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Petrograd
Introducing the untold tale of the international conspiracy behind the murder of Gregorii Rasputin Set during the height of the first World War, the tale follows a reluctant British spy stationed in the heart of the Russian empire as he is handed the most difficult assignment of his career: orchestrate the death of the mad monk, the Tsarina's most trusted adviser and the surrogate ruler of the nation. The mission will take our hero from the slums of the working class into the opulent houses of the super rich... he'll have to negotiate dangerous ties with the secret police, navigate the halls of power, and come to terms with own revolutionary leanings, all while simply trying to survive Based on historical documents and research, Petrograd is a tense, edge-of-your seat spy thriller, taking the reader on a journey through the background of one of history's most infamous assassinations, set against the backdrop of one of the most tumultuous moments in 20th century history.
250 pages, Hardcover
First published August 2, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
January 30, 2022
4.5 "fascinating, entertaining, speculative" stars !!
2021 Honorable Mention Read
Thank you to Netgalley, Oni Press, the author and illustrator for providing me with an e-copy of this comic book novel. I am providing my honest review. This was originally published in August 2011 and is being re-released in January 2022.
This is such an engaging and interesting reading experience that would be considered speculative historical fiction around the year 1916 in Petrograd, Russia and the assassination on Rasputin (debauched cleric and mystic advisor to the Tsarina Alexandra). The book provides intrigue, romance and a plausible sequence of events of what may have led to the demise of Rasputin. We have double and triple crossing European Agents, bisexual cross-dressing dukes, a female Bolshevik instigator and an English spy who is both timid and is suffering from identity crises. The backdrop is cold suffering Petrograd and the last years of the Russian aristocracy that distrusts the small middle class and starves the factory workers and peasants.
The dialogue and plot keep you on your toes and over time the reader understands how all these plots and intrigues fit together in this particular era in Russia and the larger European continent.
The illustrations are both vivid and sombre as well as very expressive done in white, black and shades of sepia.
This was a terrific way to spend a warmish October day !
2021 Honorable Mention Read
Thank you to Netgalley, Oni Press, the author and illustrator for providing me with an e-copy of this comic book novel. I am providing my honest review. This was originally published in August 2011 and is being re-released in January 2022.
This is such an engaging and interesting reading experience that would be considered speculative historical fiction around the year 1916 in Petrograd, Russia and the assassination on Rasputin (debauched cleric and mystic advisor to the Tsarina Alexandra). The book provides intrigue, romance and a plausible sequence of events of what may have led to the demise of Rasputin. We have double and triple crossing European Agents, bisexual cross-dressing dukes, a female Bolshevik instigator and an English spy who is both timid and is suffering from identity crises. The backdrop is cold suffering Petrograd and the last years of the Russian aristocracy that distrusts the small middle class and starves the factory workers and peasants.
The dialogue and plot keep you on your toes and over time the reader understands how all these plots and intrigues fit together in this particular era in Russia and the larger European continent.
The illustrations are both vivid and sombre as well as very expressive done in white, black and shades of sepia.
This was a terrific way to spend a warmish October day !
March 7, 2022
A comic that explores Rasputin's assassination from the point of view of the conspirators. The book follows a British agent, Cleary, who has been tasked with talking a prince into murdering Rasputin. It's 1916 and it is rumored that Rasputin is advising the Tsar to make peace with the Germans. The Brits can't have that as they are hard pressed on the Western Front and an influx of German troops from the Eastern Front would doom them. So the most inept of the Russian royalty are pushed into plotting after Rasputin.
This book is difficult to get into. The first 60 pages are all exposition setting up the world stage and the political climate in Russia. Strangely the characters this is supposed to be about, Rasputin, Prince Felix and the other conspirators are not fully fleshed out. It's left very vague as to their roles and motivations. I will say that this story is based on just one of the many theories of who was behind Rasputin's murder. It's never been proven that Britain was involved.
Tyler Crook is a capable artist but I found many of his character models too similar. It was hard to distinguish who was who. The monochrome color palette didn't help matters.
This book is difficult to get into. The first 60 pages are all exposition setting up the world stage and the political climate in Russia. Strangely the characters this is supposed to be about, Rasputin, Prince Felix and the other conspirators are not fully fleshed out. It's left very vague as to their roles and motivations. I will say that this story is based on just one of the many theories of who was behind Rasputin's murder. It's never been proven that Britain was involved.
Tyler Crook is a capable artist but I found many of his character models too similar. It was hard to distinguish who was who. The monochrome color palette didn't help matters.
September 20, 2022
An excellent retelling of the.. life? myth? ..of the murder of Rasputin. There's plenty speculation here, which combined with the already spurious stories about Rasputin in general, makes for an entertaining albeit hard to fully believe story.
Crook's art is great, although I think his artwork could've benefitted from a full palette of colours.
(Thanks to Oni Press for providing me with a review copy through NetGalley)
September 25, 2015
The assassination of Rasputin, the mad Russian monk who was arguably a big motivating factor in Russia overthrowing its aristocracy and becoming a communist nation for much of the 20th century, is one hell of a story. To kill Rasputin the assassins had to poison, stab, and shoot him and, to make sure he didn’t come back from that, rolled him up in a blanket and dropped into the Neva river in the dead of winter, crashing through the ice into the freezing waters below. That is one tough dude.
A dirt poor peasant who became known as a holy man, Jesus reincarnate, who also looked like Satan, and who managed to get into the good graces of the Tsarina who lavished attention on him for seemingly being able to cure her haemophiliac son, Rasputin was a fascinating figure. But if you didn’t know anything about him before coming to this book, you won’t find out much info on him here. Instead, this book focuses on an Irishman called Cleary who is working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). This book is set in 1916, during the First World War and Cleary has been tasked with keeping the Russians at war with the Germans.
