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Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History
The end of slavery started in what was then San Domingo. In 1791, the enslaved people of the most prized French sugar plantation colony revolted against their masters. For over twelve years, against a backdrop of the French Revolution, they fought an epic black liberation struggle for control of the island. Theirs was the first and only successful slave revolution. It was the creation of Haiti as a nation, the first independent black republic outside of Africa, and an international inspiration to the persecuted and enslaved. This is the impassioned and beautifully drawn story of the Haitian Revolution and its incredible Toussaint Louverture.
The text of this graphic novel is a play by C. L. R. James that opened in London in 1936 with Paul Robeson in the title role. For the first time, black actors appeared on the British stage in a work by a black playwright. The script had been lost for almost seventy years when a draft copy was discovered among James's archives. Now this extraordinary drama has been reimagined by artists Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee.
The text of this graphic novel is a play by C. L. R. James that opened in London in 1936 with Paul Robeson in the title role. For the first time, black actors appeared on the British stage in a work by a black playwright. The script had been lost for almost seventy years when a draft copy was discovered among James's archives. Now this extraordinary drama has been reimagined by artists Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2023
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204 people want to read
About the author
C.L.R. James
68 books385 followersC. L. R. James (1901–1989), a Trinidadian historian, political activist, and writer, is the author of The Black Jacobins, an influential study of the Haitian Revolution and the classic book on sport and culture, Beyond a Boundary. His play Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History was recently discovered in the archives and published Duke University Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 14, 2023
One of the consequences of the last few years growing engagements with colonial and imperial history that looks beyond the stories the colonisers and imperialists tell has been a growing awareness of the Haitian Revolution. Fought in the wake of the French Revolution and ultimately throwing off the French yoke, this struggle for ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’ resulted in the formation in 1804 of the first independent Black state outside Africa, and remains the only fully successful slave revolt. Even so, empire got its claws in and imposed crippling debts on new state that are a major factor in its current status as one of the world’s poorest nations.
In spite of a small but growing number of academic studies of this revolution in recent years, for many the classic exploration and the way into understanding it is CLR James’ 1938 The Black Jacobins , yet what many don’t realise is that while he was working on that study, the polymath James wrote a play about the struggle that became (probably) the first play by a Black writer with a Black cast performed on mainstream theatre in London, in 1935. It is this playscript, recently rediscovered in its entirety, that provides the basis for this superb account of the revolution for a new audience. That is to say, despite this being a ‘fictionalised’ account in that it gives words to historical figures where we can never know what they said, it is also grounded in rigorous historical scholarship tracing the revolution, the conduct and fate of its leading and many other figures, grounded in the manipulations and skulduggery of imperial states and their agents.
At the heart of the story of Toussaint L’Ouverture, formerly enslaved as a coach driver, literate, intellectual, and committed to the principles of revolutionary France in ways many of its leaders weren’t. Throughout we see his growing sense that the changes sought are ones the formerly enslaved need to make themselves, with at its core the prevention of the re-imposition of slavery in San Domingo – now Haiti. This story is reasonably well-known, of how L’Ouverture was betrayed by the inheritors of the revolution he believed in, and by his allies in Haiti (who subsequently (re)took up the cause as it became clear that imperial politics of race superseded the proclamations of justice and equality) so that he did not live to see the success of the revolution he so inspired.
Many of the figures are well known and left elaborate records, others are known only in their general views and outlooks, and James does well in the script to bring both sets of voices to life. Crucially, Watts and Karimjee also successfully explore the politics of revolution and the visual depiction of a revolutionary war with mass support. Their monochrome work shifts from the orderly depiction of discussion and negotiation, to the depictions of battle and antagonism that erupt off the page and reject orderly arrangement, breaking borders, rejecting grid-like patterns, and in places disrupting the integrity of the page and bound book itself. Alongside this is the poignancy and bleakness of L’Ouverture’s imprisonment and death, that paradoxically becomes a chapter of great eloquence and beauty in its sparseness.
