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The Good Earth[graphic novel]
Pearl Buck’s 1931 Pulitzer Prize–winning classic about the rise and fall of Chinese villagers before World War I comes to life in this graphic novel by Nick Bertozzi.
In The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck paints an indelible portrait of China in the 1920s, when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings. This story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-Lan is must reading to fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during the last century.
In The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck paints an indelible portrait of China in the 1920s, when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings. This story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-Lan is must reading to fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during the last century.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published July 4, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
March 31, 2017
+Digital copy gently provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review+
[Please note that my rating refers only to this edition.]
Wang Lung is a poor peasant in China between wars, the story begins with his marriage to a poor slave of a rich house - O-Lan -, and continues through three generations in his fight against poverty, hunger, droughts and plagues , meanwhile a revolution is mentioned in the background. O-Lan and Wang Lung work very hard on their lands, and their efforts bear fruit although he never values his wife much in spite of being essentially a fairly good and honest man, which is seen especially at the end.
I had read this novel many years ago, it was among the books in my house and I remembered it with some nostalgia, so I required this book out of curiosity. I do not know where this fashion came from introducing great classics as graphic novels, but in this case the format frankly does not do justice to this tremendous classic.
I highly recommend reading the original novel.
The art is not what I would have expected, sketches of the scenes and the characters change quite a bit from one vignette to the other.
[Please note that my rating refers only to this edition.]
Wang Lung is a poor peasant in China between wars, the story begins with his marriage to a poor slave of a rich house - O-Lan -, and continues through three generations in his fight against poverty, hunger, droughts and plagues , meanwhile a revolution is mentioned in the background. O-Lan and Wang Lung work very hard on their lands, and their efforts bear fruit although he never values his wife much in spite of being essentially a fairly good and honest man, which is seen especially at the end.
I had read this novel many years ago, it was among the books in my house and I remembered it with some nostalgia, so I required this book out of curiosity. I do not know where this fashion came from introducing great classics as graphic novels, but in this case the format frankly does not do justice to this tremendous classic.
I highly recommend reading the original novel.
The art is not what I would have expected, sketches of the scenes and the characters change quite a bit from one vignette to the other.
March 28, 2020
A graphic novel adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize winning novel from 1931. It follows a poor farmer over the course of his life. He gets married, has children, and becomes obsessed with gaining social and economic power.
The art style seemed very messy at times. The story was a little hard to follow at times as well. The characters were quite flat. I just didn't really connect with the story.
The art style seemed very messy at times. The story was a little hard to follow at times as well. The characters were quite flat. I just didn't really connect with the story.
January 19, 2018
It was an interesting look at China during the time the author lived there, but it could be frustrating. I also did not know it was a trilogy and was frustrated when the book did not END. I had to get book 2 and read the first 2 chapters to come to a good conclusion.
July 26, 2017
When I requested this from NetGalley I didn’t realise it wasn’t Pearl Buck’s novel as such but a graphic adaptation by Nick Bertozzi. I’m not a fan of graphic novels but now I had this one I gave it a try and I must say Bertozzi has done a grand job with it. He has kept the flavour of the book and his version will no doubt bring the book to a new readership. There seems to be some confusion on the review pages of Amazon, with the reviews mostly about Buck’s novel not Bertozzi’s. This is a shame as the graphic version deserves to be more prominently featured.
May 29, 2017
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a review of the graphic adaptation of The Good Earth rather than the original novel. The story is about a poor family in rural China that receives a change in fortune. It progresses through the life of Wang Lung with some great insight into the hardships these families face and ending off with the rise of communism.
I love how unapologetic this book is. It shows some of the difficult decisions that people face and doesn't shy away from the negative aspects. There are positive moments as well, so it isn't all depressing. I found myself disliking Wang Lung for some of the things he does, but the writing kept me interested in what would happen next. The events that shape the story are significant, but don't always get a proper introduction.
