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Liberty
This sweeping, intercontinental graphic novel covers 40 years in the life of a mother and daughter. Liberty is a young woman navigating her shadowy past and rocky present in the New York City of the early 2000s. But "Liberty" is also a word with a weight of its own, one carried by an entire generation of African-Americans living through a moment of great hope and fear.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 22, 2023
First there is Tshilanda, growing up privileged in Kinshasa in the 70s. At fifteen, almost sixteen, her body has developed in ways that make men take notice—and mostly she doesn't mind, because she's young and sheltered and doesn't quite know who she can trust. But innocence gives way to the rest of the world, and then there's New York, and Liberty.
Liberty spans decades, slipping between perspectives and chasing a dream (after a fashion) from Zaire (now the DRC) to New York City. Mostly it's Tshilanda's story, as she navigates a fall from everything she's known to the harsh streets of 1970s New York, but equally important are the stories of Liberty and the men in their lives, especially Mike and Édouard. The book doesn't pass the Bechdel test, but the art is so beautiful and the multigenerational story so compelling that I didn't notice until after the fact.
The art: rich and vibrant, with deep colors, sharp, precise lines, and something akin to watercolor to fill it all in. Most of the places I bookmarked were panels that I want to use in my futile quest to learn to draw. The lines of the body, and the postures, and the facial expressions—and the shading! If ever I magically figure out how to draw a face that looks like a face and not an abomination, I will move on to shading and use this as a reference. The chapter breaks and the end of the book also feature more sketch-like work, and in places it's just as evocative as the more refined art.
One thing worth a mention for readers: you'll have to pay some attention, at times, to work out who is speaking when. It's a little frustrating in places—there's not always a clear POV transition, and the dialogue boxes are often unclear—but the payoff is worth it.
Thanks to the authors and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Liberty spans decades, slipping between perspectives and chasing a dream (after a fashion) from Zaire (now the DRC) to New York City. Mostly it's Tshilanda's story, as she navigates a fall from everything she's known to the harsh streets of 1970s New York, but equally important are the stories of Liberty and the men in their lives, especially Mike and Édouard. The book doesn't pass the Bechdel test, but the art is so beautiful and the multigenerational story so compelling that I didn't notice until after the fact.
The art: rich and vibrant, with deep colors, sharp, precise lines, and something akin to watercolor to fill it all in. Most of the places I bookmarked were panels that I want to use in my futile quest to learn to draw. The lines of the body, and the postures, and the facial expressions—and the shading! If ever I magically figure out how to draw a face that looks like a face and not an abomination, I will move on to shading and use this as a reference. The chapter breaks and the end of the book also feature more sketch-like work, and in places it's just as evocative as the more refined art.
One thing worth a mention for readers: you'll have to pay some attention, at times, to work out who is speaking when. It's a little frustrating in places—there's not always a clear POV transition, and the dialogue boxes are often unclear—but the payoff is worth it.
Thanks to the authors and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
March 26, 2023
The illustrations are so beautiful. However, I feel like the story itself was lacking and rushed.
Still, I find it a nice, quick read.
Still, I find it a nice, quick read.
April 6, 2023
This graphic novel is a story which is beautifully told with well designed artwork and bright and beautiful colours. The story which spans several decades and countries, tells the story of a woman called ‘Liberty’ and her mother, and how decisions and actions can affect generations to come, all creating a tapestry of family through choices and actions.
It is also a story of change, culture and love and how our understanding of race and culture has changed across these decades. The story starts in Kinshasa with an unwanted pregnancy but ends in New York with family and hope. The storytelling is excellent and together with the artwork makes a really engaging book.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
It is also a story of change, culture and love and how our understanding of race and culture has changed across these decades. The story starts in Kinshasa with an unwanted pregnancy but ends in New York with family and hope. The storytelling is excellent and together with the artwork makes a really engaging book.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 17, 2023
Quelle est cette femme qui avance
Comme la lumière du jour
Aussi belle que la lune
Aussi pure que le soleil
Mais terrible comme une armée au combat
Cantique des Cantiques 6 : 10
Comme la lumière du jour
Aussi belle que la lune
Aussi pure que le soleil
Mais terrible comme une armée au combat
Cantique des Cantiques 6 : 10
May 16, 2023
i loved this short but sweet graphic novel! i was obsessed with the illustrations, i thought they were gorgeous and the details and the colors made them stand out so much compared to other graphic novels i have read. i also loved the story, i thought it flowed very well and was easy to understand and follow, which i also tend to struggle with when reading graphic novels. i was entertained and hooked immediately and ended up finishing the book in one sitting! i would definitely recommend to anyone who loves graphic novels and/or history, and honestly to anyone because of the books readability! 5 stars from me!