Rasputin has allegedly been whispering to the Tsar to make peace with the Germans but if this were to happen then the Germans would be able to transfer their resources from the Eastern Front to the Western Front and overwhelm the struggling British. Cleary is then tasked with murdering Rasputin to scupper any chances at a truce and to ensure Russia and Germany remain at each others throats, thus ensuring Britain’s relative safety.
Officially, Rasputin’s death was never put down to Britain’s interference or the SIS though it has been a theory for many years. The bullets he was shot with came from a gun the British military used and a known British spy was in the house Rasputin was killed in. “Petrograd” explores this theory from the perspective of Cleary, the British spy who kills Rasputin.
I enjoy reading historically-based comics and initially I thought I was going to love this book but Philip Gelatt’s approach to the story made it seem far less interesting than it could’ve been. This book focuses on Cleary, a somewhat boring character who spends most of his time moping around Petrograd, fighting with his colleagues, not really knowing where his loyalties lie. Through Cleary we get a sense of the situation in Russia with a lot of unrest due to the war not going well for Russia and the poor organisation of public services, due to the Tsar’s bad decisions, meaning while there was food available it wasn’t getting through to the cities and people were starving more and more each week. We get a sense of the situation in Russia reaching crisis point and the fact that the Tsarina is hanging around a man many believe to be evil and making things worse for them doesn’t help.
But it just goes on for too long. The background detail is kind of tedious especially if you’re familiar with this time period like I am as it just went over events and things I already knew. It didn’t give me a better understanding that I already had, and seeing people grumble about food shortage and the nobility behaving like asses, isn’t very interesting to read. This goes on for 140 pages (out of a 250 page book) before we get to what I thought was the point of the book, Rasputin’s assassination. This section is great - Gelatt doesn’t try to explain how Rasputin drank so much poison in the wine and lived, he just shows it. Similarly the stabbing and the shooting, all of which is done in a clumsy way by the unprepared and hopeless assassins, not helped by the manic energy of Rasputin, makes him seem as superhuman as he always claimed for taking that kind of punishment. It’s interesting in a morbid way and creepy too without being overtly supernatural.
And then we’re done and back into the main story which is about the aftermath and Cleary going on the run after being abandoned by his government and his fellow conspirators. He’s suspected of the killing, pursued by the Russian police, evades them, and meanwhile things in Russia go from bad to worse until the 1917 revolution happens. While I would’ve initially thought to summarise this book as being about Rasputin’s assassination, 200 out of 250 pages don’t feature him at all and instead are about a rather dull English agent and the well-known (at least to students of history) troubles Russia faced at this time. Yet the main reason I imagine most people would be picking this up would be to read about the mysterious figure of Rasputin. Rather than focusing so much on the background, I would’ve loved to have read more about Rasputin - even for just a few pages. Establish who he is to people who don’t know. What was his background, how did he become so notorious, why is he the centre of an international assassination plot - if you don’t know who Rasputin was, you’re going to have to look elsewhere to find out, and that really shouldn’t be the case in a book about his death. He’s the centre of the book yet there’s barely any information on him at all.
Tyler Crook’s art is outstanding for the most part but I felt that his character models looked a bit too similar - at least three of the main conspirators are all white, male, same build, same haircut, and it was hard to distinguish between them when they got together in a scene. It’s not helped by the intentionally bland colour palette of black, white and a pale rusty watercolour red which covers everyone’s clothes in the same colour scheme.
The book itself is really well put together. It’s a hardback with top quality paper that’s bound very nicely. The touch of the paper is really pleasant too and feels good in your hands. I read digital comics as well but sometimes the tactile feel of a book can’t be beat. I’d give Oni full marks on the presentation but the cover is at least half cloth covered (the title part) and the gold lettering on it that says Petrograd is starting to come off in little spots after just one reading, which is a bit disappointing. Otherwise, this is an excellently produced book.
Petrograd is a somewhat interesting historical comic book which is at least partially about the death of one the most enigmatic figures in the history of Russian politics. If you know anything about this time period or its main characters, don’t expect to learn anything new, but if you’re a fan of John le Carre’s Smiley books you might enjoy this more. I was expecting a far richer reading experience based around Rasputin and came away feeling unsatisfied with what I got in Petrograd.
A dirt poor peasant who became known as a holy man, Jesus reincarnate, who also looked like Satan, and who managed to get into the good graces of the Tsarina who lavished attention on him for seemingly being able to cure her haemophiliac son, Rasputin was a fascinating figure. But if you didn’t know anything about him before coming to this book, you won’t find out much info on him here. Instead, this book focuses on an Irishman called Cleary who is working for the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). This book is set in 1916, during the First World War and Cleary has been tasked with keeping the Russians at war with the Germans.
Rasputin has allegedly been whispering to the Tsar to make peace with the Germans but if this were to happen then the Germans would be able to transfer their resources from the Eastern Front to the Western Front and overwhelm the struggling British. Cleary is then tasked with murdering Rasputin to scupper any chances at a truce and to ensure Russia and Germany remain at each others throats, thus ensuring Britain’s relative safety.
Officially, Rasputin’s death was never put down to Britain’s interference or the SIS though it has been a theory for many years. The bullets he was shot with came from a gun the British military used and a known British spy was in the house Rasputin was killed in. “Petrograd” explores this theory from the perspective of Cleary, the British spy who kills Rasputin.
I enjoy reading historically-based comics and initially I thought I was going to love this book but Philip Gelatt’s approach to the story made it seem far less interesting than it could’ve been. This book focuses on Cleary, a somewhat boring character who spends most of his time moping around Petrograd, fighting with his colleagues, not really knowing where his loyalties lie. Through Cleary we get a sense of the situation in Russia with a lot of unrest due to the war not going well for Russia and the poor organisation of public services, due to the Tsar’s bad decisions, meaning while there was food available it wasn’t getting through to the cities and people were starving more and more each week. We get a sense of the situation in Russia reaching crisis point and the fact that the Tsarina is hanging around a man many believe to be evil and making things worse for them doesn’t help.