This, then, does what I’d expect a good visual narrative to do. It takes circumstances and recounts them for a new audience. But it is not a mere recounting; it is a powerful and evocative telling of a great struggle for justice that has inspired rebellions and risings of the enslaved and oppressed for the subsequent 220 years. In doing so it explores the politics and tactics of revolutionary struggle, and the dynamics of alliance, trust, ideology, and objective. While it may not tell us anything ‘new’, it is a powerful telling in a new way of a story more people are discovering and that makes it all the more valuable. Highly recommended.
In spite of a small but growing number of academic studies of this revolution in recent years, for many the classic exploration and the way into understanding it is CLR James’ 1938 The Black Jacobins , yet what many don’t realise is that while he was working on that study, the polymath James wrote a play about the struggle that became (probably) the first play by a Black writer with a Black cast performed on mainstream theatre in London, in 1935. It is this playscript, recently rediscovered in its entirety, that provides the basis for this superb account of the revolution for a new audience. That is to say, despite this being a ‘fictionalised’ account in that it gives words to historical figures where we can never know what they said, it is also grounded in rigorous historical scholarship tracing the revolution, the conduct and fate of its leading and many other figures, grounded in the manipulations and skulduggery of imperial states and their agents.
At the heart of the story of Toussaint L’Ouverture, formerly enslaved as a coach driver, literate, intellectual, and committed to the principles of revolutionary France in ways many of its leaders weren’t. Throughout we see his growing sense that the changes sought are ones the formerly enslaved need to make themselves, with at its core the prevention of the re-imposition of slavery in San Domingo – now Haiti. This story is reasonably well-known, of how L’Ouverture was betrayed by the inheritors of the revolution he believed in, and by his allies in Haiti (who subsequently (re)took up the cause as it became clear that imperial politics of race superseded the proclamations of justice and equality) so that he did not live to see the success of the revolution he so inspired.
Many of the figures are well known and left elaborate records, others are known only in their general views and outlooks, and James does well in the script to bring both sets of voices to life. Crucially, Watts and Karimjee also successfully explore the politics of revolution and the visual depiction of a revolutionary war with mass support. Their monochrome work shifts from the orderly depiction of discussion and negotiation, to the depictions of battle and antagonism that erupt off the page and reject orderly arrangement, breaking borders, rejecting grid-like patterns, and in places disrupting the integrity of the page and bound book itself. Alongside this is the poignancy and bleakness of L’Ouverture’s imprisonment and death, that paradoxically becomes a chapter of great eloquence and beauty in its sparseness.
This, then, does what I’d expect a good visual narrative to do. It takes circumstances and recounts them for a new audience. But it is not a mere recounting; it is a powerful and evocative telling of a great struggle for justice that has inspired rebellions and risings of the enslaved and oppressed for the subsequent 220 years. In doing so it explores the politics and tactics of revolutionary struggle, and the dynamics of alliance, trust, ideology, and objective. While it may not tell us anything ‘new’, it is a powerful telling in a new way of a story more people are discovering and that makes it all the more valuable. Highly recommended.
May 23, 2024
Brilliant - how is this not a Hollywood movie
February 3, 2024
3.5 stars--While the wordy source material could bog down the graphic novel, the story is gripping and important--and the artwork is incredible. So much movement and expression, made even more impressive in that it appears to be done only with pencil and paper. Someone get this artist work on an animated series or traditionally hand-drawn animated movie--this work would truly steal the show.
April 4, 2024
"Whoever wants to take our guns away wants to restore slavery."
(Verso graphic novel adaptation.)
(Verso graphic novel adaptation.)
December 11, 2025
Taking a play and making it into a comic is a fantastic idea; I wonder how often this has been done? As a lover of theatre and comics, I’m not aware of any. Reading it, you can tell it was a play by the way most scenes are static in principle, but the art gets abstract and expressionistic in ways it absolutely couldn’t onstage. It just serves to make a sprawling cast more contained.
