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A review by shamelesslyintroverted
The Photographer of Mauthausen by Salva Rubio
5.0
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In The Photographer of Mauthausen by Salvia Rubio, we’re off to the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp in this historical graphic novel.
Before we get started, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Dead Reckoning, as well as Salvia Rubio, Pedro J. Colombo, and Aintzane Landa for the ability to review this ARC before it officially releases. The Photographer of Mauthausen is set to release on November 11, 2020.
One Paragraph Summary
The Photographer of Mauthausen is a graphic novel that sheds light on the Mauthausen concentration camp through the lens of Francisco Boix, a Spanish photographer who was sent to the concentration camp to live throughout the war. He soon rubbed elbows with the right prisoners and earned himself a spot with the privileged prisoners. Francisco was able to start working with photography again, but the images he was forced to develop, were the not of the nature that he was used to.
Going In Expectations
The Photographer of Mauthausen is available in the Read Now section of NetGalley, if you’re interested. The cover hooked me. I saw that the illustration was gorgeous and I knew the story would be at least decent. From the first page, I was in awe with both the illustrations and the story.
Raves & Critiques
Usually, historical graphic novels don’t satisfy the itch that I have for literature because they’re just spewing facts with pictures. The Photographer of Mauthausen is not one of these novels. Salvia Rubio does an amazing job with the storytelling, layering in historical details, while captivating you with a dynamic plot line.
I read this novel in one sitting, and I usually can’t do that with novels, graphic or otherwise, of this nature. I ate this up because I wanted to know what happens to Francisco and the other characters involved. I genuinely cared about the characters and cried for them throughout the novel.
Also, I am appreciative of the way the illustrations tell the story, rather than caption it. Both elements work well together as they deliver the message of the story. Most graphic novels do alright with this—it is the nature of graphic novels, of course. However, I’m usually not impressed with the cohesion between story and image. The Photographer of Mauthausen blew my socks off because there were definitely scenes that didn’t need words.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
This graphic novel gave me Fountains of Silence by Ruta Septys vibes. If you liked Fountains of Silence, you’ll love this graphic novel. It has some talk about Franco and how these two historical instances overlap. In general, if you like historical fiction, you’ll love this book. It has everything: stunning illustrations, a deep plot line, historical significance... everything you could want.
In The Photographer of Mauthausen by Salvia Rubio, we’re off to the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp in this historical graphic novel.
Before we get started, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Dead Reckoning, as well as Salvia Rubio, Pedro J. Colombo, and Aintzane Landa for the ability to review this ARC before it officially releases. The Photographer of Mauthausen is set to release on November 11, 2020.
One Paragraph Summary
The Photographer of Mauthausen is a graphic novel that sheds light on the Mauthausen concentration camp through the lens of Francisco Boix, a Spanish photographer who was sent to the concentration camp to live throughout the war. He soon rubbed elbows with the right prisoners and earned himself a spot with the privileged prisoners. Francisco was able to start working with photography again, but the images he was forced to develop, were the not of the nature that he was used to.
Going In Expectations
The Photographer of Mauthausen is available in the Read Now section of NetGalley, if you’re interested. The cover hooked me. I saw that the illustration was gorgeous and I knew the story would be at least decent. From the first page, I was in awe with both the illustrations and the story.
Raves & Critiques
Usually, historical graphic novels don’t satisfy the itch that I have for literature because they’re just spewing facts with pictures. The Photographer of Mauthausen is not one of these novels. Salvia Rubio does an amazing job with the storytelling, layering in historical details, while captivating you with a dynamic plot line.
I read this novel in one sitting, and I usually can’t do that with novels, graphic or otherwise, of this nature. I ate this up because I wanted to know what happens to Francisco and the other characters involved. I genuinely cared about the characters and cried for them throughout the novel.
Also, I am appreciative of the way the illustrations tell the story, rather than caption it. Both elements work well together as they deliver the message of the story. Most graphic novels do alright with this—it is the nature of graphic novels, of course. However, I’m usually not impressed with the cohesion between story and image. The Photographer of Mauthausen blew my socks off because there were definitely scenes that didn’t need words.
Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?
This graphic novel gave me Fountains of Silence by Ruta Septys vibes. If you liked Fountains of Silence, you’ll love this graphic novel. It has some talk about Franco and how these two historical instances overlap. In general, if you like historical fiction, you’ll love this book. It has everything: stunning illustrations, a deep plot line, historical significance... everything you could want.