But it just goes on for too long. The background detail is kind of tedious especially if you’re familiar with this time period like I am as it just went over events and things I already knew. It didn’t give me a better understanding that I already had, and seeing people grumble about food shortage and the nobility behaving like asses, isn’t very interesting to read. This goes on for 140 pages (out of a 250 page book) before we get to what I thought was the point of the book, Rasputin’s assassination. This section is great - Gelatt doesn’t try to explain how Rasputin drank so much poison in the wine and lived, he just shows it. Similarly the stabbing and the shooting, all of which is done in a clumsy way by the unprepared and hopeless assassins, not helped by the manic energy of Rasputin, makes him seem as superhuman as he always claimed for taking that kind of punishment. It’s interesting in a morbid way and creepy too without being overtly supernatural.
And then we’re done and back into the main story which is about the aftermath and Cleary going on the run after being abandoned by his government and his fellow conspirators. He’s suspected of the killing, pursued by the Russian police, evades them, and meanwhile things in Russia go from bad to worse until the 1917 revolution happens. While I would’ve initially thought to summarise this book as being about Rasputin’s assassination, 200 out of 250 pages don’t feature him at all and instead are about a rather dull English agent and the well-known (at least to students of history) troubles Russia faced at this time. Yet the main reason I imagine most people would be picking this up would be to read about the mysterious figure of Rasputin. Rather than focusing so much on the background, I would’ve loved to have read more about Rasputin - even for just a few pages. Establish who he is to people who don’t know. What was his background, how did he become so notorious, why is he the centre of an international assassination plot - if you don’t know who Rasputin was, you’re going to have to look elsewhere to find out, and that really shouldn’t be the case in a book about his death. He’s the centre of the book yet there’s barely any information on him at all.
Tyler Crook’s art is outstanding for the most part but I felt that his character models looked a bit too similar - at least three of the main conspirators are all white, male, same build, same haircut, and it was hard to distinguish between them when they got together in a scene. It’s not helped by the intentionally bland colour palette of black, white and a pale rusty watercolour red which covers everyone’s clothes in the same colour scheme.
The book itself is really well put together. It’s a hardback with top quality paper that’s bound very nicely. The touch of the paper is really pleasant too and feels good in your hands. I read digital comics as well but sometimes the tactile feel of a book can’t be beat. I’d give Oni full marks on the presentation but the cover is at least half cloth covered (the title part) and the gold lettering on it that says Petrograd is starting to come off in little spots after just one reading, which is a bit disappointing. Otherwise, this is an excellently produced book.
Petrograd is a somewhat interesting historical comic book which is at least partially about the death of one the most enigmatic figures in the history of Russian politics. If you know anything about this time period or its main characters, don’t expect to learn anything new, but if you’re a fan of John le Carre’s Smiley books you might enjoy this more. I was expecting a far richer reading experience based around Rasputin and came away feeling unsatisfied with what I got in Petrograd.
February 18, 2022
4.5 stars. Petrograd is a historical fiction graphic novel based on real-life events: the murder of Grigori Rasputin in St. Petersburg (Petrograd) and the story behind the conspiracy.
It is 1916, and it’s a hard life for lower-class people and peasants in Russia. Tsar Nicolas is absent because of the WWI. Tsarina trusts and protects Grigori Rasputin, a self-proclaimed holy man who helped her son. He gains a lot of power, and people believe he is the source of all their troubles.
The illustrations are excellent. They capture perfectly the harsh weather, tense atmosphere in Petrograd, and all emotions of the characters. The whole graphic novel has one style of illustrations, with a brown color that dominates.
Petrograd is a well-researched graphic novel. It is a true story of murder and espionage (with some minor adjustments). I would recommend it to those who are interested in history and like graphic novels.
Thanks to Oni Press for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.
It is 1916, and it’s a hard life for lower-class people and peasants in Russia. Tsar Nicolas is absent because of the WWI. Tsarina trusts and protects Grigori Rasputin, a self-proclaimed holy man who helped her son. He gains a lot of power, and people believe he is the source of all their troubles.
The illustrations are excellent. They capture perfectly the harsh weather, tense atmosphere in Petrograd, and all emotions of the characters. The whole graphic novel has one style of illustrations, with a brown color that dominates.
Petrograd is a well-researched graphic novel. It is a true story of murder and espionage (with some minor adjustments). I would recommend it to those who are interested in history and like graphic novels.
Thanks to Oni Press for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.
August 22, 2015
The level of research by the creative team – from the script to the art - really shows and help make this historical fiction not only entertaining but informative as well. As I was reading Petrograd, I really felt I was witnessing history in the making. Some creative liberties were undoubtedly taken, of that I’m not fooling myself, but the version of the events surrounding the assassination of Rasputin as presented in this book is pretty convincing and definitely plausible.
The art is in black & white with red shading and the characters are all distinguishable, which is important in a story with so many players involved. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history, historical fiction and/or spy thrillers, whether they are comic book readers or not.
Oh, and try to get it online. The retail price is a bit steep. 4 stars.
The art is in black & white with red shading and the characters are all distinguishable, which is important in a story with so many players involved. I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history, historical fiction and/or spy thrillers, whether they are comic book readers or not.
Oh, and try to get it online. The retail price is a bit steep. 4 stars.
September 19, 2022
Petrograd is a slow burn spy story that perks up immensely as the plot to kill Rasputin kicks off. You'd guess from the cover that Rasputin is a bigger character here, but Petrograd is really the tale of harried British spy Cleary. He's tasked by his feckless co-spy with fomenting rebellion to keep Russia in the First World war. Naturally, nothing goes smoothly, not least the assassination.