The art, by the way, might be divisive, but don’t judge it by the cover, which—while better than anything I’ll ever do—is a little bit outsidery/folk-arty. The drawings work but the layouts are fantastic, which really deepens the experiënce of reading the play. Given the non-commercial art style, I’m not surprised to see that this is Karimjee’s only credit on GR, but I’d read more—heck, find another play! I bet she and Watts could do a fascinating Crucible!
And the history of Haiti? So fascinating, so tragic. I remember studyïng this at the very end of a History of the French Revolution course, but 26 years has erased most of that, and what I hadn’t been reminded of in Island Beneath the Sea (which itself was 6 years ago) seemed new to me. Interestingly, I’d just read Who Was Napoleon? with my 12yo, and that book has a very pro-Napoleön stance, so it was great to see what an out-and-out villain he was in this story. Who Was definitely skipped over Napoleön attempting to reëstablish (and partially succeeding in reëstablishing) slavery in the Antilles.
But why am I talking about Napoleön? A minor character to his own brother-in-law in this narrative of Toussaint and, to a lesser extent, Dessalines. As depicted here, what a fascinating and canny tragic figure Louverture is. So even tho I really appreciäted James’s almost-century-old diälogue and the visuäls of Watts and Karimjee, I should prolly seek out James’s prose work on this subject to get the full picture.
The art, by the way, might be divisive, but don’t judge it by the cover, which—while better than anything I’ll ever do—is a little bit outsidery/folk-arty. The drawings work but the layouts are fantastic, which really deepens the experiënce of reading the play. Given the non-commercial art style, I’m not surprised to see that this is Karimjee’s only credit on GR, but I’d read more—heck, find another play! I bet she and Watts could do a fascinating Crucible!
And the history of Haiti? So fascinating, so tragic. I remember studyïng this at the very end of a History of the French Revolution course, but 26 years has erased most of that, and what I hadn’t been reminded of in Island Beneath the Sea (which itself was 6 years ago) seemed new to me. Interestingly, I’d just read Who Was Napoleon? with my 12yo, and that book has a very pro-Napoleön stance, so it was great to see what an out-and-out villain he was in this story. Who Was definitely skipped over Napoleön attempting to reëstablish (and partially succeeding in reëstablishing) slavery in the Antilles.
But why am I talking about Napoleön? A minor character to his own brother-in-law in this narrative of Toussaint and, to a lesser extent, Dessalines. As depicted here, what a fascinating and canny tragic figure Louverture is. So even tho I really appreciäted James’s almost-century-old diälogue and the visuäls of Watts and Karimjee, I should prolly seek out James’s prose work on this subject to get the full picture.
February 4, 2025
I great adaption of an underrepresented part of history! The art is incredibly expressive and did an excellent job making the many different characters easy to differentiate. I knew a little about the history, but it has really helped me to have it laid out in a visual format.
January 7, 2024
If you know loads about the slave revolt on the island of Saint-Domingue, modern day Haiti, or if you know absolutely nothing, this book is a fantastic way to dive into - or back into - that history in a dramatic and visually interesting way.
C.L.R. James wrote a book called 'Black Jacobins' that really altered the historiography of Toussaint Louverture and the revolt, reframing it as a social and political revolt inspired by the teachings of the French Revolution. Before that book appeared though a stage play was conceived and performed in 1936. The script was thought to have been lost for many years until it was rediscovered and printed in 2013. This is a graphic adaptation of that original script.
The art immediately catches your attention as it has deceptively detailed backgrounds, with a distinctive caricature cast of characters. All the people are given unique characteristics, recognisable features and even if you do get lost in this decades spanning tale there is a handy visual guide at the start to show you who the main cast are. All in black and white the art was charming and in general gave the story a great visual style, while ensuring there was no doubt about the cast of characters emotions or attitudes.