As a graphic adaptation, the art is the very important. It adds an element to the story that makes it more visceral. The art is simplistic and doesn't really follow current trends in comics, which is perfectly fine. It uses a lot of exposition and supplements it with poignant images. They are not over the top and match the tone of the story well. Often it is an image of the characters with some background details thrown in. Reading this adaptation is a nice way to discover the story.
This is a review of the graphic adaptation of The Good Earth rather than the original novel. The story is about a poor family in rural China that receives a change in fortune. It progresses through the life of Wang Lung with some great insight into the hardships these families face and ending off with the rise of communism.
I love how unapologetic this book is. It shows some of the difficult decisions that people face and doesn't shy away from the negative aspects. There are positive moments as well, so it isn't all depressing. I found myself disliking Wang Lung for some of the things he does, but the writing kept me interested in what would happen next. The events that shape the story are significant, but don't always get a proper introduction.
As a graphic adaptation, the art is the very important. It adds an element to the story that makes it more visceral. The art is simplistic and doesn't really follow current trends in comics, which is perfectly fine. It uses a lot of exposition and supplements it with poignant images. They are not over the top and match the tone of the story well. Often it is an image of the characters with some background details thrown in. Reading this adaptation is a nice way to discover the story.
July 7, 2017
The Good Earth is one of my all-time favourite books ever. After I read it, I finished the trilogy and then haunted used bookstores to read every Buck book I could get my hands on. There are only a couple I haven't read. This graphic novel adaption is excellent. The art has a Chinese feel to it and fits the atmosphere of the story. It's been so long since I read the book that I can't really say how true to the original this graphic adaptation is, however, it felt entirely right to me. This is a tale of long-suffering people in an era between traditional Chinese culture and the upcoming Revolution. The book is awesome and this adaptation does it more than justice. Recommended!
April 12, 2017
No sé por donde empezar... Antes que nada aclaro que mi puntuación es para esta adaptación, no para el libro original de Pearl S. Buck.
En primer lugar parece un resumen (y demasiado extenso) del libro, segundo, las ilustraciones son tan malas que parecen hechas por un niño de primaria. No sé porque lo catalogan como cómic, si en realidad parece un libro ilustrado; la mayor parte está explicada en párrafos (que en ocasiones hasta son confusos de seguir) y muy pocos diálogos. Malisímo para mi gusto.
En primer lugar parece un resumen (y demasiado extenso) del libro, segundo, las ilustraciones son tan malas que parecen hechas por un niño de primaria. No sé porque lo catalogan como cómic, si en realidad parece un libro ilustrado; la mayor parte está explicada en párrafos (que en ocasiones hasta son confusos de seguir) y muy pocos diálogos. Malisímo para mi gusto.
January 20, 2018
Finally got around to reading this classic novel about life for a Chinese peasant couple at the beginning of the 20th century, and am so glad I did. It paints a vivid picture of the time and place and has great insights about the rise from poverty to wealth. Treat yourself to a step back in time with this classic.
April 8, 2021
I have always heard of this book, but have never read it. I didn't even know what it was about. I also didn't mean to check out the graphic novel version from the library, but I read it any way. This was an emotionally power read, even in the graphic form. I probably would have given the full novel 4 stars, but this one looses a star for content. Reading between the lines you could tell the interaction of all the characters (constant family drama and major Chinese historical events) was scaled back due to the length of the edition. It made me wonder how much was left out.
November 30, 2017
A nicely done adaptation.
September 17, 2020
Tried Reading the original...couldn't really get in to it. I had this version on hand by accidentally putting it on hold, instead of the original, at the Library. Definitely a quicker read this way. Glad I didn't waste time reading the long version. May just not be the type of book for me.
November 14, 2017
It’s comic books like these that I love writing about. Partly because it helps fuel the fire of the flame I’m stoking about how mainstream superhero comics are now irrelevant. Also, because The Good Earth is a fantastic book that I want to tell everyone about.
Yes, I know it was a novel long before it was a comic book, so hold your horses.
