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A review by jenbsbooks
White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio
5.0
I'm not really a graphic novel gal ... I've always associated them more with manga and "comics" but last year noticed more adaptations into the format from books/classics. I dipped a toe in, and just like when a book is made into a movie/series, it's interesting to see another side, how it's adapted. Overall, the graphic novels I've read have stayed extremely true to the source material.
Here - while White Bird was inspired, a spin-off if you will, of [book:Wonder|11387515], or more specifically [book:The Julian Chapter|20878809] (a companion piece on its own), it's graphic novel format was the original presentation. It has since been made into a movie (yet to be released, but the preview seemed the book come to life) and ironically, a novelization based on the graphic novel. I think I'll put that on my to-read next, to see how it compares.
Also ironic here ... is that there is an AUDIOBOOK of the graphic novel! That seems counter-intuitive, as the "graphic" in "graphic novel" IS the illustrations ;) My eyes are getting old, and I struggle with the text size (and while there are e-book versions that can be enlarged somewhat, I find graphic novels in digital hard to navigate, it isn't simply making the font larger). I tried with [book:Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood|9516] to follow along with a Youtube narration, and it just didn't really work (as with graphic novels you often have the basic storyline across the top/bottom, then the dialog in bubbles, which should be read first, it can break up the flow). Here though ... the audio was WONDEFUL. Basically "graphic audio" with a full cast and sound effects, and it was very effective. I'd grabbed the physical book from the library, and for much of it looked at the book while listening to the audio, although there were times I just went with the audio (while multi-tasking) and then did a quick skim, re-read of the physical book and graphics.
I do wonder how someone unfamiliar with the book Wonder/The Julian Chapter, would feel, as Julian's story is the backdrop, the intro and conclusion.
And the CONCLUSION ... although many reviewers (even dropping the rating to 1* despite saying the book was good other than the last few pages, that they'd recommend the book if the last pages were cut-out and censored) ... are anti-immigration enough that their view of the whole book is tainted by Grandmere's sadness at some of the current situations in the US ... I have to wonder if these same people would take such offense if the ONE article (granted, the main one in view) didn't feature the US border situations and mention Trump by name, if instead the 1975 Vietnamese refugees (as highlighted in the book [book:Where the Wind Leads: A Refugee Family's Miraculous Story of Loss, Rescue, and Redemption|18126604]), or the situation in the middle East as [book:Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood|9516] - Islamophobia IS one of the illustrated articles, or other stories from the more current situation in the Ukraine were spotlighted (this came out before that started) instead ... NOT saying Mexican immigrants being detained is the SAME as the Holocaust, but that there are parallels to what the people are going through; being forced to flee, losing all belongings, families being separated, hoping that neighboring countries will accept and help instead of refusing/looking away, even contributing to what is happening? It seems to miss the point of the book. To be kind, to do good, even when there is a cost to yourself. Another recent read [book:The Happiest Man on Earth|53239311] ... story of a Holocaust survivor. I can only imagine if he saw the news headlines as Grandmere did in the book, that he would feel the same way. I guess other reviewers were most upset that Julian was at a demonstration against Trump, against the wall, for love and kindness ... if it was mainly his sign "Never Again. #weremember" (Holocaust correlation) that is angering people? I think Julian is just taking Grandmere's words "If you see injustice, you will fight it. You will speak out." I know some will say "immigration" is not the same as "refugees" (although the people IN the situation may beg to differ), and of course there are "bad hombres" out there, and yes, it's "illegal" ... so was the creation of false passports and papers and breaking "laws" and crossing borders. What would have been your stance during WW2/Holocaust? It's so easy to judge retroactively. This author, and by default, the character Julian sees what is happening as injustice. I'm sure the author anticipated blowback and cancel culture over speaking out specifically.
Loved the imagery of the white bird throughout the whole story. I'm not super into poetry, but was intrigued by the little intro blurbs/quotes by Muriel Rukeyser. I really liked the illustrations (I read a couple Anne Frank graphic adaptations and just didn't care for the illustrative style).
The story kept me captivated - I wonder how much of the "politics" will be in the movie (was scheduled for release in 2023, but it was pushed to 2024). Lots of topics of discussion, saved quotes, characters to care about - would be a good bookclub book (although I'd worry a bit about the possible political strife). So interesting how it's intertwined with other works (Wonder/Julian chapter, the movie, the novelization). It IS one I think I'll buy and put on my personal bookshelf.