Petrograd can be a rangy tale, with Cleary spending more time chatting with his Russian counterpart than actually plotting a murder. And the assassination fallout denouement feels unnecessary. But this is never less than an engaging read. Tyler Crook's artwork is stellar, though not as accomplished as his later career stuff. Recommended, particularly for historical fiction fans.
Petrograd can be a rangy tale, with Cleary spending more time chatting with his Russian counterpart than actually plotting a murder. And the assassination fallout denouement feels unnecessary. But this is never less than an engaging read. Tyler Crook's artwork is stellar, though not as accomplished as his later career stuff. Recommended, particularly for historical fiction fans.
February 15, 2024
Based on historical research this book looks at the plot to kill Rasputin...taunt and twisted. I would read this after I read the historical account of the assassination of Rasputin - that way you will be able to better distinguish between historical fact and fiction. The art goes very well with this fascinating look at power and influence.
September 30, 2018
This is not a bad story at all. But, I am ashamed to say, it did not keep my interest. We have history mixed with fiction and beautiful illustration. The book is nicely presented by Oni Press and they made a coloring choice that I love, using only about 3 colors. But the story, just wasn't that interesting to me.
December 21, 2016
Interesting take on Rasputin's assassination and the supposed involvement of british S.I.S.
That last part I didn't know of so it piqued my curiosity.
The first half deals with the british agent (from southern Ireland actually), his ethic interrogations (the british post is an army of 3 with only one that actually knows what he's doing here) and fears. A bit long but it builds up the character.
Then comes the brutal murder and the consequences for the agent who evidently is let down by his hierarchy and co-conspirators. It reads like a classic spy novel in a non-cold war environment.
Be warned, this is not a book about Rasputin but on his murder within the WWI and bolshevik revolution to come context. So you will learn next to nothing on him. Furthermore, no particular explanation is provided on the aforementioned context. The more curious can easily Google out some details though.
It is arguably Tyler Crook's best book that I know of. The guy is usually good but clearly overdid himself here with some intense storytelling and use of black. The use of rusty orange as sole colour gives an eerie fin de siècle impression.
That last part I didn't know of so it piqued my curiosity.
The first half deals with the british agent (from southern Ireland actually), his ethic interrogations (the british post is an army of 3 with only one that actually knows what he's doing here) and fears. A bit long but it builds up the character.
Then comes the brutal murder and the consequences for the agent who evidently is let down by his hierarchy and co-conspirators. It reads like a classic spy novel in a non-cold war environment.
Be warned, this is not a book about Rasputin but on his murder within the WWI and bolshevik revolution to come context. So you will learn next to nothing on him. Furthermore, no particular explanation is provided on the aforementioned context. The more curious can easily Google out some details though.
It is arguably Tyler Crook's best book that I know of. The guy is usually good but clearly overdid himself here with some intense storytelling and use of black. The use of rusty orange as sole colour gives an eerie fin de siècle impression.
December 5, 2011
Superb historic-fictional account (based on the newest evidence) of the assassination of Rasputin.
I read about Rasputin when I was a kid, and most of what I read was anti-Russian propagandistic Bullsh!t.
Most of the "facts" about him are now strongly questioned.
The lesson?
Non-fiction has the word FICTION in it!
Perhaps all history is historic-FICTION.
This version of the story was plausible and both well-written and expertly illustrated.
I read about Rasputin when I was a kid, and most of what I read was anti-Russian propagandistic Bullsh!t.
Most of the "facts" about him are now strongly questioned.
The lesson?
Non-fiction has the word FICTION in it!
Perhaps all history is historic-FICTION.
This version of the story was plausible and both well-written and expertly illustrated.
February 15, 2012
Very interesting graphic novel about a third the way through.
Interesting style, wondering how will proceed, good historical fiction.
---------------
Good graphic novel.
Excellent artwork by Tyler Crook. Curious how close it is to the actual story of Rasputin's death.
Would be curious to read other Gelatt/Crook graphic novels.
Recommended.
Interesting style, wondering how will proceed, good historical fiction.
---------------
Good graphic novel.
Excellent artwork by Tyler Crook. Curious how close it is to the actual story of Rasputin's death.
Would be curious to read other Gelatt/Crook graphic novels.
Recommended.
March 12, 2016
Dense and dark. You'd expect no less from a book about the death of Rasputin, I'm sure, but the denseness and darkness don't help tell the story. A lot of detail here too, which can get a bit confusing if you don't remember your Russian history (I really don't.) It is good and the art is often beautiful, but A book to appreciate more than like.
December 7, 2011
EDIT: A more thorough version of my review of this book was published at Comic Book Snob.
I'll admit, I mostly picked up this book because I wanted to see more illustration work from Tyler Crook, the new regular artist on John Arcudi's B.P.R.D. series. I am a big fan of Guy Davis, who left B.P.R.D. this year to work on some other projects, and I wanted to know more about the guy taking up Guy's mantle.
Interestingly enough, this is Crook's first comics project, even though his first issue of B.P.R.D. published a few months earlier. Such is the way of publishing. Crook revealed in a recent interview that PETROGRAD's 264 pages represented two years at the drawing table for him, and that was all before he was tapped to be the next B.P.R.D. artist.
Now, on to the book itself. In 1914 the city of St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd, as St. Petersburg was considered too Germanic for the capital city of a nation at war with Germany. In 1924, the city was renamed Leningrad, which it would retain until 1991 when it again became known as St. Petersburg. Petrograd is a city ripe for revolution. Lenin is in exile, and the Bolsheviks suffer under the rule of the tsars, who are chiefly advised (possibly controlled) by Grigori Rasputin. This is complicated, I know. Stick with me.
Russia and Western Europe are allies in the war against Germany. The British catch wind of a Russian plot to make a "separate peace" with Germany, which would free troops from the east to redeploy to the western front. It is assumed that Rasputin is the primary influence behind this plot. So the British hatch a plan to conspire with discontents inside the Russian ruling class to assassinate the favored adviser of the tsar's wife.
