Member Reviews
This is a really good adaptation of the source material. The colors are very sharp and crisp with reds and blues used with aplomb to convey heightened moods and depressive moods. The visual format really drove home just how unmoored Billy Pilgrim was and how frightening and disorienting it was for him at times. I especially liked when characters from the past and future would occupy the same space briefly during a time slip. The format was also well-used to differentiate between the fiction within a fiction of Kilgore Trout's stories. The pulpy comic style North used worked really well for those.
I would recommend this for someone who has read Slaughterhouse Five and enjoys a good graphic novel adaptation. I'm not sure how it would translate to someone who hasn't read it, because the original book is already so disorienting.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Slaughterhouse-Five is a book that's always existed somewhere on my to read list. When I saw it available on Netgalley, I thought it was an easy time to finally be able to cross it off the list. I did not realize that it was the graphic novel version. I am not a big fan of graphic novels personally, however I can appreciate the artwork and the appeal it has to many others. So I still gave it a try, but didn't make it far. The language is terrible. Maybe that's how the original format is and I'll never read it or maybe it was added for this new graphic novel version. I don't know, but I did no care to read it. Not for me.
This was such a riveting and contemplative novel. I haven't read the original novel where this is based off but this was definitely executed well. The art style fits perfectly with the different moods as the story progressed further. I really love reading this and I believe that reading the graphic novel version is actually a great way for readers to be introduced to modern classics as it is usually intimidating to get into.
I have not read the paperback of slaughterhouse five. I loved this graphic novel and Billy who is unfortunate main character.
First of all its artwork is exemplary. It worked like a movie. It is full of innovation and improvisation.
Captions are funny. There are little comics inside comics that are funny to read.
Book is captivating. Definitely a must read and right up There with the best if we consider quality.
I was thoroughly submerged in it, till it finished.
A wonderful graphic novel.
The graphic novel of Slaughterhouse Five was definitely the best format for me to experience this book ! The story itself is weirdly entertaining and fascinating. I also really enjoyed the art style and narrative. Definitely recommend to pick up this graphic novel version of Slaughterhouse Five if you, like me are hesitant to pick up the novel.
A fun, visual retelling of this classic. If you haven't read the original or if it is a long time favorite, you will love this fresh redo.
Not sure of the best way to review this. I kind of think if you’ve read the original story by Vonnegut that this graphic novel was based on, you may enjoy this graphic novel more as you already know the meat of the story and can just enjoy the artwork and how the story unfolds without feeling like you’re missing something. If you’ve read Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, and you’re a fan, I would definitely recommend picking this up. I highly enjoyed it as a Vonnegut fan and I felt like the style of the artwork really worked great for the story being told.
Received via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.
A vividly illustrated graphic adaptation of the Vonnegut classic. I loved North's "Romeo and/or Juliet" and his skillful and affectionate way of playing with form and language shines through here as well, with elements of metafiction in which the graphic novel is in conversation with the source text. Definitely a worthy read!
This simply wasnt for me although I do think this graphic novel version is an excellent way to present this anti-war sci-fi story. I just didnt enjoy the story although I do think the graphics did the original story justice.
My first read (although I expect not the last) of Kurt Vonnegut’s sci-fi classic has me blown away by how smoothly Vonnegut was able to integrate aliens and the horrors of WW2. I was lucky enough to snag an advanced copy of the upcoming graphic novel adaptation. Without being able to compare it to the original format, I found the graphic novel to be an incredible way to represent the story as it made time and space jumps easy to follow. The use of colour and illustration were also a fantastic addition.
Slaughterhouse-Five follows Billy Pilgrim, an American soldier who is captured towards the end of WW2 by German soldiers. Throughout the book Billy becomes “unstuck in time” as we learn that Billy is captured by an alien race called the Tralfamadorians who teach him a different way to perceive time. This use of time travel and discussion of memory throughout the novel enables the non-chronological narrative of the text to show both significant events and their implications. One of the most significant events in Billy’s life, and a focal point of the novel, is the Bombing of Dresden.
