mahabharata. If you start here and plan to work your way back to those stories, all of this would appear gibberish to you. Work it out the other way round and you will be find a visual treat in here. It would not add on any new layers to your understanding of these characters but on these pages you see them taking a life that you have only imagined in your mind. Most of the storylines are only hinted upon and are but superficial touches upon a grand tale. In my childhood, I had encountered a series of five books which told Krishna’s life in its entirety and in here all that is distilled into a good 200 plus pages.
Interestingly, Krishna even quotes Bertrand Russell once ! When the final negotiations with the Kauravas collapse, Krishna turns to Duryodhana and remarks ”Remember this, a war is not about who is right but who is left.” And so began that monumental war !
The art work in the book is stunning and simply too good to be ignored. If you look at it with a critical eye, one can also say that it lacks a consistency in terms of visual style. One page might show great vistas of the Kurukshetra battlefield or the city of Mathura while in the next page the characters might be depicted as cartoonish, you move on to the page that follows it and the style of art effortlessly slips into the lines of south Indian murals. This to me as a reader was a clever move and rather than serving as a deterrent, it kept me engaged and interested in where the style of art would head next. Krishna also appears in three of his most popular roles in the book : the mischievous child, the young boy in love and the man who determined who would sit on the throne of Hastinapura. Underlying all these is Krishna’s understanding and acceptance of the world around him and of all the living beings that share the world with him. There is for instance the story of Kaliya – the giant serpent and his encounter with Krishna. Myths tell us that Krishna tap-danced away on Kaliya’s hoods until the living daylights went out of the snake. In this story however Krishna makes Kaliya see the wrongness of his ways and abashed, the serpent slinks away into the muddy depths of his watery realm. There are such hints dropped all through the book about the divine nature of the character and having seen, heard and read many a rendition of the character it was hardly surprising.
Do not make the mistake of making this your starting point to know about this wonderful character or the Mahabharata. If you start here and plan to work your way back to those stories, all of this would appear gibberish to you. Work it out the other way round and you will be find a visual treat in here. It would not add on any new layers to your understanding of these characters but on these pages you see them taking a life that you have only imagined in your mind. Most of the storylines are only hinted upon and are but superficial touches upon a grand tale. In my childhood, I had encountered a series of five books which told Krishna’s life in its entirety and in here all that is distilled into a good 200 plus pages.
Interestingly, Krishna even quotes Bertrand Russell once ! When the final negotiations with the Kauravas collapse, Krishna turns to Duryodhana and remarks ”Remember this, a war is not about who is right but who is left.” And so began that monumental war !
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
4.0
Probably the most visually beautiful book I have ever read.
lindsayb's review
4.0
I'll admit that I don't know a whole lot about Hinduism, but reading gorgeous comics such as these makes me hungry to learn more. I loved the dreamlike quality of the narration, drifting between linear plotted scenes and more abstract discussions of life. I feel like I mostly know Hinduism through its sagas, but not necessarily its philosophies per se, and Krishna definitely gave me more of an idea of its moral framework, beautifully conveyed through Singh's lush artwork. There is so much going on on every page, there were times I wished the book was larger so I could get a better look at everything.
I will say that the art had stylistic qualities akin to newer Disney animation, which I can't say whether I found as a benefit or drawback. On one hand, it's compelling me to look for animated Hindu tales (or hope that some will be made soon!) because these dramatic tales would lend themselves so effortlessly to that format; on the other, there were a few times where it detracted slightly from my engagement in the story. This occurred primarily with the depiction of women, who, more often than not, had that Disney-like hypersexualized form and very little agency. That, of course, may just be a by-product of the institution of the religion itself, but nevertheless took me out of the flow on occasion.
Regardless, I give this two enthusiastic thumbs up and am on the trail for more Hindu comics.
******
Counting as my "religion other than your own" comics for the Panels' Read Harder challenge.
I will say that the art had stylistic qualities akin to newer Disney animation, which I can't say whether I found as a benefit or drawback. On one hand, it's compelling me to look for animated Hindu tales (or hope that some will be made soon!) because these dramatic tales would lend themselves so effortlessly to that format; on the other, there were a few times where it detracted slightly from my engagement in the story. This occurred primarily with the depiction of women, who, more often than not, had that Disney-like hypersexualized form and very little agency. That, of course, may just be a by-product of the institution of the religion itself, but nevertheless took me out of the flow on occasion.
Regardless, I give this two enthusiastic thumbs up and am on the trail for more Hindu comics.
******
Counting as my "religion other than your own" comics for the Panels' Read Harder challenge.
maenadmarti's review
5.0
The art is stunning, I felt like I was looking at storyboards for a movie. Great introduction to Hindu lore.
sahibooknerd's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
As much as I love Hindu mythology, the Mahabharata and always try to read as many retellings of the epic as I can, it’s always surprising when I discover something I didn’t know by an Indian author. So when I first saw some of the artwork from Abhishek Singh’s graphic novel Namaha shared by Shveta Thakrar on Twitter, I was slack jawed with awe because it was just so unexpected and stunning. And when I got the opportunity to read Krishna, I couldn’t let it go.
The art style here is very very unique and as someone who is not very acquainted with the medium of comics or animation, I can’t really tell you what this style alludes to or resembles. I just found it utterly captivating, and the colors used are so bright and vibrant that I kept gaping at them and had to immediately show it to my family and also recommend to my friends. I particularly adored the panels depicting the cities of Vrindavan, Mathura and Hastinapura. And the ones where we get to see His divine form are transcendent. My only minor complaint would be that I found the female characters’ portrayal a little uncomfortable. While the colors are so joyful, the writing has more of a melancholic air to it, with Lord Krishna contemplating over his own life and actions. The story itself concentrates on just two important chapters of Lord Krishna’s life, which just left me wanting more.
In the end, if you have a love for Hindu mythology and stunning artwork, this is the book for you. It’s not something you should read if you wanna know Lord Krishna’s story, but if you wanna experience a little of Him and His divinity through a visual medium. It’ll also make for a great addition to any collection, and I hope I’ll be able to buy it one day along with the author’s other works. For now, I’ll probably just go back to it and look at the art some more.
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