At the center of all of this is a British spy named Cleary who is given the task of organizing the plot despite his misgivings.
The book is based in large part on new evidence of the British involvement in Rasputin's death. It's likely that much had to be invented about Cleary and his connections in Petrograd, but the facts of the plot and the names involved all appear to reflect contemporary understanding of the events.
Philip Gelatt's script moves forward with the efficiency of a locomotive, never getting too bogged down in politics or personal side stories. We learn enough about Cleary to evoke empathy, but he's still a bit of a mystery even to the end. Crook's art contributes to the storytelling perfectly, giving us important information about character emotion and response so we don't have to rely on speech bubbles for everything. I will say I'm often confused by the way Crook draws mouths, but never so much that I'm put off.
If revolutionary Russia, British spies, Rasputin or any of the other keywords in the above review strike your fancy, I recommend you give PETROGRAD a try.
I'll admit, I mostly picked up this book because I wanted to see more illustration work from Tyler Crook, the new regular artist on John Arcudi's B.P.R.D. series. I am a big fan of Guy Davis, who left B.P.R.D. this year to work on some other projects, and I wanted to know more about the guy taking up Guy's mantle.
Interestingly enough, this is Crook's first comics project, even though his first issue of B.P.R.D. published a few months earlier. Such is the way of publishing. Crook revealed in a recent interview that PETROGRAD's 264 pages represented two years at the drawing table for him, and that was all before he was tapped to be the next B.P.R.D. artist.
Now, on to the book itself. In 1914 the city of St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd, as St. Petersburg was considered too Germanic for the capital city of a nation at war with Germany. In 1924, the city was renamed Leningrad, which it would retain until 1991 when it again became known as St. Petersburg. Petrograd is a city ripe for revolution. Lenin is in exile, and the Bolsheviks suffer under the rule of the tsars, who are chiefly advised (possibly controlled) by Grigori Rasputin. This is complicated, I know. Stick with me.
Russia and Western Europe are allies in the war against Germany. The British catch wind of a Russian plot to make a "separate peace" with Germany, which would free troops from the east to redeploy to the western front. It is assumed that Rasputin is the primary influence behind this plot. So the British hatch a plan to conspire with discontents inside the Russian ruling class to assassinate the favored adviser of the tsar's wife.
At the center of all of this is a British spy named Cleary who is given the task of organizing the plot despite his misgivings.
The book is based in large part on new evidence of the British involvement in Rasputin's death. It's likely that much had to be invented about Cleary and his connections in Petrograd, but the facts of the plot and the names involved all appear to reflect contemporary understanding of the events.
Philip Gelatt's script moves forward with the efficiency of a locomotive, never getting too bogged down in politics or personal side stories. We learn enough about Cleary to evoke empathy, but he's still a bit of a mystery even to the end. Crook's art contributes to the storytelling perfectly, giving us important information about character emotion and response so we don't have to rely on speech bubbles for everything. I will say I'm often confused by the way Crook draws mouths, but never so much that I'm put off.
If revolutionary Russia, British spies, Rasputin or any of the other keywords in the above review strike your fancy, I recommend you give PETROGRAD a try.
January 5, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Petrograd is a fascinating and deeply engaging graphic novel about the assassination of Rasputin by British agents in 1916 (Spoiler alert - he was *not* easy to kill). Originally released in 2011, this reformat and re-release with new cover and introduction is due out in Jan 2022 from Oni Press. It's 272 pages and will be available in paperback format in this edition.
I was admittedly unfamiliar with the exact political circumstances and background surrounding the end of the Romanov rule and the revolution in Russia and how they related to Raputin's assassination and death. This book does a good job of painting the broader strokes. The narrative seems fantastical, but apparently the high points are widely accepted if not completely proven. It's not always clear where the real history shades over into fiction in this volume, but it's certainly a riveting read. I found the afterword by eminent Russian historian Dr. David R. Stone enlightening although I was surprised to learn that a number of characters in the book which were so over the top as to be almost unbelievable were, in fact, historically accurate.
The art by Tyler Crook suits the story very well and serves to fill in the narrative by Philip Gelatt. It's a successful partnership and the book manages to combine espionage, politics, revolution, and some murder and skullduggery without ever one time being pedantic or boring.
Four stars. Well done.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Petrograd is a fascinating and deeply engaging graphic novel about the assassination of Rasputin by British agents in 1916 (Spoiler alert - he was *not* easy to kill). Originally released in 2011, this reformat and re-release with new cover and introduction is due out in Jan 2022 from Oni Press. It's 272 pages and will be available in paperback format in this edition.
I was admittedly unfamiliar with the exact political circumstances and background surrounding the end of the Romanov rule and the revolution in Russia and how they related to Raputin's assassination and death. This book does a good job of painting the broader strokes. The narrative seems fantastical, but apparently the high points are widely accepted if not completely proven. It's not always clear where the real history shades over into fiction in this volume, but it's certainly a riveting read. I found the afterword by eminent Russian historian Dr. David R. Stone enlightening although I was surprised to learn that a number of characters in the book which were so over the top as to be almost unbelievable were, in fact, historically accurate.
The art by Tyler Crook suits the story very well and serves to fill in the narrative by Philip Gelatt. It's a successful partnership and the book manages to combine espionage, politics, revolution, and some murder and skullduggery without ever one time being pedantic or boring.
Four stars. Well done.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
January 23, 2022
'Petrograd' by Philip Gelatt with art by Tyler Crook is a reprint of the 2011 graphic novel based on the true story of the assassination of Rasputin.
Told with a mixture of real and fictional characters, we follow Cleary, a fictionalized British intelligence agent. He is tasked with finding a way to assassinate Rasputin. The thought is that if the country is imbalanced, then it will end WWI early. Cleary finds himself surrounded by some interesting characters (mostly based on real people), and an impossible task.
