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Vanni: Based on Firsthand Accounts of the Sri Lankan Conf
A village in the crossfire of civil war. A family searching for safety.
In the tradition of Maus, Persepolis, and The Breadwinner, Vanni is a graphic novel documenting the human side of the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the “Tamil Tigers.” Told from the perspective of a single family, it takes readers through the horrors and life-changing decisions individuals are forced to make when caught up in someone else’s war.
Set in the northern region of Sri Lanka, which was devastated by the civil war, this graphic novel follows the Ramachandran family as they flee their home after the 2004 tsunami and move from one displacement camp to the next, seeking an ever-elusive safe haven and struggling to keep each other alive. Inspired by Benjamin Dix’s experience working in Sri Lanka for the United Nations during the war, Vanni draws on more than four years of meticulous research, official reports, and first-hand interviews with refugees. Elegantly drawn by Lindsay Pollock, it depicts heroic acts of kindness and horrific acts of violence, memorializing the experiences of the Tamil civilians against the forces that seek to erase their memory.
In the tradition of Maus, Persepolis, and The Breadwinner, Vanni is a graphic novel documenting the human side of the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the “Tamil Tigers.” Told from the perspective of a single family, it takes readers through the horrors and life-changing decisions individuals are forced to make when caught up in someone else’s war.
Set in the northern region of Sri Lanka, which was devastated by the civil war, this graphic novel follows the Ramachandran family as they flee their home after the 2004 tsunami and move from one displacement camp to the next, seeking an ever-elusive safe haven and struggling to keep each other alive. Inspired by Benjamin Dix’s experience working in Sri Lanka for the United Nations during the war, Vanni draws on more than four years of meticulous research, official reports, and first-hand interviews with refugees. Elegantly drawn by Lindsay Pollock, it depicts heroic acts of kindness and horrific acts of violence, memorializing the experiences of the Tamil civilians against the forces that seek to erase their memory.
268 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2023
12 people want to read
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January 30, 2026
If you've never lived through war, this book will blow your mind.
A very graphic story of a family who are just wanting to live a normal life with their loved ones, but who find themselves surrounded by the terrors of war and war torn bodies.
The only one critique I have is that the comic strip is packed into tiny, consistent square panels on every page. The detail was interesting. But it may have been more evocative if the author gave breathing room for violent, emotive scenes through the use of varying panel sizes. It would also have added a nice rhythm to the story, instead of feeling like a flat pace throughout.
Nonetheless, amazing work!!
A very graphic story of a family who are just wanting to live a normal life with their loved ones, but who find themselves surrounded by the terrors of war and war torn bodies.
The only one critique I have is that the comic strip is packed into tiny, consistent square panels on every page. The detail was interesting. But it may have been more evocative if the author gave breathing room for violent, emotive scenes through the use of varying panel sizes. It would also have added a nice rhythm to the story, instead of feeling like a flat pace throughout.
Nonetheless, amazing work!!
Displaying 1 of 1 review