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Phoolan Devi, Rebel Queen

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 She rebelled against the ancient tribal rules of India, her country, resulting in her becoming a Robin Hood type bandit. Essentially sold at the age of 11 to become a wife for a much older man, she ran away when he raped her. From that point on, there were few choices for her but to join a roaming gang of bandits, her ambition and thirst for revenge leading her to become their rebel chief. Ultimately, society caught up with her and she even became a strong voice for change, women, and social justice as a representative in the Indian parliament. A story of courage and unbending determination in front of centuries of established inequities in the classic Indian caste system.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2018

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Claire Fauvel

18 books14 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
Profile Image for Jon Nakapalau.
6,499 reviews1,021 followers
May 31, 2024
The story of a young girl who sought justice on her own terms when the law would not let her speak: if you are looking for a clear definition of social justice this will answer all your questions. Too often we assume that the law is 'de facto' right; but that is not always true. Highest recommendation.
Profile Image for Reading_ Tamishly.
5,302 reviews3,467 followers
May 23, 2025
I am so glad I read this heartbreaking memoir of one of the strongest personalities in history ever. Maybe people might have different opinions and thoughts about such a personality being a notorious dacoit and that too being a woman (yes, discriminations still do exist as I am doing right now saying 'that too being a woman' as I had to emphasize!), there are a lot of things we do not know about the life of Phoolan Devi.

I heard a few things about her when I was a kid and I can still vividly remember adults whispering about her, keeping mum when we kids were around and didn't say anything when we kids asked about her. Talking about her was like a forbidden topic.
And when the movie based on her life came out, I still remember all that people including my classmates talked was how the movie featured some adult rated scenes and how the actress was completely naked on screen. Yes, that's the sad part. And so I wasn't much aware about the life of Phoolan Devi inspite of getting confused why she was celebrated and hated at the same time.
This graphic novel came to me as a blessing. It's so intense, graphic (yes, graphic for a graphic novel!), beautifully illustrated and one of the best story telling efforts I have ever come across!

The book will remain forever etched in my mind and I truly appreciate the efforts of the author and the artist for bringing out one of the best graphic novel memoir ever.

Thank you #NetGalley so much for this awesome graphic novel #PhoolanDeviRebelQueen
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,367 reviews282 followers
December 1, 2020
In this true story, a child bride from a low caste in India gets caught in a cycle of rape, violence, and revenge, rising from victim to the leader of a bandit gang that robs from the rich and gives to the poor but also perpetrates a village massacre. Steeped in sexism and rape culture, Phoolan Devi is a complex person who became a polarizing activist for women's rights.

I had never heard of her before picking up this graphic novel, but the writing and art do a good job of portraying her fascinating and violent life.

Trigger warning: multiple graphic scenes of rape.
Profile Image for Helene.
Author 10 books103 followers
December 27, 2020
I bought a different edition a long time ago in India, what a compelling story. There is also a movie out. It has lost nine of it’s importance as lower cast Indian women still struggle for their basic human rights.
Profile Image for Aswathy.
30 reviews4 followers
April 1, 2022
Excellent! The art style is the ultimate match to this wrathful revolutionary woman's life. The Phoolan Devi.

I remember watching Phoolan Devi's interview in high school, and being surprised at how soft spoken, genuine and humble a person she was. I had subconsciously looked for "masculine" characteristics and traces of hate as well as a tinge of misplaced pride in her but was left gaping and smiling along with her instead. That was the picture I was served by the media and our culture about her until then. Kids at school even used to call the girl who bullied everyone in 6th grade, "Bhoolan Devi" as an insult. Little did any of us know that it was a compliment.

Here's to hoping to see a well produced movie, animated or otherwise, of the part of her life as a dacoit leader, as the fierce and just woman who defended and safeguarded the poor against the corrupt public servants and the demonic landlords.
Profile Image for Ed Erwin.
1,197 reviews129 followers
December 22, 2021
True (mostly) story of a woman who joined and later led a group of bandits after having lived through a good deal of abuse. She became a folk hero for punishing bad men (rapists and exploiters) and had a reputation as a sort of Robin Hood who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. (Other accounts say she never actually did share the loot with the poor.) She later became a member of parliament.

The truth is probably hard to separate from the myths. This book is based mostly on her own autobiography, so it is strongly biased in her favor, telling only what she wants to tell. Even so, it shows her massacring 22 men in a single event of collective punishment. True those were men in a village where she had been imprisoned and gang raped. But it isn't clear to me whether these were the men who did it.

