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A review by toastx2
Mandela and the General by John Carlin
4.0
Mandela and the General: amazing art, apartheid, uncomfortable povs
I am not sure how I feel about this graphic novel. It was absolutely amazing, but it also borders on a white ‘we were not all bad!’/ ‘not me’ denial. Also- while Mandela is a character in this, but the book is actually more of a transformative view. Follows a man being influenced toward change and the complexity of a white perspective struggling with the upheaval of social structure they were taught was proper.
Nelson Mandela and General Constand Viljoen, the former chief of apartheid South Africa's military. These men are the core of this graphic novel. With distrust and mistreatment sedimented into strata over the years, there is no reason why the outcome of the South African apartheid revolution should have avoided more violence. Yet somehow..
Beginning with the release of Mandela after 27 years of incarceration and ending with the presidential election of the same man, this is a difficult work to read. The South African political and social structures were backward, needing shifting, while factions of white supremacists hid in open sight guised as political groups.
During this time, White Dutch ancestor Afrikaners start to become fearful of change. Viljoen himself is not as extremist as many and sees value in accepting many conversations over tea with Mandela. These conversations ultimately change the course of South African history with Viljoen.
Viljoen was not a super kiss and make up sort of gentleman, but he did have a strong desire to avoid open battle and citizen combat. This was the main driver pushing him to listen to Mandela and support universal suffrage. General Viljoen steps forward to headline the interest of retaining Aparteid in a bid for government seat.
The graphic novel is presented in a series of detailed black and white drawings, and mustard/gold highlights throughout. There are a number of panels feature beautiful rainbow colored shadowing which were striking and well timed.
Review based on a copy supplied by the publisher
I am not sure how I feel about this graphic novel. It was absolutely amazing, but it also borders on a white ‘we were not all bad!’/ ‘not me’ denial. Also- while Mandela is a character in this, but the book is actually more of a transformative view. Follows a man being influenced toward change and the complexity of a white perspective struggling with the upheaval of social structure they were taught was proper.
Nelson Mandela and General Constand Viljoen, the former chief of apartheid South Africa's military. These men are the core of this graphic novel. With distrust and mistreatment sedimented into strata over the years, there is no reason why the outcome of the South African apartheid revolution should have avoided more violence. Yet somehow..
Beginning with the release of Mandela after 27 years of incarceration and ending with the presidential election of the same man, this is a difficult work to read. The South African political and social structures were backward, needing shifting, while factions of white supremacists hid in open sight guised as political groups.
During this time, White Dutch ancestor Afrikaners start to become fearful of change. Viljoen himself is not as extremist as many and sees value in accepting many conversations over tea with Mandela. These conversations ultimately change the course of South African history with Viljoen.
Viljoen was not a super kiss and make up sort of gentleman, but he did have a strong desire to avoid open battle and citizen combat. This was the main driver pushing him to listen to Mandela and support universal suffrage. General Viljoen steps forward to headline the interest of retaining Aparteid in a bid for government seat.
The graphic novel is presented in a series of detailed black and white drawings, and mustard/gold highlights throughout. There are a number of panels feature beautiful rainbow colored shadowing which were striking and well timed.
Review based on a copy supplied by the publisher