Going into Slaughterhouse-Five I was already well acquainted with the bombing and I’ve been lucky enough to visit Dresden (Germany). The city has since been reconstructed, though not without scars. If you have no idea what I’m talking about: in short, Britain and the U.S. firebombed Dresden such that an estimated 25 000 people were killed despite there being no significant military presence or significance to the city. The usual explanation for this is that the attack was in retaliation to the Coventry Blitz. I’d highly recommend reading up on it a bit before reading, but it certainly isn’t necessary to gauge the horror of the attack.
Despite its serious and horrific exploration of war, I also found myself smiling and laughing at other events in the novel. And I can’t say that I’ve read anything quite like it. There are clear anti-War themes throughout the text as Billy must constantly deal with the deaths of those around him as well as the bombing itself. The philosophy of the aliens which capture Billy adds some hope to the text as their view of time allows the good to exist alongside the bad.
Slaughterhouse-Five deserves its status as a modern classic, so I’ve given it a deserving 5/5 stars.
I have tried on several occasions to read Slaughterhouse-Five and always run into trouble at some point. I like Vonnegut's sense of humour and wry observations, but sometimes his ideas can be quite outlandish and difficult to pin down. As such, this graphic novel was a welcome alternative approach. I liked the artwork and felt drawn into the story and its characters. It can be tricky for a graphic novel to capture the intentions of a writer fully, but this does a fair job. Now to give it another go!
And so it goes, one of the great anti-war books of all time gets a deluxe graphic novel treatment which should land it squarely in the hands of a receptive High School audience that it deserves. I am sure Kurt would be thrilled to be introduced to the children whom the book was crusading for.
I have wanted to pick up Slaughterhouse-Five for years, ever since I was given 1984 in high school instead of this book. I had always been interested in what I missed out in reading this book, and lucky for me NetGalley had the graphic novel version of this book!
I thought this was a great way to present the story, even if I haven't read the original work. If I had options like this way back in my high school days then it would have made reading some of these classics way more entertaining! I'd highly recommend educators and students grab books like these to add a little spice and fun to your reading lists.
I really enjoyed the illustrations, and I found the book really intriguing and well done.
Three out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
I honestly don't have much to say about this other than, the graphic novel was the perfect way to read this story. I had always felt like Slaughterhouse-five was a great work, but something was missing from it. Ryan North and Albert Monteys really put together an amazing graphic novel. It was deep, it was impactful, and it help true to the original story, yet allowed for a deeper understanding of its core values.
I would recommend anyone really to pick this up (some themes are not great for children), but i would highly recommend you read the original story first, because in my mind this one just adds a new level to its understanding.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to BOOM! Studios and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I really loved this interpretation of Slaughterhouse-Five. I haven't read this story since freshman year of high school so it was neat to see it played out in picture form. I would highly recommend to any fan of Vonnegut or graphic novels. Well done.
I had the original Slaughterhouse-Five on my TBR because of a personal reading project I am doing. When I saw the graphic novel version I knew I had to check it out. I read the original and immediately read Ryan North's version. It was like reading the novel all over again. I thought the novel was very well depicted and the art style suited the topic of the story. Very well done!
“Slaughter-house five” was one of the very first books I read for pleasure (versus school assignment) and I loved it. This graphic novel is a great reimagined version. It will be highly recommended.
I was curious to see how Kurt Vonnegut's classic novel would adapted, but this graphic novel adaptation was able to convey the shift in time perspective as well as cynical satire of Vonnegut's original.
This is one of my all-time favourite books, so when Netgalley posted the Graphic Novel version I LOST MY MIND! Then they approved my request and I lost it again. Then I started reading this beautiful copy and I am completely in pieces.
Thanks to Netgalley and Archaia for this ARC.
Thanks to Ryan North and Albert Monteys for this stunning, and creatively brilliant adaptation.
I'm pre-ordering my own physical copy right now.
A story about war and its effects.
A great work on adaptation really helps the reader who has not read the book, immerses him in the world and makes reading faster, the novel has a dynamic, concise and beautiful art.
Definitely a great read, a gem, this adaptation deserves to be in your booksellers without a doubt.