Instead of dealing with flying capes and ridiculous villains and circumstances, the Good Earth is about history, humanity, survival, the search for happiness, and foremost about appreciating our lot in life. It follows the Story of Wang lung, a poor farmer born in China in the early 1900s and how through perseverance and luck is able to overcome his poverty to find economic security. Thinking this would bring him true happiness, Wang Lung instead realizes that a steady income of money does not keep all the moving parts in his life in check. He is constantly conflicted with his obligations and responsibilities and doing the right thing while still fighting the urge to make himself happy through other pleasures. Though he falters, stumbles, and makes mistakes, his path is relatively well taken due to the fact that he’s figured out how to make good use of the land he’s acquired.
This is truly a heart wrenching story set in such an unfamiliar time to the reader that it leaves one guessing where the story will go. Nick Bertozzi’s artwork gives Pearl Buck’s story an art that seems to match the source perfectly, being both free of framework constraints and yet easy to follow. It’s clearly a throwback to ancient style but still looks fresh.
The Good Earth is impressive for how much story it’s able to tell and proves once again what the comic book artform can accomplish, and unfortunately, what most fans of the genre are missing out on.
Yes, I know it was a novel long before it was a comic book, so hold your horses.
Instead of dealing with flying capes and ridiculous villains and circumstances, the Good Earth is about history, humanity, survival, the search for happiness, and foremost about appreciating our lot in life. It follows the Story of Wang lung, a poor farmer born in China in the early 1900s and how through perseverance and luck is able to overcome his poverty to find economic security. Thinking this would bring him true happiness, Wang Lung instead realizes that a steady income of money does not keep all the moving parts in his life in check. He is constantly conflicted with his obligations and responsibilities and doing the right thing while still fighting the urge to make himself happy through other pleasures. Though he falters, stumbles, and makes mistakes, his path is relatively well taken due to the fact that he’s figured out how to make good use of the land he’s acquired.
This is truly a heart wrenching story set in such an unfamiliar time to the reader that it leaves one guessing where the story will go. Nick Bertozzi’s artwork gives Pearl Buck’s story an art that seems to match the source perfectly, being both free of framework constraints and yet easy to follow. It’s clearly a throwback to ancient style but still looks fresh.
The Good Earth is impressive for how much story it’s able to tell and proves once again what the comic book artform can accomplish, and unfortunately, what most fans of the genre are missing out on.
March 27, 2017
Did you read The Good Earth in school. Yeah, me too. Do I remember anything about it? Not really. I thought it was the story of a farmer in pre-communist China, but it has been a long time, and so I was surprised at some of the aspects that were revealed to me.
I probably would have noticed them if I had read the original, so it might just be my maturity, but I had forgotten how belittled the women were, considered worthless, things to sell to make money, a slave, and not a real child, the way a boy was, and best to be married off or sold, rather than to spend money on them.
I can see why the original won prizes to the writing, and this illustrated version of the novel works well. It does give an easy way to plunge into this world.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I probably would have noticed them if I had read the original, so it might just be my maturity, but I had forgotten how belittled the women were, considered worthless, things to sell to make money, a slave, and not a real child, the way a boy was, and best to be married off or sold, rather than to spend money on them.
I can see why the original won prizes to the writing, and this illustrated version of the novel works well. It does give an easy way to plunge into this world.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
December 6, 2017
This is not the conventional edition of Buck’s novel. This is a heavily edited and reduced version accompanied by the drawings of Nick Bertozzi. Buck’s abridged story is interesting enough, as we take a trip into the grim world of desperate and starving peasants in 1920s China. Though I’m not sure what Bertozzi’s art work does to enhance or help the story?...
The highly appealing art work on the cover is misleading and no reflection of the art work inside. I am really not fond of this kind of style at all. I read Bertozzi’s last work about Andy Warhol and that was OK, though I wasn’t a fan of his drawing, but I gave him another try and I realise that he is definitely not for me. This isn’t bad, the standard of drawing is decent enough, but the style really doesn’t do anything for me personally.
September 4, 2017
This pedestrian graphic novel adaptation barely hints at the greatness of the source material. My joy in revisiting the characters and story was muted by the clunky artwork and that clunkiness possibly causing an overreliance on caption narration instead of a show-don't-tell approach to the adaptation. I feel sorry for anyone who is using this an introduction to Pearl Buck's classic, because they are missing out on so much.