The story, as you would expect, reads very much like a stage play. A scene is set, the cast come together at that location and debate and discuss the events they find themselves in, occasionally fight, before a new scene starts with change of country or of cast. The locations are not hugely varied, mainly the island (French side) and France, but the discussions and debates and clashes are fascinating and move the narrative on at a quick pace regardless of moving geographically from here to there. While the majority of the books action is linked to the words the characters speak, the later part of the book depicts a lot of battles and turmoil and in general there is certainly a point where the words stop and bloody conflicts ensue.
On the subject of dialogue too, the creators have kept much of the original text, which in turn wanted to use historically accurate language, so the book uses antiquated language to describe different races and people, but more than anything this helps to set the scene and tone and give a sense of place and time. Even though the pages are packed with text too, the writing flows very well, giving a quicker read than you would expect.
The revolt happens quickly and the book then focuses on the main goal, which is now that the slave revolt has happened and the power shifted, how can the liberated slaves stay liberated. While the narrative does focus on Toussaint Louverture it is worth noting that it is not really his story, it's the story of the revolt itself. It shifts locations and characters to follow the main events that impacted on the revolt, rather that a biography of Toussaint, or any one character. Towards the end you get the biggest focus on Toussaint and his legacy, but by and large the book will zip away from him if an event or discussion affecting the revolt is taking place elsewhere.
The book is amazing at showing how the people of this island grew up in the shadow of the French Revolution and believed they should fight for the same thing their colonial rulers were, liberty, equality and fraternity. The island was of huge financial importance to the French, so, predictably they would do all they could to ensure its put back in its place, despite the odd Frenchman attempting to uphold the rights of the liberated. The island being of worth to the English and Spanish also creates a situation where all these world powers are desperately trying to put things back and stake their claim, while the liberated people seem to be the only ones that just want their freedom and they are certainly the only ones that think they are entitled to it. The book does a wonderful job of placing the liberated slaves in the middle of this mess that was created by powerful European ideals and a sense of injustice needing to be righted.
The story is emotional, frustrating, sickening, uplifting, it really has it all and knowing that it is inspired by real life events makes all of those emotions far more intense. Here it has been brought to life with skilled artistry that will be understandable to all ages. Another interpretation of this story is always welcome, particularly when it is done with such style and respect for the original source material.
C.L.R. James wrote a book called 'Black Jacobins' that really altered the historiography of Toussaint Louverture and the revolt, reframing it as a social and political revolt inspired by the teachings of the French Revolution. Before that book appeared though a stage play was conceived and performed in 1936. The script was thought to have been lost for many years until it was rediscovered and printed in 2013. This is a graphic adaptation of that original script.
The art immediately catches your attention as it has deceptively detailed backgrounds, with a distinctive caricature cast of characters. All the people are given unique characteristics, recognisable features and even if you do get lost in this decades spanning tale there is a handy visual guide at the start to show you who the main cast are. All in black and white the art was charming and in general gave the story a great visual style, while ensuring there was no doubt about the cast of characters emotions or attitudes.
The story, as you would expect, reads very much like a stage play. A scene is set, the cast come together at that location and debate and discuss the events they find themselves in, occasionally fight, before a new scene starts with change of country or of cast. The locations are not hugely varied, mainly the island (French side) and France, but the discussions and debates and clashes are fascinating and move the narrative on at a quick pace regardless of moving geographically from here to there. While the majority of the books action is linked to the words the characters speak, the later part of the book depicts a lot of battles and turmoil and in general there is certainly a point where the words stop and bloody conflicts ensue.
On the subject of dialogue too, the creators have kept much of the original text, which in turn wanted to use historically accurate language, so the book uses antiquated language to describe different races and people, but more than anything this helps to set the scene and tone and give a sense of place and time. Even though the pages are packed with text too, the writing flows very well, giving a quicker read than you would expect.
