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A review by clarissawrites
Barefoot Gen Volume 1: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima by Keiji Nakazawa
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
this is frankly the most gruesome and raw book/novel/manga i've ever read in my life.
barefoot gen is so visceral and raw and forces you to be sucked into the pain and depth of the emotions gen felt when losing his whole family. this was pure reality of the horrors the Japanese experienced with the atomic bomb: the skin sliding off, the burns, the screams, the guilt
it also raises the question: in the context of the war, are the Japanese perpetrators or victims? both, possibly.
nobody talks about the effects. the class issues. how defying wasn't an option for most ordinary citizens. it was to either die as a traitor or die as a loyal citizen - neither of which were appealing options.
the atomic bomb didn't happen in an instant. this was a lasting flame that spread throughout the city, devouring each humans' flesh and tearing them about. the horrors of the war are often forgotten, but this must be one that we remember.
barefoot gen is so visceral and raw and forces you to be sucked into the pain and depth of the emotions gen felt when losing his whole family. this was pure reality of the horrors the Japanese experienced with the atomic bomb: the skin sliding off, the burns, the screams, the guilt
it also raises the question: in the context of the war, are the Japanese perpetrators or victims? both, possibly.
nobody talks about the effects. the class issues. how defying wasn't an option for most ordinary citizens. it was to either die as a traitor or die as a loyal citizen - neither of which were appealing options.
the atomic bomb didn't happen in an instant. this was a lasting flame that spread throughout the city, devouring each humans' flesh and tearing them about. the horrors of the war are often forgotten, but this must be one that we remember.