October 23, 2023
The cover of the book..♥️Omg! It’s so pretty (played a big role in why I picked it up).The storyline as well got me hooked & …
I hoped I would love the content of the ish just as much as I was mesmerized by the cover BUT that wasn’t the case at all **SOB SOB!
.It was really hard for me to follow the conversations plus the decisions made by some of the characters in general made me cringe.This clearly wasn’t my cup of tea,unfortunately.
I hoped I would love the content of the ish just as much as I was mesmerized by the cover BUT that wasn’t the case at all **SOB SOB!
.It was really hard for me to follow the conversations plus the decisions made by some of the characters in general made me cringe.This clearly wasn’t my cup of tea,unfortunately.
June 6, 2023
Titulo: Liberty
Autor: Éric Warnauts, Raives (Ilustrator)
Año publicado: 2023
Motivo de lectura: #NetGalley #ARC
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Fisico / Electronico: Electronico
Mi edicion: -
Idioma: Ingles
Puntuacion: 3/5
Recibi esta ARC a cambio de una reseña honesta. Gracias NetGalley por darme la oportunidad de leer este libro.
La historia en general es buena, abarca varias generaciones y paises.
Pero para ser sincera, siento que el autor intento hablar de varios temas sin ahondar mucho, y eso hizo que la historia en muchos aspectos se sintiera muy veloz y con falta de profundidad, al punto de que Warnauts no se toma el tiempo para dar un buen cierre a ciertos asuntos.
La ilustracion es bellisima, Raives es un gran ilustrador, la paleta de colores es hermosa y el bonus al final de esta novela grafica es lo mejor de todo.
---
I've received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Overall, a good story. It goes around some generations and countries.
But to be honest, I feel that the author tried to talk about various topics without going too deep, and that made the story in many ways feel very rushed and lacking in depth, to the point that Warnauts does not take the time to give a full closure to certain issues.
The illustration is beautiful, Raives is a great illustrator, the color palette is amazing and the bonus at the end of this graphic novel is the best thing.
Autor: Éric Warnauts, Raives (Ilustrator)
Año publicado: 2023
Motivo de lectura: #NetGalley #ARC
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Fisico / Electronico: Electronico
Mi edicion: -
Idioma: Ingles
Puntuacion: 3/5
Recibi esta ARC a cambio de una reseña honesta. Gracias NetGalley por darme la oportunidad de leer este libro.
La historia en general es buena, abarca varias generaciones y paises.
Pero para ser sincera, siento que el autor intento hablar de varios temas sin ahondar mucho, y eso hizo que la historia en muchos aspectos se sintiera muy veloz y con falta de profundidad, al punto de que Warnauts no se toma el tiempo para dar un buen cierre a ciertos asuntos.
La ilustracion es bellisima, Raives es un gran ilustrador, la paleta de colores es hermosa y el bonus al final de esta novela grafica es lo mejor de todo.
---
I've received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Overall, a good story. It goes around some generations and countries.
But to be honest, I feel that the author tried to talk about various topics without going too deep, and that made the story in many ways feel very rushed and lacking in depth, to the point that Warnauts does not take the time to give a full closure to certain issues.
The illustration is beautiful, Raives is a great illustrator, the color palette is amazing and the bonus at the end of this graphic novel is the best thing.
July 28, 2023
3,5 ⭐
March 27, 2023
2.8
The history of the time periods in this was fantastic. The decisions and things that happened with the characters were upsetting for the most part. Was that her half brother at the end?! I both liked this and disliked it. It does show how cycles continue.