The revolt happens quickly and the book then focuses on the main goal, which is now that the slave revolt has happened and the power shifted, how can the liberated slaves stay liberated. While the narrative does focus on Toussaint Louverture it is worth noting that it is not really his story, it's the story of the revolt itself. It shifts locations and characters to follow the main events that impacted on the revolt, rather that a biography of Toussaint, or any one character. Towards the end you get the biggest focus on Toussaint and his legacy, but by and large the book will zip away from him if an event or discussion affecting the revolt is taking place elsewhere.
The book is amazing at showing how the people of this island grew up in the shadow of the French Revolution and believed they should fight for the same thing their colonial rulers were, liberty, equality and fraternity. The island was of huge financial importance to the French, so, predictably they would do all they could to ensure its put back in its place, despite the odd Frenchman attempting to uphold the rights of the liberated. The island being of worth to the English and Spanish also creates a situation where all these world powers are desperately trying to put things back and stake their claim, while the liberated people seem to be the only ones that just want their freedom and they are certainly the only ones that think they are entitled to it. The book does a wonderful job of placing the liberated slaves in the middle of this mess that was created by powerful European ideals and a sense of injustice needing to be righted.
The story is emotional, frustrating, sickening, uplifting, it really has it all and knowing that it is inspired by real life events makes all of those emotions far more intense. Here it has been brought to life with skilled artistry that will be understandable to all ages. Another interpretation of this story is always welcome, particularly when it is done with such style and respect for the original source material.
May 29, 2023
- As someone who knew very little about Touissant Louverature beyond that he led the slave rebellion in Haiti, this book was an incredible way to learn more. I found myself stopping and googling different things while reading, because this story ties into so many different aspects of history.
- by the time I finished this book, I was furious that I hadn’t learned more about it in school! The connections to the US and the colonial empires in Europe were so important, it’s frustrating that this seems so specifically minimized.
- the drawing style was incredible. The way it conveyed emotion was incredible. While it did make parts hard to read/follow at times, it was worth it for the feelings it conveyed.
- I had a little trouble keeping track of the cast of characters, so I really appreciated the character guide at the beginning.
- by the time I finished this book, I was furious that I hadn’t learned more about it in school! The connections to the US and the colonial empires in Europe were so important, it’s frustrating that this seems so specifically minimized.
- the drawing style was incredible. The way it conveyed emotion was incredible. While it did make parts hard to read/follow at times, it was worth it for the feelings it conveyed.
- I had a little trouble keeping track of the cast of characters, so I really appreciated the character guide at the beginning.
October 7, 2023
A graphic novel, with dramatis personae!, of the Haitian Revolution. Yes, please! Although there is no color, the illustrator does well differentiating characters in memorable ways to tether the reader through what is a pretty complex story of political intrigue, war, and death. The mosquitos for transitions is a wonderful aesthetic touch!
If you already know the story, this isn't going to teach you anything. If you don't, it's a decent intro and could be useful for a comparative revolution exercise in a US history class. Certainly less time needed than the chapter from An African-American and Latinx History of the United States that I assign.
If you already know the story, this isn't going to teach you anything. If you don't, it's a decent intro and could be useful for a comparative revolution exercise in a US history class. Certainly less time needed than the chapter from An African-American and Latinx History of the United States that I assign.
September 1, 2024
The choice to present an historical play as a graphic novel is curious. The early scenes are all about passionate shouting, as the quest for the abolition of slavery on San Domingo develops as France contorts through it's post-Revolutionary years and Spain and England maneuver for advantage. Boukman, Dessaline and other slave leaders assert their views in large and bold text. The passionate racist/planter Monsieur Bullet rails at everybody with his hair streaming out behind him. The illustrations are well below the standard for graphic novels. Many years pass between some of the scenes. We learn that Toussaint ruled San Domingo for a year as the war for independence continued and that the island was returned to prosperity in that time. We don't see this happen, but we are told as background towards the end of the book. The novel succeeds in showing us the difficult path Toussaint had to follow to continue to advance his people, the treachery of Napoleon and the tragedy of Toussaint's death in prison in the French Alps. But I'm not sure that fidelity to the play helped in the telling of that history.
