Scan barcode
A review by cornynat
Tiananmen 1989: Our Shattered Hopes by Adrien Gombeaud, Lun Zhang
3.0
(3.5 stars)
As someone who only knew of the 1989 massacre at Tiananmen Square by name, the amount of background information provided and the commentary throughout was really helpful. That being said, it wasn't as immersive as other historical graphic novels I've read: the dialogue felt unnatural (which could be a result of being translated after originally being published in French - but I read The Arab of the Future books and they were translated from French and felt natural, so I dunno - maybe because it's co-authored?). And I'm torn over the art style: while it conveys the author's sense of foreboding about everything really well - and of course the somber mood at the end - it was mentioned how he was kind of alone in that respect amidst the younger students, so I felt like the art style would have been easier to follow if it was even just a little lighter in the beginning. It made some of the superimposed text uncomfortable to read, too.
Overall I liked it though! I see myself reading it again someday.
As someone who only knew of the 1989 massacre at Tiananmen Square by name, the amount of background information provided and the commentary throughout was really helpful. That being said, it wasn't as immersive as other historical graphic novels I've read: the dialogue felt unnatural (which could be a result of being translated after originally being published in French - but I read The Arab of the Future books and they were translated from French and felt natural, so I dunno - maybe because it's co-authored?). And I'm torn over the art style: while it conveys the author's sense of foreboding about everything really well - and of course the somber mood at the end - it was mentioned how he was kind of alone in that respect amidst the younger students, so I felt like the art style would have been easier to follow if it was even just a little lighter in the beginning. It made some of the superimposed text uncomfortable to read, too.
Overall I liked it though! I see myself reading it again someday.