The history of the time periods in this was fantastic. The decisions and things that happened with the characters were upsetting for the most part. Was that her half brother at the end?! I both liked this and disliked it. It does show how cycles continue.
May 1, 2023
This graphic novel has wonderful illustrations and colors. I loved the timeline evolution. Unfortunately, I feel like the story hasn't been explored enough, making reading too fast.
March 20, 2023
The first thing I'll say is the artwork in this novel is stunning. The style is that watercolour kind that feels like an old book. It's absolutely timeless. I love how everything has a green undertone to give it that coolness while still having deep, saturated colours. It really makes everything feel warm, like a summer day, even the shadows.
The story itself was interesting. I enjoyed learning the lives of this family through the snapshots we are given. The thing is, snapshots aren't quite enough to become emotionally invested. My interest never got deeper than that. Sad things happened then went by so quickly there was no time to process them. I would have liked to sit with each time a little longer, or see more small moments that help make up a larger, emotional picture. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful story of mother and daughter, immigration, and the struggles of black people in America in the 70s to now.
Oh, and it was a bit difficult to figure out who was talking at times. The pointers were not always clear and the speaker often switched in boxes that had no pointers at all.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a digital advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
The story itself was interesting. I enjoyed learning the lives of this family through the snapshots we are given. The thing is, snapshots aren't quite enough to become emotionally invested. My interest never got deeper than that. Sad things happened then went by so quickly there was no time to process them. I would have liked to sit with each time a little longer, or see more small moments that help make up a larger, emotional picture. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful story of mother and daughter, immigration, and the struggles of black people in America in the 70s to now.
Oh, and it was a bit difficult to figure out who was talking at times. The pointers were not always clear and the speaker often switched in boxes that had no pointers at all.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a digital advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 25, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Liked it, fun while I was reading it
Set in both Kinshasa and New York City, this graphic novel tells the story of a mother, Tshilanda, her daughter, Liberty, and the men in their lives.
The artwork was the standout here. The line work is beautiful and the color vibrant. It is what kept me reading even when confronted with some confusing interpersonal relationships and dialog that wasn't always clear who was speaking.
While I liked the overall themes, when it was over, I was left with a feeling of underdevelopment and missed opportunities. There just wasn't enough there for me to connect with.
Thank you to Europe Comics, NetGalley, and authors Éric Warnauts & Raives, for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. Liberty is out March 29, 2023.
Set in both Kinshasa and New York City, this graphic novel tells the story of a mother, Tshilanda, her daughter, Liberty, and the men in their lives.
The artwork was the standout here. The line work is beautiful and the color vibrant. It is what kept me reading even when confronted with some confusing interpersonal relationships and dialog that wasn't always clear who was speaking.
While I liked the overall themes, when it was over, I was left with a feeling of underdevelopment and missed opportunities. There just wasn't enough there for me to connect with.
Thank you to Europe Comics, NetGalley, and authors Éric Warnauts & Raives, for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. Liberty is out March 29, 2023.
September 20, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and Europe Comics for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
1.5 stars
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as I’d hoped. While this is presented as a story about the relationship between a mother and daughter, it feels more like their relationship takes a backseat. Instead, we see how they interact with other people, most notably the men in their lives. After reading this I really did not know anything about them that wasn’t told through the context of these men. I also found that the art heavily sexualized both women, and that did a disservice to their characters and the plot. It also seemed unclear who was narrating at several times and the time jumps were sporadic, which made it difficult to follow the timeline and understand what was happening.
CW: Sexual assault, drug addiction
1.5 stars
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as I’d hoped. While this is presented as a story about the relationship between a mother and daughter, it feels more like their relationship takes a backseat. Instead, we see how they interact with other people, most notably the men in their lives. After reading this I really did not know anything about them that wasn’t told through the context of these men. I also found that the art heavily sexualized both women, and that did a disservice to their characters and the plot. It also seemed unclear who was narrating at several times and the time jumps were sporadic, which made it difficult to follow the timeline and understand what was happening.
CW: Sexual assault, drug addiction
January 14, 2025
Book 013 of 350 ~ 2025
🌟🌟🌟💫
Amazing artwork. Varied perspectives and being an outsider, I am intrigued by this telling.