May 27, 2024
Recounting the remarkable life of Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture, this evocative and powerful graphic novel is based on the original play written by C.L.R. James in 1934, and originally performed (with Paul Robeson as L’Ouverture) in London in 1936. The duplicity of the European powers (Spain, Britain, and France) is on full display in this volume. The US consul is depicted as mainly interested in commercial interests. For many in the French Revolution, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity did not extend to their former enslaved in the Caribbean. Napoleon is highlighted as not accepting black equality with whites. At the same time, several of the Haitian revolutionary leaders were only interested in their own interests until it was too late. A recurrent theme throughout the pages is the omnipresent mosquito, perhaps representing some form of cosmic retribution or justice. An appropriate volume for high school and undergraduate students interested in the Age of Revolutions, the history of slavery, as well as the history of the Caribbean.
June 28, 2024
Wow. Brilliantly done. Usually with graphic novels you get an abridged story, usually way too abridged. You sacrifice the story for the drawings. But this book gave you both. The story was as full and rich as a novel. AND the graphics were so very, very clever.
This was not just a good story, it was a very interesting history lesson. I'm surprised that I didn't know a lot of this stuff, and surprised that this book doesn't have more ratings. Five full stars, a hundred percent excellence.
Some things that were clever about the art and the creative design:
- the flies - very cool way of foreshadowing subtley in a way that makes you go "Ohhhh" later on
- sweat beads - same thing - so cleverly done
- they made a play of it - I mean they crafted this book as if it was a play, and the way they presented this to us was brilliant - the cast of characters (SO helpful - I had it flagged and referred to it regularly) and the drum beats (I could hear them in my head)
- and so much more
HIGHLY recommend
This was not just a good story, it was a very interesting history lesson. I'm surprised that I didn't know a lot of this stuff, and surprised that this book doesn't have more ratings. Five full stars, a hundred percent excellence.
Some things that were clever about the art and the creative design:
- the flies - very cool way of foreshadowing subtley in a way that makes you go "Ohhhh" later on
- sweat beads - same thing - so cleverly done
- they made a play of it - I mean they crafted this book as if it was a play, and the way they presented this to us was brilliant - the cast of characters (SO helpful - I had it flagged and referred to it regularly) and the drum beats (I could hear them in my head)
- and so much more
HIGHLY recommend
July 30, 2024
Brilliant. I've never properly read graphic novels before, but this one really impressed me. It's written and illustrated with such energy, skill and movement that you really feel yourself being carried along like an action movie! The illustrations are really inventive and full of imagination, while telling a really important true history that should be known to many more people than it is. Highly recommended.
November 30, 2024
Prachtige bewerking van het verhaal van CLR James over de indrukwekkende revolutie van tot slaafgemaakten in Haiti. Het boek is in het begin misschien wat moeilijk te volgen, maar laat goed de manier zien waarop de Fransen probeerde de revolutie te breken met 'carrot en stick'. De tekeningen zijn prachtig en de opmaak geeft het verhaal ritme. Hopelijk vindt dit verhaal zich via deze graphic novel haar weg naar een nieuw publiek, maar lees vooral ook het origineel
July 17, 2024
Really great primer on the Haitian revolution, great art style, captures the feeling of the original play that inspired it; the play was written in the 30s and as a result the story is as theatrical as it is historic. I found myself occasionally wanting more of one aspect or the other, but it is extremely recommendable throughout.