May 6, 2018
Having never read this classic, I thought I'd give it the once over as a graphic novel. Totally love the graphic novel versions of the classics, however my ignorance of this time in history was a hindrance to me. If I had a better understanding of the time & place I think I would have understood more of the story. Perhaps, I will grab an audio copy of Pearl S. Buck's original work sometime in the near future.
October 17, 2018
While it's nice to finally know what this book's about I can honestly say the only thing I liked about this book was the blue and pink colour palette. The subject matter and treatment of women, acknowledging that yes that was the time, is too much for me to appreciate.
October 28, 2021
The story follows one man who hates the rich becoming rich. There are a few wholesome or meaningful moments when the main character reflects on what he has and what is meaningful to him, but otherwise he's mostly just infuriating.
May 13, 2018
The art was very dramatic and emotional, made the story come alive.
November 16, 2017
It seems like everyone read The Good Earth by Pearl S Buck during their high school years and even if they didn't, they've at least heard of this book. Buck, as a Westerner, was criticized for daring to write a story about a family in China. Taking place in the 1920's it's a universal story about a man's struggles in life from his years as a young farmer through his old age, dealing with the numerous trials which come from overseeing a large extended family. He makes mistakes, lives through various crises, has disgruntled sons, and supports a bunch of leeches who take advantage of his hard work as he moves from poverty into wealth. In the background is the Chinese Revolution and the shedding of the old ways. As the reader becomes immersed in the story, they grow to understand something of the culture from that time period. Published in 1931, this book was considered a ground breaker for a generation of people who knew nothing about the Chinese culture.
This review does not attempt to rate Pearl S Buck's works. Instead I would like to focus on the adaptation by Nick Bertozzi who has created a graphic novel illustrating the plot line of the original work. While it helps if you've already read the book, the reader can easily get more than a gist of the tale through this condensed version of Buck's words. The black and white line drawings, however are problematic. I received an ARC from Netgalley so perhaps additions have been made to the illustrations for the final copy to make them clearer and more defined. While in the beginning there are some relevant details, as the book progresses there is less and less definition to the drawings. You definitely need the text, at times, to figure out what is going on in the picture. So even though the adaptation is adequate, the graphics are not. While I wasn't expecting color (it just wouldn't have been appropriate in a story reflecting the grayness of their lives), I was expecting a sharper image with characters who were well shaped instead of basically a blob. My main complaint is the abrupt ending with a final panel which only vaguely captures any of Buck's nuances unless you just happened to have recently read the final paragraph of the book.
Hopefully the final draft had an improved quality. Still, illustrations always enhance a work, which is why graphic novels are so popular, and I appreciate when the classics are made more approachable for the upcoming generations. A barely three star version of a five star book.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review does not attempt to rate Pearl S Buck's works. Instead I would like to focus on the adaptation by Nick Bertozzi who has created a graphic novel illustrating the plot line of the original work. While it helps if you've already read the book, the reader can easily get more than a gist of the tale through this condensed version of Buck's words. The black and white line drawings, however are problematic. I received an ARC from Netgalley so perhaps additions have been made to the illustrations for the final copy to make them clearer and more defined. While in the beginning there are some relevant details, as the book progresses there is less and less definition to the drawings. You definitely need the text, at times, to figure out what is going on in the picture. So even though the adaptation is adequate, the graphics are not. While I wasn't expecting color (it just wouldn't have been appropriate in a story reflecting the grayness of their lives), I was expecting a sharper image with characters who were well shaped instead of basically a blob. My main complaint is the abrupt ending with a final panel which only vaguely captures any of Buck's nuances unless you just happened to have recently read the final paragraph of the book.
Hopefully the final draft had an improved quality. Still, illustrations always enhance a work, which is why graphic novels are so popular, and I appreciate when the classics are made more approachable for the upcoming generations. A barely three star version of a five star book.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2023
Disclaimer: I've never read the actual The Good Earth and I was literally half way through the graphic adaption before I realized it's actually source. Secondly, I know absolutely nothing about this time frame in China.