Nevertheless, a strong story of an interesting person whose violence was at least sometimes justified.
Profile Image for Nicolas Lontel.
1,250 reviews92 followers
March 12, 2019
Probablement une des BDs les plus crûes que j'ai lu, un avertissement ou un résumé un peu plus complet sur le contenu de la BD serait certainement apprécié pour certaine personne (surtout que dans la majorité de la BD, Phoolan Devi est mineure). Je connaissais la vie de Phoolan Devi pour avoir lu d'autres textes sur elle, mais je dois avouer avoir dû prendre des pauses.

Outre ces remarques, la BD semble s'inspirer en grande partie des mémoires de Phoolan Devi, quitte à prendre ses remarques textuellement pour les récitatifs (phylactères du narrateur). La BD est superbement dessinée, plein de détails, capture définitivement bien les paysages indiens, les personnages, les lieux, les contrastes entre pauvreté et richesse, etc. Très très crue par moment aussi bien que l'angle d'approche permet de ne pas être trop explicite tout en respectant une certaine importance de proximité narrative.

L'histoire est bien racontée (elle s'arrête au moment de sa libération) et réussi à résumer plusieurs années en quelques pages sans avoir l'impression de voir trop d'ellipses temporelles.

Bref, un excellent ouvrage d'introduction au personnage de Phoolan. Une bibliographie à la fin permet aussi d'approfondir les lectures au besoin (où j'apprends qu'Irène Frain a écrit un livre sur elle, peut-être pas tout de suite pour moi, mais je garde définitivement ça en tête).
Profile Image for Milou.
367 reviews9 followers
March 6, 2020
I struggle to rate this graphic novel. It tells the life story of Phoolan Devi, in full and graphic detail. It shouldn't come as a surprise, but there are trigger warnings in here for rape and abuse. Phoolan was married of at the age of 11, and raped by her 30+ year old husband. And yes, you see this and it is heart wrenching. But she goes through so much more, and the way she manages to pick herself up and take fate in her own hands every time again is admirable. And it angers and saddens me that what she did was the only solution to her, and how common and recent her experiences are. This is an important and impactful story and for that alone I would give it a 5* rating.

But... the execution isn't great. Her actions are never questioned for one (I don't know if it is the author's place to do so, but I would have like to see something). The art in this isn't the best either. It has some beautiful spreads, but in other places there are some serious issues (especially with eyes) and overall it isn't anything special. The pacing is off in places and the writing/dialogue don't feel natural at all. 

 I am still very happy (if you can call this punch in the gut that) I read this, it is a story that will stay with me for a long time. Thank you Netgalley for giving me a chance to read this.
Profile Image for littleprettybooks.
933 reviews317 followers
March 6, 2020
20/20

Découvrir Phoolan Devi par le biais de la BD fut une merveilleuse expérience. Quelle femme, quel charisme et quel courage ! Dans une Inde d’une violence folle envers les femmes, elle s’est battue pour plus de justice et d’égalité. Il faut se souvenir de son combat et le partager aux générations futures.

Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
Profile Image for Aritra  Dasgupta.
527 reviews12 followers
December 24, 2020
Phoolan Devi's story is one of justice, anger, trauma and revenge. Bloody revenge. It is and will always be a striking example of how actually shitty the Indian social structure is. It speaks volumes about being a woman in India. It speaks volumes about caste. It is a necessary story. It is a story which really traumatised me, not kidding, and I had to take whole week-long breaks or just shut the book to not completely depress myself. If this was a normal story, I would blame just how depressing this is. This is not my style. But this is a true story.

I will be honest, this was not something I enjoyed. It is very very depressing. But it is also a story of immense power and perseverence and sheer fucking will. I really liked that Claire didn't focus on all the sexual abuse and instead focused on the emotional trauma. It is a very scarring story but it is a necessary one. I really don't have words that do justice to this story. I really really suggest everyone to read this tho because it tells so much about caste and womanhood. It is very insightful as to how Indian women think about marriage sex and so on, especially the deprived classes. An important story, told well, but still so scarring I just yeah. It's good but be warned, just lots of trigger warnings for this.
Profile Image for Natasha den Dekker.
1,227 reviews10 followers
April 11, 2022
This was recommended to me by a friend and it was absolutely brilliant.

Definite TW for rape and severe violence though.