It was told over decades but felt a little rushed and choppy? Maybe it is just me...
The only thing that irritated me was the speech bubbles as many a time I had to relook to confirm if I was reading the right bubble for the right character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book013of350 #amreading #tbrpile #netgalley #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2025 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
🌟🌟🌟💫
Amazing artwork. Varied perspectives and being an outsider, I am intrigued by this telling.
It was told over decades but felt a little rushed and choppy? Maybe it is just me...
The only thing that irritated me was the speech bubbles as many a time I had to relook to confirm if I was reading the right bubble for the right character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book013of350 #amreading #tbrpile #netgalley #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2025 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
January 14, 2025
Book 013 of 350 ~ 2025
🌟🌟🌟💫
Amazing artwork. Varied perspectives and being an outsider, I am intrigued by this telling.
It was told over decades but felt a little rushed and choppy? Maybe it is just me...
The only thing that irritated me was the speech bubbles as many a time I had to relook to confirm if I was reading the right bubble for the right character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book013of350 #amreading #tbrpile #netgalley #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2025 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
🌟🌟🌟💫
Amazing artwork. Varied perspectives and being an outsider, I am intrigued by this telling.
It was told over decades but felt a little rushed and choppy? Maybe it is just me...
The only thing that irritated me was the speech bubbles as many a time I had to relook to confirm if I was reading the right bubble for the right character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#book013of350 #amreading #tbrpile #netgalley #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2025 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds
March 3, 2023
« Ce n’est pas d’être pauvre qui est le plus terrible, c’est le fait de l’être au milieu de tant de richesses »
Si l’on devait garder une seule phrase pour résumer cet album cela serait celle-ci. « Liberty » c’est le témoignage à travers 40 ans de vie, d’une mère et de sa fille. Il est question de sacrifice et de transmission. D’Histoire et de déterminisme social.
Un sentiment d’injustice incommensurable nourri par les inégalités frappantes d’une période qui n’est pas si loin de celle dans laquelle nous vivons.
De Kinshasa à New York, les planches de Warnauts et Raives nous rappellent l’importance de combattre pour les droits de chacun, la nécessité d’une égalité entre tous et de la tolérance dont nous devons tous faire preuve.
Si l’on devait garder une seule phrase pour résumer cet album cela serait celle-ci. « Liberty » c’est le témoignage à travers 40 ans de vie, d’une mère et de sa fille. Il est question de sacrifice et de transmission. D’Histoire et de déterminisme social.
Un sentiment d’injustice incommensurable nourri par les inégalités frappantes d’une période qui n’est pas si loin de celle dans laquelle nous vivons.
De Kinshasa à New York, les planches de Warnauts et Raives nous rappellent l’importance de combattre pour les droits de chacun, la nécessité d’une égalité entre tous et de la tolérance dont nous devons tous faire preuve.
March 23, 2023
Liberty is a graphic novel starting in Kinasha the capital city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the eve of Muhammad Ali’s most famous match. We meet Tshilanda the mother of the future Liberty. The story follows Tshilanda’s journey to New York City and details some major events that affected African Americans such as the Black Panther Party, 9/11 and ending with the first win of previous US President Barack Obama.
The art work in this story is stunning and tells some intense stories experienced by some African and African American peoples. The story of a mother and daughter and their lives over the period of 40 years and the impacts of intergenerational trauma.
Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for this ARC.
TW: murder, discrimination, substance addiction
The art work in this story is stunning and tells some intense stories experienced by some African and African American peoples. The story of a mother and daughter and their lives over the period of 40 years and the impacts of intergenerational trauma.
Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for this ARC.
TW: murder, discrimination, substance addiction
April 3, 2023
This was an incredibly well illustrated graphic novel. The timeline flies through the 60's/70's to Obama's election in 2008 - with the latter years getting a few pages here and there. I almost think there could have been more included to continue to flesh out the story.
There is some compelling commentary on social issues as well as an interesting storyline arc following a handful of main characters and their connection to each other. I did find it hard a couple of times to figure out/orient myself around who the narrator was as compared to the pictures and story unfolding on the page. I also thought the usage of flashbacks was interesting and overall really well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the electronic copy to read and review.