September 11, 2024
Excellent play by CLR James about the Haitian Revolution, but I did not like the graphic novel so much because of the illustration style when it came to depicting the skin colors of Black people. I just wished that there was more shading in to show depth of color and skin tone variations between Black and white characters
July 30, 2025
This is kinda talky in terms of the page layout (lots of walls of portentous text— I find this is often a problem with adult historical graphic novels), but the art and page layouts are lovely, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this.
May 26, 2024
I did learn history I wasn't aware of, but I found the book hard to follow at first.
May 27, 2024
War and treachery, but I guess that’s redundant.
June 9, 2024
Fantastic. I especially loved the cast of figures at the beginning - wish more graphic novels had this.
June 20, 2024
The pages are bursting with energy. This graphic novel should become required reading in high school social studies.
June 23, 2024
A very faithful adaptation of James' Black Jacobins for a mass audience.
March 9, 2025
great! looking forward to learning more about haiti!
July 21, 2025
this is so well illustrated and we already knew clr james is the man. will be gifting this to my nephew and any child i know 8 and above.
August 24, 2025
100% awesome xxxx
January 27, 2024
C.L.R. James’ The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution (1938) is considered a must read for anyone interested in Haiti. However, it is not an easy read and can be confusing to people who don’t read history often and who are not familiar with the era in question. A slave colony in the 1700’s is so far removed from the realities of a modern reader, that it is hard to imagine the drama unfolding. My only attempt at James’ seminal work ended in failure. Seeing how important the slave revolt was in American history, I decided to increase my awareness by reading the graphic novel, Toussaint L’Ouverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History based on a lost C.L.R. James play adapted by Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee. Unfortunately, even the graphic novel confused me.
There are no less than 32 characters in the graphic novel adaption. A reader may well have a hard time distinguishing between or recognizing the characters. I certainly did, having to continually check the character page of Dramatic Personae. My brain simply could not distinguish between the 32 caricatures until there roles were cemented in my skull. Add to the confusion that the revolt takes place over a decade and involves intrigues between three countries, France, Spain and Britain. No wonder a reader can be confused, even in a graphic novel that tacitly purports to make the event easier to understand. Most historical graphic novels that I have read, give the perspective of one person, which makes the book easier to comprehend since the history is the backdrop. Shigeru Mizuki’s masterful Showa trilogy comes to mind. I felt that I could really understand Japan from 1926-1953 because I was seeing it through the eyes of one person. Since the C.L.R. James play was only performed a couple of times, I will not surmise on it. However, the graphic novel adaption attempts to neatly encapsulate the entire rebellion, and thus can simplify too much and even confuse. While motives are transparent, are all motives so transparent?
I am not a huge reader of graphic novels but delve into the genre now and again. In this case, I think that my unfamiliarity with the nuance in the genre may make me a poor judge in appraising it. However, I do feel that the graphic adaption should perhaps supplement other (non-graphic) material on the Haitian rebellion. If I wanted to do further reading on the subject, I’d give James’ The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Rebellion another stab and read the graphic novel slowly to accompany it. The adapting authors may think the same, listing a concise bibliography of Further Readings & Acknowledgments at the end of their adaption. I would recommend reading one of the historical accounts mentioned while reading chapters of the graphic novel to better visualize the Haitian Revolution.
There are no less than 32 characters in the graphic novel adaption. A reader may well have a hard time distinguishing between or recognizing the characters. I certainly did, having to continually check the character page of Dramatic Personae. My brain simply could not distinguish between the 32 caricatures until there roles were cemented in my skull. Add to the confusion that the revolt takes place over a decade and involves intrigues between three countries, France, Spain and Britain. No wonder a reader can be confused, even in a graphic novel that tacitly purports to make the event easier to understand. Most historical graphic novels that I have read, give the perspective of one person, which makes the book easier to comprehend since the history is the backdrop. Shigeru Mizuki’s masterful Showa trilogy comes to mind. I felt that I could really understand Japan from 1926-1953 because I was seeing it through the eyes of one person. Since the C.L.R. James play was only performed a couple of times, I will not surmise on it. However, the graphic novel adaption attempts to neatly encapsulate the entire rebellion, and thus can simplify too much and even confuse. While motives are transparent, are all motives so transparent?