I had never heard of Phoolan Devi - not at school, from my parents or even anywhere tbh. (We do enjoy relegating women to the void of history don't we?). Phoolan's story isn't so unique, child bride, rape, men using her chattel etc. Fairly normal - but her ability to keep going? Everyone likes to pretend that the caste system is a thing of the past (it's not) and it's a thread that runs right through this graphic novel. Phoolan's ability to move beyond those casre lines and to become a champion of ppl was amazing to read. Her challenging what was acceptable for a woman to be and become was mindblowing tbh - more so because it's all true.
Profile Image for Kevin.
1,105 reviews55 followers
April 13, 2021
Struggled a bit on how to rate this one. It is a compelling story but full of violence and depravity. It is a history that should be told and a graphic novel like this is a unique way to do so. There is an element of survival, and of love and friendship, in the most extreme circumstances but there is also a reminder of just how cruel and ugly humans can be and how much suffering remains in the world. I am glad I know more about Phoolan but not sure this is a story one "enjoys."
Profile Image for Eduardo Santiago.
819 reviews43 followers
January 2, 2023
A beautiful, accessible way to tell a difficult and (in the U.S.) unknown story. I had never heard of Devi, and that’s a shame: she deserves to be known and celebrated.

This is a violent book, TW everything. “Violence is not the answer,” some people proclaim, but I firmly believe it is part of the answer process, often a crucially necessary one. I feel fury over the trauma inflicted on Devi and countless others like her, but my fury does nothing to prevent it from happening again and again today and tomorrow. Heroes like Devi: they help, and, more importantly, inspire others. It was cathartic to see her neutralize those who hurt her and would hurt others. We need more of that.

Finally: this graphic-novel adaptation is clearly oversimplified, with an almost infantile tone at times—perhaps to reinforce Devi’s own lost innocence? In any case, this is not a book for children. Also, the adaptation is based on Devi’s autobiography. There may be biases. There may be more to her story, some of it less flattering to her, some of it possibly ambiguous. Almost as if she was a real, complex human being. I still think this is worth reading: much as I love objective truth, a little hagiography is OK from time to time, and everything I’ve found in my followup reading tonight suggests that she was a worthy person.
Profile Image for Cintya Larasinta.
306 reviews31 followers
April 3, 2020
Komik grafis ini keren banget!! Berdasarkan autobiografi Phoolan Devi (1963-2001), “Ratu Bandit” India yang terkenal kejam, berteriak seruan pertempuran yang penuh semangat, berakar pada pengalaman awal Devi sebagai anggota komunitas Mallah yang tertindas. Dari kasta Shudrah, dipaksa menikah saat berusia muda dan selamat dari kekerasan seksual berulang. Coba bayangkan, gadis kecil begitu ketakutan dan pasti memiliki trauma..Devi menikah pada usia 11 tahun dan diperkosa oleh suaminya sendiri.
lalu, dia diselamatkan oleh ayahnya, tapi dia mendapat nasib sial yakni disiksa para pria di desanya dan diperkosa oleh para polisi. Ya ampun,,,aku tidak bisa membayangkan kyk gt....ini memilukan banget! PARAH!
Dari sana, dia ditangkap oleh Vikram - kemudian bergabung dg sekelompok bandit keliling, dia tumbuh menjadi penghinaan daerah. Sepanjang hidupnya, Devi merencanakan balas dendam, yang akhirnya dia mainkan dengan memukul, melukai, dan membunuh pria yang menyakitinya dan dengan merampok orang kaya dan mendistribusikan kembali dana ke masyarakat sekitar yang miskin.
Biografi mencolok ini sangat berkesan sebagai perempuan pahlawan main hakim sendiri.
komik grafis ini WAJIB DIBACA bagi para perempuan. RECOMENDED!
Profile Image for GenevieveAudrey.
401 reviews4 followers
January 30, 2025

​Rebel. Revolutionary. Saviour. Dacoit. A woman trying to find agency in a world steeped in patriarchy and sexism.

The cover of this graphic novel with PD with her iconic red bandanna and red shawl truly stands out and pulls your attention in.

It’s always more visceral when you SEE something as opposed to when you read about it. So all the atrocities that PD faced hit a lot harder when I read this graphic novel​ which was well drawn.