That being said, I'm sure it's probably accurate, however I hated this book.
Hated it for so many reasons- first being that it's rather hard to follow. I don't know if it's the sloppy style or if it was being rushed but there were several times where I didn't know what I had just read.
Is it just me or is it confusing to others too?
Moving right along, I thought this was going to be a poor to rich, struggle of a man but he becomes a better man because he knows the value of less vs. more. 😳😳 Wang Lung is instead without a doubt a fucking asshole. Yeah, he's poor to begin with, but then he gets greedy and he treats his wife (who is a good wife) like absolute shit and he is just a piece of poo. Again, don't know what the deal is in China in the 1920's and I can acknowledge that but his character is just too much for me to appreciate this book.
Also the ending- what? I trudged through to the finish line for that? Just feels like it wasn't worth my efforts. Kudos on the pale blue and pink palette though- a nice change from just black and white.
That being said, I'm sure it's probably accurate, however I hated this book.
Hated it for so many reasons- first being that it's rather hard to follow. I don't know if it's the sloppy style or if it was being rushed but there were several times where I didn't know what I had just read.
Is it just me or is it confusing to others too?
Moving right along, I thought this was going to be a poor to rich, struggle of a man but he becomes a better man because he knows the value of less vs. more. 😳😳 Wang Lung is instead without a doubt a fucking asshole. Yeah, he's poor to begin with, but then he gets greedy and he treats his wife (who is a good wife) like absolute shit and he is just a piece of poo. Again, don't know what the deal is in China in the 1920's and I can acknowledge that but his character is just too much for me to appreciate this book.
Also the ending- what? I trudged through to the finish line for that? Just feels like it wasn't worth my efforts. Kudos on the pale blue and pink palette though- a nice change from just black and white.
December 4, 2017
I never read the original of this book, so I can’t directly compare. I did look over the Sparknotes, and it appears that this comics adaptation is very faithful. However, even with copious text (seriously there is so much text) I imagine that this version loses the poetry and poignancy of the original.
The plot reminds me of Gone With The Wind and Things Fall Apart, and honestly, I think I would have hated it in high school. I preferred things with dragons in them back then. Even now, it seems so long and subtle that I don’t know I would enjoy it. Plus, by today’s standards, an allegory of a Chinese farmer written by an American child of missionaries leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and I am sure that comparable #ownvoices stories exist to be taught to high school and college kids.
Honestly, it was fine, and way shorter than the original, but I can’t recommend it in comparison. Sure, the comics format adds emotional depth to the text on the page, but it’s just trying to adapt something already full of depth and nuance. If you’re going to read a Pulitzer Prize winning classic, then just read it.
The plot reminds me of Gone With The Wind and Things Fall Apart, and honestly, I think I would have hated it in high school. I preferred things with dragons in them back then. Even now, it seems so long and subtle that I don’t know I would enjoy it. Plus, by today’s standards, an allegory of a Chinese farmer written by an American child of missionaries leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and I am sure that comparable #ownvoices stories exist to be taught to high school and college kids.
Honestly, it was fine, and way shorter than the original, but I can’t recommend it in comparison. Sure, the comics format adds emotional depth to the text on the page, but it’s just trying to adapt something already full of depth and nuance. If you’re going to read a Pulitzer Prize winning classic, then just read it.
July 17, 2018
I’ve waited a long time for this to come out because TGE is one of my favorite books ever. As I started reading it I was immediately wondering why I thought, or anyone else thought that a graphic novel version of this would be a good idea. It’s a lot of story to cram in. And it starts to really feel like that almost immediately and then again towards the end. Overall it’s played out well. I felt like there is a little skirting around how poorly Olan was treated, and a little extra emphasis on some of Wang Lung’s moments of empathy that just felt different than the novel. But overall pretty much in keeping with it. However because there is so much ground to cover it feels like bad subtitles in a movie towards the end because it’s less story than just trying to list everything that happens and so it lacks feeling and emotion. Like Cliff’s notes with pictures.