Professor David R. Stone Ph.D provides an introduction to the book and there are also afterword notes and a bibliography for further reading.
The story is compelling and strange and Cleary is a sympathetic character stuck in strange circumstances. The art is pretty good too.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Told with a mixture of real and fictional characters, we follow Cleary, a fictionalized British intelligence agent. He is tasked with finding a way to assassinate Rasputin. The thought is that if the country is imbalanced, then it will end WWI early. Cleary finds himself surrounded by some interesting characters (mostly based on real people), and an impossible task.
Professor David R. Stone Ph.D provides an introduction to the book and there are also afterword notes and a bibliography for further reading.
The story is compelling and strange and Cleary is a sympathetic character stuck in strange circumstances. The art is pretty good too.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
October 29, 2021
(3,5 of 5 for half good, half bad "historical" comics)
I went for this thanks to the artist - Tyler Crook and the theme. The writer's name didn't ring a bell. Well, maybe for good reason. The first half is mostly dialogues and information and it was boring as hell for me. Even Crook's art couldn't help that. I seriously thought about stopping reading, and that is a huge thing for me to do. But I prevailed and a little bit later in the second part the thrill and action begin and the artist takes the reins. And that is the good part. Of course, it's not all about the bad is a writer and the good is artist, but with action and drama in comic books, the art is the main channel to deliver and can help mitigate the damage done by poor writing/scripting. The bland talking characters came alive, got a bit of personality in the better part. And that could be done (or at least started in the first half).
I can't recommend this to anyone due to the risk of raised boredom at the first half.
I went for this thanks to the artist - Tyler Crook and the theme. The writer's name didn't ring a bell. Well, maybe for good reason. The first half is mostly dialogues and information and it was boring as hell for me. Even Crook's art couldn't help that. I seriously thought about stopping reading, and that is a huge thing for me to do. But I prevailed and a little bit later in the second part the thrill and action begin and the artist takes the reins. And that is the good part. Of course, it's not all about the bad is a writer and the good is artist, but with action and drama in comic books, the art is the main channel to deliver and can help mitigate the damage done by poor writing/scripting. The bland talking characters came alive, got a bit of personality in the better part. And that could be done (or at least started in the first half).
I can't recommend this to anyone due to the risk of raised boredom at the first half.
September 16, 2016
Very nicely researched book. Well-written, intriguing in many aspects. Loved the art as well, beautiful pen and ink work, very organic, and loved the simple orange tones. The art style vibed nicely with the story and historical context.
The story revolves around a British secret service agent with the backdrop of WWI, the burgeoning communist revolution in Russia, and the flash point being the plotting and murder of Rasputin.
I'm sure there was a lot of creative license in the storytelling in regards to historical accuracy. I don't know much about the Russian Revolution and its intricacies, but this comic certainly makes me want to read up on the subject.
Highly recommend it.
The story revolves around a British secret service agent with the backdrop of WWI, the burgeoning communist revolution in Russia, and the flash point being the plotting and murder of Rasputin.
I'm sure there was a lot of creative license in the storytelling in regards to historical accuracy. I don't know much about the Russian Revolution and its intricacies, but this comic certainly makes me want to read up on the subject.
Highly recommend it.
September 13, 2011
Very highly recommended! It's a gorgeous looking book, and the story and atmosphere is reminiscent of a John LeCarre spy novel. There's also a bibliography at the end which I might very well check out soon because I was quite hooked in by the story.
I'm now a fan of both Gelatt and Crook.
I'm now a fan of both Gelatt and Crook.
February 15, 2022
Cool art with an interesting setting. Political intrigue and a deeper look into the beginnings of the Russian Revolution.
December 30, 2021
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Petrograd is a fictionalized account of the end of the Russian Czars (Bolshevik Revolution) with a focus on the angle: did the British SIS secret service have a hand in the assassination of Rasputin? Although the blurb would lead you to believe this is about the assassination, in reality it is a slow burn 'Russian noir' piece following a morose and ambivalent British spy.Story: Cleary is an Irish spy working for the S.I.S. secretly and as a foreign businessman openly in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) in 1914. When his ambitious boss plays him hard and forces him into finding a way to assassinate the dangerous Rasputin (who might create an alliance with Germany, something the British do not want to happen since it would give Germany reason to turn their attention to the Western front), he must formulate a plan. But Cleary wants nothing to do with assassination plots, the Bolsheviks, the mercurial Russian nobility, or his boss' machinations. For while he sups with princes, at night he sleeps with a Bolshevik firebrand.
Although the book is ostensibly about Rasputin, really most of the book follows Cleary and Rasputin is in it only peripherally. The author takes all the facts of the assassination and twists them a little, playing with a lot of the unproven rumors: British intelligence involvement, Rasputin being a Khlysty and engaging in debauchery, and Rasputin being semi-supernatural by continually surviving assassination attempts. All these boil down to a noirish thriller as we follow Cleary clumsily and halfheartedly bumbling through the momentous events leading up to the Russian revolution.
The first problem I had with the story is that Cleary is not a protagonist that is interesting to follow. He spends most of the book moping, changing his mind, doing Chicken Little dances, and pretty much being a milquetoast. The story certainly didn't need an action hero who saves the day but the tone and atmosphere set by Cleary's ambivalence is oppressive. It was hard to believe he had ever been put in the position he was or could be a successful spy when he had zero charisma, sense of purpose, or strength of character. To be honest, he was a terrible spy. This is explained later due to his Irish heritage but by then, it would have been nice for even one decisive moment for him to happen.
The writing is also similarly dreary. The author spends far too much time with the facts and milieu, making for a dense, dry, and equally dreary read. Ordinarily, I appreciate and welcome historical accuracy and elucidation and certainly the fall of the Czars lends itself to interesting speculation. But the book never really knows where it wants to focus its attention: the Bolsheviks, the Russian secret police (ohkrana), the Tsarina and her concern for her young son's health, the machinations of the British military, the shallowness of the Russian nobility..... it just bounces all over and never really settles in one place for a cohesive picture. The plot is as ambivalent as the main character.