I am not a huge reader of graphic novels but delve into the genre now and again. In this case, I think that my unfamiliarity with the nuance in the genre may make me a poor judge in appraising it. However, I do feel that the graphic adaption should perhaps supplement other (non-graphic) material on the Haitian rebellion. If I wanted to do further reading on the subject, I’d give James’ The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Rebellion another stab and read the graphic novel slowly to accompany it. The adapting authors may think the same, listing a concise bibliography of Further Readings & Acknowledgments at the end of their adaption. I would recommend reading one of the historical accounts mentioned while reading chapters of the graphic novel to better visualize the Haitian Revolution.
August 12, 2023
“Toussaint Louverture” is a graphic novel about the Haitian Revolution under Toussaint Louverture. According to the publisher’s blurb, the text is from a 1936 play by C.L.R. James. The play was performed by black actors in London at the time, but then the script disappeared for years. Now it has been made into a gripping graphic novel.
The Haitian Revolution was the only successful revolt by enslaved people. This story closely follows the central events of the Revolution. The illustrations make the text easier to understand because they so clearly depict the action and emotion of the characters. The novel is drawn in black and white which only adds to the overall message of the story.
This book is great for teens and adults who enjoy graphic novels and history. “Toussaint Louverture” would be an excellent piece of historical fiction to add to a modern world history class. It would be interesting to have students compare the events depicted in the graphic novel with the historical record, then discuss why James made the choices he did to add drama or explain larger issues faced by enslaved peoples in the Caribbean.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by NetGalley and the publisher, Verso Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Haitian Revolution was the only successful revolt by enslaved people. This story closely follows the central events of the Revolution. The illustrations make the text easier to understand because they so clearly depict the action and emotion of the characters. The novel is drawn in black and white which only adds to the overall message of the story.
This book is great for teens and adults who enjoy graphic novels and history. “Toussaint Louverture” would be an excellent piece of historical fiction to add to a modern world history class. It would be interesting to have students compare the events depicted in the graphic novel with the historical record, then discuss why James made the choices he did to add drama or explain larger issues faced by enslaved peoples in the Caribbean.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by NetGalley and the publisher, Verso Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 10, 2023
An enjoyable, quick read that covers a rich history of the Haitian revolution. The illustrations were a bit rough around the edges, and seemed like they needed to be polished a bit more before publication; but they were still entertaining and easy to follow. I appreciated the list of characters at the beginning so I could keep track of who's who.
I went into this book not knowing much about the details of this historical moment, and left feeling like I have a good understanding of the larger picture. I'll be looking into Black Jacobins next for more context.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an early copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I went into this book not knowing much about the details of this historical moment, and left feeling like I have a good understanding of the larger picture. I'll be looking into Black Jacobins next for more context.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an early copy of the book in return for an honest review.
February 14, 2024
A stunning achievement and possibly one of the best historical nonfiction graphic novels put to print. Stunning art abounds throughout the pages and the evocative use of lines as characters get animated give an astounding level of passion to this project. As the French Revolution rages in Europe, we follow the decade-plus war that started as slave revolt in San Domingo before eventually birthing the nation of Haiti. A compelling cast of characters leads us from notable battles to Parisian staterooms as we see the political decisions, battlefield machinations and mistakes that led to the lionization of Toussaint Louverture.
February 18, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed "Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History". The graphic novel format, with its unique and captivating illustrations, brought the story to life in a remarkable way. The book provided a detailed account of the Haitian Revolution and its leader Toussaint Louverture, shedding light on this significant historical event. Although it was sometimes challenging to keep track of the various characters and their roles, the overall storytelling was impressive. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning about this inspiring and often overlooked part of history.
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