The art is just ok. And finally, and this is probably too picky of me, but did it bother anyone else that the author, in his acknowledgements, didn’t even acknowledge the late Pearl S. Buck?
All it really accomplished was making me want to read the real thing again.
The art is just ok. And finally, and this is probably too picky of me, but did it bother anyone else that the author, in his acknowledgements, didn’t even acknowledge the late Pearl S. Buck?
All it really accomplished was making me want to read the real thing again.
March 11, 2019
This book gave a very interesting look into the life of a Chinese farmerin the 1920’s. The book is quite old and the writing style sometimes a bit dated. A strange mix between poetic descriptions, yet completely without emotions. The death of a female child is mentioned with as much emotion and depth, as one describes how grains were mixed to make food. But this tone is also probably representative for life in those times, as female children were called “slaves” and seen as a burden. Giving birth was something done as quickly as possible and without fuss, especially during harvest time when women were expected to be back on the fields a few hours after being in labour (I feel very spoiled with my one year paid parental leave in sweden).
During the book, the farmer Wang Lung, lives through poverty and famine, but also through wealth and family-problems. It’s a very interesting book, capturing many years of a hard life.
The Good earth came to me via Bookcrossing and it would not have been my first choice if I would see it in a bookstore. But I’m glad I’ve read it, even though it sometimes left you with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
During the book, the farmer Wang Lung, lives through poverty and famine, but also through wealth and family-problems. It’s a very interesting book, capturing many years of a hard life.
The Good earth came to me via Bookcrossing and it would not have been my first choice if I would see it in a bookstore. But I’m glad I’ve read it, even though it sometimes left you with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.
May 10, 2019
'The Good Earth' by Pearl S. Buck with adaptation and art by Nick Bertozzi is a graphic novel adaptatin of the classic novel.
The story takes place in China in the 1920s and the main character is Wang Lung and his wife O-Lan. As the fortunes of the country change, so do Wang Lung's. He goes from poverty to wealth by using great care, but his wealth brings new problems. Along the way there is drought and floods and famine. His wife O-Lan works hard, brings him children, and ends up only earning his scorn. In his later years, Wang Lung is concerned with leaving a legacy for his children.
It does a decent job of adaptation, and the art is good, but it's so wordy and laid out so plainly that I found myself drifting away as I read it. It could be that it isn't a good story to adapt. I admire the effort, but I was happy to have it done.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
The story takes place in China in the 1920s and the main character is Wang Lung and his wife O-Lan. As the fortunes of the country change, so do Wang Lung's. He goes from poverty to wealth by using great care, but his wealth brings new problems. Along the way there is drought and floods and famine. His wife O-Lan works hard, brings him children, and ends up only earning his scorn. In his later years, Wang Lung is concerned with leaving a legacy for his children.
It does a decent job of adaptation, and the art is good, but it's so wordy and laid out so plainly that I found myself drifting away as I read it. It could be that it isn't a good story to adapt. I admire the effort, but I was happy to have it done.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
May 25, 2017
Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
It was great to revisit this classic that I haven't seen since high school in graphic novel form. The Good Earth is one of the few classics I remember enjoying and it was a pleasure to reread it in this format.
The illustrations were strong (and appropriate considering some of the subject matter of this text) and the plot line fairly easy to follow. It's interesting to view this from both a cultural, generational, feminist and global perspective. Our world has changed so much since the time period that this book was written. Can our children even imagine what it would've been like to live in that world?
I would think this a good text to use with an English class to compare to the original text.
It was great to revisit this classic that I haven't seen since high school in graphic novel form. The Good Earth is one of the few classics I remember enjoying and it was a pleasure to reread it in this format.
The illustrations were strong (and appropriate considering some of the subject matter of this text) and the plot line fairly easy to follow. It's interesting to view this from both a cultural, generational, feminist and global perspective. Our world has changed so much since the time period that this book was written. Can our children even imagine what it would've been like to live in that world?
I would think this a good text to use with an English class to compare to the original text.
May 26, 2017
I have never read the The Good Earth so this graphic novel is a great beginning for me.