Reading this graphic novel has made me want to read Mala Sen's India's Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi to learn more about this woman
Profile Image for MK.
944 reviews14 followers
March 14, 2023
A woman I had never heard of, I found her story tragic and inspiring. A girl abused and punished when she tries to get justice, she turns to becoming a bandit in order to right wrongs. The book doesn't shy away from some of her crimes but it also shows what drives her to it. The artwork is evocative and the lettering is very clear. Very glad I read it and was introduced to this fascinating woman.
Profile Image for Andrea.
924 reviews45 followers
June 19, 2021
Die Graphic Novel macht Lust darauf, mehr über diese spannende Frau zu erfahren. Zum ersten Mal ist mir der Name im Buch " Der Zopf" aufgefallen und dieses Buch war ein guter Einstieg rund um die Volksheldin Indiens. Toll gezeichnet aber natürlich in der Geschichte her ziemlich kurz erzählt
Profile Image for Beth.
530 reviews
April 7, 2021
I love the chance to read a biography of such an interesting person, without having to undertake a 400 page volume. Fascinating woman, beautiful illustrations.
Profile Image for Cienna.
587 reviews8 followers
October 12, 2021
SUCH an underrated woman. Her story is so fantastic and so tragic. I wish she was still alive to inspire women in this world. The artist captured her story.
Profile Image for Laura Starzynski.
446 reviews
December 1, 2023
I read "The Bandit Queen of India" back in grad school in my favorite class (Women Responding to Violence) and was so impressed with Devi's life that I never forgot her story. When I saw this graphic novel, I had to check it out.

It's as raw , sad, and enraging as the original book was. If this format spreads her story and her cause to more people, I'm all for it.
Profile Image for Ashkin Ayub.
464 reviews229 followers
July 15, 2021
a story of courage and unbending determination before centuries of established inequities in the classic Indian caste system.

she revolted against India, her nation's ancient tribal rules, and then became a bandit like robin hood. typically sold to a much older person at the age of 11, she ran away when she was raped. from that point on, her choices were few, but her ambition and a starvation for rescission brought her into a wandering gang of bandits. she finally caught up with civilization, and as representative in the parliament of india she even became a prominent presence for change, women and equality.

a story of fortitude and unshakable commitment against the existing inequality and injustice of the classic hindu caste system over eons.
Profile Image for Dustyloup.
1,324 reviews8 followers
April 11, 2020
As I was reading I was thinking that there was something familiar about the art style... Oh yes, La guerre de Catherine! The way that Fauvel draws facial expressions is great, I can feel the emotions of the people. I was surprised by another review that said the drawing was weak in some parts - for me the ugliness is part of the narrative. I particularly liked in the beginning when a lot of the men looked like they have black eyes.
Anyway, this is a loose adaptation of Devi's memoir, Moi, Phoolan Devi, Reine des Bandits, which I have not read yet. I learned about Phoolan Devi for the first time through Culottées #2: Des femmes qui ne font que ce qu'elles veulent. Not sure how I missed the Bandit Queen movie or even the news of her assassination in 2001. Sadly, if you read Culottées in English (Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked The World), you would have missed her story because, as I understand the rape/aka her lived experience was deemed too sensive.
I think you have to understand graphic novels and know that this is not a kid's book, even though she is a heroic figure and her actions were done in defense of women and the poor. There's nudity, rape, blood, and killing, but it's not presented in a gratuitous way. I really don't like stories about thugs and criminals, so if I give it five stars it's to show how sensitive Fauvel was in her treatment of the story. If you're for a children's book, check out La Guerre de Catherine instead!
Profile Image for Mehak Sharma :).
35 reviews8 followers
February 5, 2024
It was good and quite heart wrenching . How she faced the struggle in her life . She was married when she was 11 years old. And it was just the beginning of the struggle . But from being a victim to bandit and then finally the member of parliament. Hats off to this Girl🙌
Profile Image for Wayne McCoy.
4,291 reviews33 followers
April 20, 2020
'Phoolan Devi, Rebel Queen' with words and art by Claire Fauvel is the sad but true story of a modern woman who was abused by those around her and how she reacted.

As a child, Phoolan Devi was aware of the injustices in her village. When a neighbor cut down a tree, she wanted justice. At the age of only 11, she was married off to a man much older than her and raped. This was only the beginning of the degrading things that happened to her. Her response was to become a rebel fighter and fight back against the systems and people that let her down.

I was less familiar with this story, but I found it grim and sad. This is not a story for the faint of heart, and this book manages to convey the horrors well without resorting to being overly graphic. The art is a bit of a let down, but the story still shines through.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing, Papercutz, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
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