Here - while White Bird was inspired, a spin-off if you will, of [book:Wonder|11387515], or more specifically [book:The Julian Chapter|20878809] (a companion piece on its own), it's graphic novel format was the original presentation. It has since been made into a movie (yet to be released, but the preview seemed the book come to life) and ironically, a novelization based on the graphic novel. I think I'll put that on my to-read next, to see how it compares.
Also ironic here ... is that there is an AUDIOBOOK of the graphic novel! That seems counter-intuitive, as the "graphic" in "graphic novel" IS the illustrations ;) My eyes are getting old, and I struggle with the text size (and while there are e-book versions that can be enlarged somewhat, I find graphic novels in digital hard to navigate, it isn't simply making the font larger). I tried with [book:Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood|9516] to follow along with a Youtube narration, and it just didn't really work (as with graphic novels you often have the basic storyline across the top/bottom, then the dialog in bubbles, which should be read first, it can break up the flow). Here though ... the audio was WONDEFUL. Basically "graphic audio" with a full cast and sound effects, and it was very effective. I'd grabbed the physical book from the library, and for much of it looked at the book while listening to the audio, although there were times I just went with the audio (while multi-tasking) and then did a quick skim, re-read of the physical book and graphics.
I do wonder how someone unfamiliar with the book Wonder/The Julian Chapter, would feel, as Julian's story is the backdrop, the intro and conclusion.
And the CONCLUSION ... although many reviewers (even dropping the rating to 1* despite saying the book was good other than the last few pages, that they'd recommend the book if the last pages were cut-out and censored) ... are anti-immigration enough that their view of the whole book is tainted by Grandmere's sadness at some of the current situations in the US ... I have to wonder if these same people would take such offense if the ONE article (granted, the main one in view) didn't feature the US border situations and mention Trump by name, if instead the 1975 Vietnamese refugees (as highlighted in the book [book:Where the Wind Leads: A Refugee Family's Miraculous Story of Loss, Rescue, and Redemption|18126604]), or the situation in the middle East as [book:Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood|9516] - Islamophobia IS one of the illustrated articles, or other stories from the more current situation in the Ukraine were spotlighted (this came out before that started) instead ... NOT saying Mexican immigrants being detained is the SAME as the Holocaust, but that there are parallels to what the people are going through; being forced to flee, losing all belongings, families being separated, hoping that neighboring countries will accept and help instead of refusing/looking away, even contributing to what is happening? It seems to miss the point of the book. To be kind, to do good, even when there is a cost to yourself. Another recent read [book:The Happiest Man on Earth|53239311] ... story of a Holocaust survivor. I can only imagine if he saw the news headlines as Grandmere did in the book, that he would feel the same way. I guess other reviewers were most upset that Julian was at a demonstration against Trump, against the wall, for love and kindness ... if it was mainly his sign "Never Again. #weremember" (Holocaust correlation) that is angering people? I think Julian is just taking Grandmere's words "If you see injustice, you will fight it. You will speak out." I know some will say "immigration" is not the same as "refugees" (although the people IN the situation may beg to differ), and of course there are "bad hombres" out there, and yes, it's "illegal" ... so was the creation of false passports and papers and breaking "laws" and crossing borders. What would have been your stance during WW2/Holocaust? It's so easy to judge retroactively. This author, and by default, the character Julian sees what is happening as injustice. I'm sure the author anticipated blowback and cancel culture over speaking out specifically.
Loved the imagery of the white bird throughout the whole story. I'm not super into poetry, but was intrigued by the little intro blurbs/quotes by Muriel Rukeyser. I really liked the illustrations (I read a couple Anne Frank graphic adaptations and just didn't care for the illustrative style).
The story kept me captivated - I wonder how much of the "politics" will be in the movie (was scheduled for release in 2023, but it was pushed to 2024). Lots of topics of discussion, saved quotes, characters to care about - would be a good bookclub book (although I'd worry a bit about the possible political strife). So interesting how it's intertwined with other works (Wonder/Julian chapter, the movie, the novelization). It IS one I think I'll buy and put on my personal bookshelf.