There is some compelling commentary on social issues as well as an interesting storyline arc following a handful of main characters and their connection to each other. I did find it hard a couple of times to figure out/orient myself around who the narrator was as compared to the pictures and story unfolding on the page. I also thought the usage of flashbacks was interesting and overall really well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the electronic copy to read and review.
April 9, 2023
Thank you net galley for providing me with an arc of Liberty!
First of I want to say that the art style of this graphic novel was gorgeous, one of the best that I've seen. That being said, I feel like the plot was lacking, it had a lot of plot holes and it was overall confusing to follow along to.I found myself rereading some parts, because I just couldn't seem to understand what was going on.
To add to that, I feel like the overall message and idea of the graphic novel was good. I loved seeing the hardships of a mother and daughter and seeing how their life stories intertwined. I just wish that the plot was a bit more developed.
All of this is why I have to give this book a 2,5 stars.
First of I want to say that the art style of this graphic novel was gorgeous, one of the best that I've seen. That being said, I feel like the plot was lacking, it had a lot of plot holes and it was overall confusing to follow along to.I found myself rereading some parts, because I just couldn't seem to understand what was going on.
To add to that, I feel like the overall message and idea of the graphic novel was good. I loved seeing the hardships of a mother and daughter and seeing how their life stories intertwined. I just wish that the plot was a bit more developed.
All of this is why I have to give this book a 2,5 stars.
April 15, 2023
I braced myself a little before reading this, it seems to be getting mixed reviews and I generally read YA/middle-grade books, but had been tempted by the beautiful cover art and subject matter.
I wasn't disappointed! The story does jump a little, but it's reasonably easy to make the assumption about what's gone on between the jumps, the between-chapter pages give further hints also.
The artwork is lovely, delicate and expressive. The story is both heart-wrenching and immersive. It's not an easy-to-read story in places, but then life stories rarely are.
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
I wasn't disappointed! The story does jump a little, but it's reasonably easy to make the assumption about what's gone on between the jumps, the between-chapter pages give further hints also.
The artwork is lovely, delicate and expressive. The story is both heart-wrenching and immersive. It's not an easy-to-read story in places, but then life stories rarely are.
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
June 10, 2024
‘Liberty’ by Eric Warnauts with art by Raives, is a graphic novel spanning 40 years in the life of a mother and daughter.
The story begins with a young woman named Tshilanda in 1974 Kinshasa who finds herself pregnant. She escapes to the United States, where she raises her daughter Liberty. The story shifts to Libert’s life as a young Black woman in America and the ongoing struggle for racial equality. Through Liberty's experiences, readers see the evolution of social and political movements, from the Black Panthers to the election of Barack Obama.
The themes of social change and motherhood are strong in this story. The art is good too.
The story begins with a young woman named Tshilanda in 1974 Kinshasa who finds herself pregnant. She escapes to the United States, where she raises her daughter Liberty. The story shifts to Libert’s life as a young Black woman in America and the ongoing struggle for racial equality. Through Liberty's experiences, readers see the evolution of social and political movements, from the Black Panthers to the election of Barack Obama.
The themes of social change and motherhood are strong in this story. The art is good too.
March 28, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Out March 29, 2023.
3 stars
Absolutely beautiful and evocative visuals but I found the scope of the story (decades and generations long) to be so rushed. This graphic novel could have easily been doubled in size and had a much larger impact.
The story of a mother and daughter from the Congo to New York is full of emotion, real people and conflicting ideals.
I just wish we had more time with this story!
Out March 29, 2023.
3 stars
Absolutely beautiful and evocative visuals but I found the scope of the story (decades and generations long) to be so rushed. This graphic novel could have easily been doubled in size and had a much larger impact.
The story of a mother and daughter from the Congo to New York is full of emotion, real people and conflicting ideals.
I just wish we had more time with this story!