I cannot say the artwork helped the story at all. I could not tell any of the main characters apart - only Rasputin with his beard and supernatural elements in the drawing was distinguishable. I didn't know if the speech bubble was from Cleary, his boss, nobleman Felix, or Felix's lover Dimitri. Even Cleary's Bolshevik girlfriend was indistinguishable from Cleary most of the time. The bland color scheme of sepia tones made a dreary story even more dreary to plod through. The only 'color' in the story, characters, or illustration work is on the cover. Inside is a dun-colored slog of a story.
So although this was not a terrible read, it also was a frustrating one that was really hard to stick with through to the end. I was glad it was over and not enough in there really warranted a further thought once finished. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
Note: my advance reader copy did not contain the historical introduction.
January 9, 2022
“I think it’s time for you to decide, Cleary. What are you really? A spy? A revolutionary? An opportunist? A reactionary? None of them? What are you, Cleary?”
My thanks to Oni Press for an advance review copy via NetGalley of the new edition of ‘Petrograd’ written by Philip Gelatt with art by Tyler Crook in exchange for an honest review. This updated edition has an afterword by noted military historian David R. Stone.
This is a straightforward work of historical fiction presented in a graphic novel format. It is 1916 in Petrograd, Russia’s capital city, where corruption rules the day and conspiracy rules the night. For British intelligence officer Cleary, the Petrograd post is all about drinking and partying with the occasional report back to London.
When rumours circulate that Gregori Rasputin, the Tsarina’s most trusted adviser, is counseling the Tsar to make peace with Germany, Cleary is horrified to be tasked with ending that influence with extreme prejudice. So, the stage is set for the infamous assassination of the ‘mad monk’.
In the afterword Stone details which characters were based on historical figures. The main fictional character is Cleary, who was based on S.I.S. operative, Oswald Rayner. In the Preface Philip Gelatt wrote: “it felt more honest to fabricate a spy whole cloth than to give a real historical person a fictional backstory.”
The involvement of British Intelligence in Rasputin’s death has long been subject to rumour. As Stone concludes the story that Philip Gelatt and Tyler Crook have told here “lies between history and myth”. A bibliography of books and internet sources follows the afterword.
With respect to Tyler Crook’s artwork, the story unfolds, panel by panel, resembling a motion picture storyboard. It was executed with a restricted palette of sepia tones, which provided a serious, utilitarian atmosphere to the story.
Overall, a fascinating graphic novel that is bound to appeal to those interested in well researched historical fiction; especially of this turbulent period of Russian history.
I liked the new cover art depicting Rasputin and Cleary in the style of a decorative playing card.
My thanks to Oni Press for an advance review copy via NetGalley of the new edition of ‘Petrograd’ written by Philip Gelatt with art by Tyler Crook in exchange for an honest review. This updated edition has an afterword by noted military historian David R. Stone.
This is a straightforward work of historical fiction presented in a graphic novel format. It is 1916 in Petrograd, Russia’s capital city, where corruption rules the day and conspiracy rules the night. For British intelligence officer Cleary, the Petrograd post is all about drinking and partying with the occasional report back to London.
When rumours circulate that Gregori Rasputin, the Tsarina’s most trusted adviser, is counseling the Tsar to make peace with Germany, Cleary is horrified to be tasked with ending that influence with extreme prejudice. So, the stage is set for the infamous assassination of the ‘mad monk’.
In the afterword Stone details which characters were based on historical figures. The main fictional character is Cleary, who was based on S.I.S. operative, Oswald Rayner. In the Preface Philip Gelatt wrote: “it felt more honest to fabricate a spy whole cloth than to give a real historical person a fictional backstory.”
The involvement of British Intelligence in Rasputin’s death has long been subject to rumour. As Stone concludes the story that Philip Gelatt and Tyler Crook have told here “lies between history and myth”. A bibliography of books and internet sources follows the afterword.
With respect to Tyler Crook’s artwork, the story unfolds, panel by panel, resembling a motion picture storyboard. It was executed with a restricted palette of sepia tones, which provided a serious, utilitarian atmosphere to the story.
Overall, a fascinating graphic novel that is bound to appeal to those interested in well researched historical fiction; especially of this turbulent period of Russian history.
I liked the new cover art depicting Rasputin and Cleary in the style of a decorative playing card.
November 18, 2021
Petrograd tells the untold story of the international conspiracy behind the 1916 murder of Grigori Rasputin.
Wow. I had no idea what to expect from this underated historical spy thriller (originally printed in 2011) other than what you've just read here, but I can honestly say that this one absolutely hit all of the right notes.
Even though the book firmly and truthfully situates itself in a space between fact and fiction it's clear that the level of research done by Philip Gelatt for Petrograd is phenomenal! The details are plentiful and fleshed out making this not only a fun well thought out read but simultaneously educational.
The art is awash in a sepia toned hue that lends itself to an early 20th century magic that wholeheartedly brings the streets, shadows and characters of Petrograd to life on the page. The character designs are pretty close to the actual historical figures and Rasputin himself is aptly intimidating!
Overall, if you're a fan of history, spies and stories with their feet firmly in reality then I would NOT miss this one. This is easily a contender for best read of the year for me. Get your pre-order in for the new paperback (Jan 2022) or hunt down the hardback now. 👍🏻
Wow. I had no idea what to expect from this underated historical spy thriller (originally printed in 2011) other than what you've just read here, but I can honestly say that this one absolutely hit all of the right notes.
Even though the book firmly and truthfully situates itself in a space between fact and fiction it's clear that the level of research done by Philip Gelatt for Petrograd is phenomenal! The details are plentiful and fleshed out making this not only a fun well thought out read but simultaneously educational.