Wang Lung stars poor and struggling and rises to riches because of his connection to the earth. He is a farmer that understand the wealth and power are hidden in these lots. But his life isn't easy and neither when he is poor or when he is rich.
The images are enjoyable and really seem to fit with the time period describing. The writing was concise and easily portrayed feeling and emotions of the majority of characters. It left me wanting more; I now have a desire to read the actual novel and delve into the deepness of the idea and culture of the time.
I am a huge fan of Chinese and Japanese cultural history so this was right up my alley and really got me excited for the body of work it portrays.
I received this book from Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.
Wang Lung stars poor and struggling and rises to riches because of his connection to the earth. He is a farmer that understand the wealth and power are hidden in these lots. But his life isn't easy and neither when he is poor or when he is rich.
The images are enjoyable and really seem to fit with the time period describing. The writing was concise and easily portrayed feeling and emotions of the majority of characters. It left me wanting more; I now have a desire to read the actual novel and delve into the deepness of the idea and culture of the time.
I am a huge fan of Chinese and Japanese cultural history so this was right up my alley and really got me excited for the body of work it portrays.
I received this book from Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.
March 19, 2018
I really enjoyed the read. Being the son of Chinese immigrants from the North, I can almost imagine my ancestors being some of the farmers in this book. I put a lot of emphasis on my own filial piety so it was good to read about a pre-Revolutionary perspective on it all. Some of it seems damn backwards from more liberal opinions today, but just the glimpse into the behaviors at the time are interesting to contrast with my own upbringing. It brings your imagination along the wild journey of a poor, uneducated farmer as he struggles to build up and provide for his family. It will evoke deep feelings of resiliency in you as you cheer for his wins against all odds but also frustration as the ebb and flow of life affects the protagonist. A great book for perspective on moral values and how to keep yourself and your family afloat during times of crisis.
September 21, 2025
Had no idea what this story was about or who the author was, but decided to give it a go based on the original novel’s illustrious reputation.
The graphic novel started off well; fairly easy to follow, vintage comic book art style. Engaging plot and layered characters that feel remarkably modern considering the author was a white woman in the 30s writing about Chinese peasant life.
It started coming apart towards the end with some noticeable typos (inc. text that was obscured by the art panel), the repetition of “well” in dialogue on nearly every page, and a plot that felt rushed and choppy. The ending was maddeningly abrupt as well - I ended up checking the original book’s synopsis on Wikipedia and apparently there’s an important plot point at the end of the novel that seems to be missing from this adaptation. Bizarre!
The graphic novel started off well; fairly easy to follow, vintage comic book art style. Engaging plot and layered characters that feel remarkably modern considering the author was a white woman in the 30s writing about Chinese peasant life.
It started coming apart towards the end with some noticeable typos (inc. text that was obscured by the art panel), the repetition of “well” in dialogue on nearly every page, and a plot that felt rushed and choppy. The ending was maddeningly abrupt as well - I ended up checking the original book’s synopsis on Wikipedia and apparently there’s an important plot point at the end of the novel that seems to be missing from this adaptation. Bizarre!
May 31, 2017
**I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley; no monetary compensation for review**
I remember trying to push through The Good Earth in high school. I didn't hate it or love it; I just suffered through it. Perhaps because of this, I didn't retain any of the plot. This graphic novel adaptation, however, conveys the story without making the reading feel like a struggle. The illustration style is spare but I could still understand the emotions on the characters' faces. At first, I thought the ending was abrupt, but then I went back to the original text and found that the final panels of the graphic novel portrayed exactly what was written by Buck. I consider this a great way to read a classic.
I remember trying to push through The Good Earth in high school. I didn't hate it or love it; I just suffered through it. Perhaps because of this, I didn't retain any of the plot. This graphic novel adaptation, however, conveys the story without making the reading feel like a struggle. The illustration style is spare but I could still understand the emotions on the characters' faces. At first, I thought the ending was abrupt, but then I went back to the original text and found that the final panels of the graphic novel portrayed exactly what was written by Buck. I consider this a great way to read a classic.
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