April 10, 2023
Patchy, if not clumsy, the long timeline of this story takes us from James Brown and Ali in Zaire to post-9/11 NYC. From my point of view it kind of mumbles around on issues of race (including black on white racism), colonial thoughts of certain white men, and how young generations often seek to avoid the mistakes of their elders in vain. It really doesn't help that the switches in narrator between the older white man who loved the mother, and the daughter, and/or other people are all done so badly. Light entertainment it isn't – and three stars are a touch generous.
Read
May 2, 2023n.p.
sinceramente no me he enterado mucho de la historia. mucha historia de Estados Unidos que no llego a comprender, porque al fin y al cabo es otra cultura. eso sí, he disfrutado mucho del estilo de dibujo y el color. la composición también ha sido muy interesante!
-
to be honest I did the understand much of the story. there's a lot of US history that I can't comprehend, because it's another culture after all. I must say, I enjoyed a lot the art style and colour. the composition was very interesting as well!
sinceramente no me he enterado mucho de la historia. mucha historia de Estados Unidos que no llego a comprender, porque al fin y al cabo es otra cultura. eso sí, he disfrutado mucho del estilo de dibujo y el color. la composición también ha sido muy interesante!
-
to be honest I did the understand much of the story. there's a lot of US history that I can't comprehend, because it's another culture after all. I must say, I enjoyed a lot the art style and colour. the composition was very interesting as well!
March 23, 2023
I don't typically read graphic novels, but the illustration of the cover caught my eye on this. All the way through, the illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and often heartbreaking. The story was really well presented, especially considering the lengthy period of time and multiple generations covered throughout. The story was informative and bittersweet; so many important issues were covered. Highly recommend!
May 15, 2023
Read via NetGalley
3.5 stars
Liberty is an interesting graphic novel that explores family, history, and culture. The art has a good style, however the story could have done with taking a bit longer, since it spans so many decades. It showcases snapshots of generations so it becomes a little bit tell instead of show when it skips years between chapters, then has to quickly catch the reader up with big blocks of text for what has been missed.
3.5 stars
Liberty is an interesting graphic novel that explores family, history, and culture. The art has a good style, however the story could have done with taking a bit longer, since it spans so many decades. It showcases snapshots of generations so it becomes a little bit tell instead of show when it skips years between chapters, then has to quickly catch the reader up with big blocks of text for what has been missed.
June 4, 2023
This is going to be quite a personal review.
I loved the book and it is a solid 3.75 stars for me.
I have to say that I enjoyed the story a lot and I loved reading about both Tsihilanda and Liberty but I wish it had gone deeper into both of their histories. I like the fact that the book goes into the black experience both in Kinshasa as an upper class person and in New York as a black person. I miss a lot about that experience because it is as far from mine as can be.
I loved the book and it is a solid 3.75 stars for me.
I have to say that I enjoyed the story a lot and I loved reading about both Tsihilanda and Liberty but I wish it had gone deeper into both of their histories. I like the fact that the book goes into the black experience both in Kinshasa as an upper class person and in New York as a black person. I miss a lot about that experience because it is as far from mine as can be.
March 30, 2023
The art in this graphic novel is so beautiful. I’d read it again and again just to see all the amazing illustrations.
I enjoyed this generational story, it brought me into a different culture to my own and allowed me a front row seat to the lives of black women in America.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the copy!
I enjoyed this generational story, it brought me into a different culture to my own and allowed me a front row seat to the lives of black women in America.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the copy!
April 8, 2023
A poignant and powerful story about relationships, family, and race.
I loved the complex relationship between Liberty and her mother, how it enunciated the hardships of growing up as a Black woman and I also loved how the book did not shy away from presenting the “difficult” topics as they were.
I loved the complex relationship between Liberty and her mother, how it enunciated the hardships of growing up as a Black woman and I also loved how the book did not shy away from presenting the “difficult” topics as they were.
April 12, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was a good graphic novel about a young girl named Liberty and her mother. It starts out with her mother and how she became pregnant. It talks about how hard she has with her life and what she does. I thought the art style was okay and the story seemed a little rushed.
I thought this was a good graphic novel about a young girl named Liberty and her mother. It starts out with her mother and how she became pregnant. It talks about how hard she has with her life and what she does. I thought the art style was okay and the story seemed a little rushed.
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