The art is awash in a sepia toned hue that lends itself to an early 20th century magic that wholeheartedly brings the streets, shadows and characters of Petrograd to life on the page. The character designs are pretty close to the actual historical figures and Rasputin himself is aptly intimidating!
Overall, if you're a fan of history, spies and stories with their feet firmly in reality then I would NOT miss this one. This is easily a contender for best read of the year for me. Get your pre-order in for the new paperback (Jan 2022) or hunt down the hardback now. 👍🏻
February 28, 2022
I got my hands on this re-release today, unexpectedly, right as the Russian ghost of the 20th century haunts Ukraine, and decided to read it immediately.
The book is based on historical evidence around the murder of Rasputin, but mixed with some fictional liberties taken mostly around the character of Cleary, the secret agent.
More than the frosty thriller around the fate of Cleary and the conspiracy, this book shines in the depiction of Petrograd - the city and its people - and Tsarist Russia on the cusp of the 1917 revolution.
The illustration is simple and effective, transmitting the characters' emotions and the contextual mood and season on point.
The cover art is good and the texture is luxurious, perhaps to remind the reader how such a rich covers can hide so much suffering and pain (and maybe a dash of revolutionary anti-imperialist hope?).
The book is based on historical evidence around the murder of Rasputin, but mixed with some fictional liberties taken mostly around the character of Cleary, the secret agent.
More than the frosty thriller around the fate of Cleary and the conspiracy, this book shines in the depiction of Petrograd - the city and its people - and Tsarist Russia on the cusp of the 1917 revolution.
The illustration is simple and effective, transmitting the characters' emotions and the contextual mood and season on point.
The cover art is good and the texture is luxurious, perhaps to remind the reader how such a rich covers can hide so much suffering and pain (and maybe a dash of revolutionary anti-imperialist hope?).
March 3, 2022
As World War I rages on, so does a revolution in Russia. The tsarina depends on the words of Rasputin to guide her, and the people are sick of it. Cleary, a British spy, is in Petrograd (the name of St. Petersburg before being changed to Leningrad) monitoring things, but gets swept up with his lover Marya, a revolutionary, and others who whisper conspiracies on killing Rasputin.
I wasn't really expecting to be reading a graphic novel about Russian history at this moment in time - I had requested it a while back because Rasputin is a fascinating figure to me. So much isn't taught in U.S. history classes, or at least, isn't taught in a way that feels real. So I'm sure I learned about the Russian revolution, but this sort of narrative makes it more realistic. The buildup is quite slow, especially with all the political stuff, with the relationships helping to move it along. Rasputin himself is still quite mysterious in this story, coming across as grizzled and uncouth. The artwork perfectly fits the time period and tone of the story.
I wasn't really expecting to be reading a graphic novel about Russian history at this moment in time - I had requested it a while back because Rasputin is a fascinating figure to me. So much isn't taught in U.S. history classes, or at least, isn't taught in a way that feels real. So I'm sure I learned about the Russian revolution, but this sort of narrative makes it more realistic. The buildup is quite slow, especially with all the political stuff, with the relationships helping to move it along. Rasputin himself is still quite mysterious in this story, coming across as grizzled and uncouth. The artwork perfectly fits the time period and tone of the story.
December 22, 2021
A very well done historical graphic novel that revolves around a fictional British agent unwillingly involved in the assassination of Rasputin. The complex interactions of the many factions in Petrograd that winter are portrayed with a surprising amount of nuance. The same is true of the text and illustration making this book what it is. The story is more than simply the why and ,maybe, the what, of a slice of history. It also brings out the greyness of the morality of political actions on all sides. The Preface and Afterword are worth reading.
I received this book compliments of Oni Press through NetGalley.
I received this book compliments of Oni Press through NetGalley.
August 13, 2025
very cool art style, though it does feel underwhelming at times given it’s only in shades of one color (light red). i wish we learned more about rasputin bc he’s such an interesting historical figure. the characters are not very fleshed out and the plot isn’t super thrilling. but i do like cleary as a protagonist, just wish the book gave us more to connect with. all in all, it’s a sufficiently enjoyable read and i like learning about this time period. should i have spent $30 on the hardcover edition 4-5 years ago? eh, probably not.
October 31, 2021
Много добре пресъздадена история и чудесно подбран арт за нея. Мисля, че наскоро съм виждала "1984" в същия стил.
Макар че разказът за Распутин е изключително сложен за пресъздаване в комикс вариант, тъй като изисква твърде много допълнителна информация, и двамата автори са се справили отлично с този си опит. Малко странно беше усещането да четеш нещо, което е руско в цялата си същност, но на английски. Но пък и в това си има чар - ето, че са запазили докрай руската му същност.
Макар че разказът за Распутин е изключително сложен за пресъздаване в комикс вариант, тъй като изисква твърде много допълнителна информация, и двамата автори са се справили отлично с този си опит. Малко странно беше усещането да четеш нещо, което е руско в цялата си същност, но на английски. Но пък и в това си има чар - ето, че са запазили докрай руската му същност.
July 19, 2022
This is a gritty and noirish journey into the dark and disturbing history of Rasputin's assassination, with a little creative license thrown into muddy and colour the waters.
The art works really well and we certainly get a flavour for those cold, unforgiving alleys and streets of Russia's second city at a crucial stage in its long and eventful history. The writing is also at a good standard and this helps put this account towards the better end of such endeavours.
July 7, 2022
I enjoyed this book and how it straddled fact and fiction - for the most part. The setting was good and the supporting characters all resembled their real counterparts. The fictionalized bits with Cleary and his involvement were ok. Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal.... heh.
I had trouble following some of it early on and distinguishing people. I also thought some of the action scenes weren't that action-y.
I had trouble following some of it early on and distinguishing people. I also thought some of the action scenes weren't that action-y.
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