Member Reviews

This is an incredible graphic novel version of Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. My library has been adding titles that have been adapted from well known literary figures, and I will definitely be recommending this one for purchase.

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It does justice to the original..The art is beautiful and energetic. The writing manages to capture the feeling of Vonnegut's writing in visual media. Quality stuff.

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I have never read the original Slaughterhouse-Five, so I can’t comment on this book as far as adaptations go, but I’ve experienced Ryan North’s works before and, once again, he didn’t disappoint. His art is beautiful, and concise, and dynamic. As I said, I haven’t read the book, but the story seemed a little confusing, and North’s visuals definitely helped me see the bigger picture (though I admit I was quite lost for the majority of the second half). I had a really good time with this one.

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I love graphic novels based on well know books.
Slaughterhouse-Five is actually on my list of books to re-read as I have not read it since highschool.
I worry that i wont be able to give the best review, as I don't remember much from the actual novel.
I remember the timeline confused me, but when you see it drawn out, it kind of makes sense.
I think when I do re-read Slaughterhouse-Five this book will come in handy. In fact I may re read THIS book after I read THAT book again.
The artwork was great, the framing was interesting.
An enjoyable read.

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Easily the best graphic novel adaptation of a classic/modern classic that I have ever met. Definitely bias here because Slaughterhouse-Five is one of my favorite books, but I also objectively think this transformation was done extremely well. The art fits the vibe just right. The whole thing captured the same spirit as the novel, and the way it begins/features a 'Cast of Characters' and 'Timeline' help make it even more complete.

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This was great in graphic novel form. I wish I'd read the original novel before this adaptation, but it was a fun read. The illustrations are lovely. Confusing at times but all around enjoyable considering I haven't yet read the original novel.

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I’m enjoying the new trend of adapting classic literature into graphic novels. I have read some Vonnegut, but I hadn’t read Slaughterhouse Five. I enjoy science fiction and historical fiction especially novels based on WW2, so I knew I would enjoy the book. The art in the book was amazing and they did a great job turning it into a graphic novel. It was a fast moving, quick read but I found myself pausing so I could truly appreciate the artwork. This was a great adaptation of a well known classic novel.

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Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time, again. Ryan North and Albert Monteys have adapted the Vonnegut classic to perfection. The text is abridged appropriately without removing any of the Vonnegut essence. It feels as if Slaughterhouse-Five was meant to be a graphic novel all along.

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Thank you to Netgalley & the Publisher for giving me a chance to review this!


I have never read Slaughterhouse-Five prior to this so I can not speak to how well it holds up as an adaptation, but I can say I enjoyed the story enough so that's at least a good point.

There is a lot to unpack here, and I just don't know how to describe what I just read? Like it was good, and I enjoyed my time with it, but I have no idea how to explain how I liked it.

But yeah I agree, war is bad.

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Brilliant, wonderful translation to a different medium. My expectations for this were low but they captured the essence beautifully. So it goes.

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This graphic novel of the classic "Slaughterhouse-Five' is a great visual representation of the original work.

I read Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut less than two weeks ago, so I am confident that this graphic novel tells the same story as the novel. All of the familiar scenes and phases are present. "So it goes."

I enjoyed viewing Billy's life story in this new format.

Billy is an American recruit in WWII, he saw many deaths during the war, so it goes, but was most impacted by the bombing of Dresden. During Billy's life, he is abducted by aliens that teach him a life lesson. Billy is also able to time travel.

At its core, Slaughterhouse-Five is an anti-war narrative. Its focus is on the bombing of Dresden because 25,000 people were killed there. Like many other cities destroyed during wars, it was simply a home for many people. There was not a military base there. Billy's other life experiences are also present in this story. Since Billy can time-travel, the timeline of the story is chaotic.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

My review is posted at: https://shelvesandpines.wordpress.com/2020/06/23/slaughterhouse-five-by-ryan-north-kert-vonnegut-and-albert-monteys/

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Slaughterhouse-Five is a graphic novel based on Kurt Vonnegut's anti-war classic and adapted by Ryan North in this new media. The graphic novel follows Billy Pilgrim, a highly inept American soldier in WWII, as he is captured, returning home after the war, and his visits with an alien lifeforms known as the Tralfamadore.

The artwork in this graphic novel is done by Albert Monteys. The artwork is enthralling and helps enhance the reading experience.

I enjoyed the WWII setting and watching the protagonist experience the bombing of Dresden haunting and impactful. I also really enjoyed the fusion of science-fiction elements to the story with the addition of the Tralfamadore. Unfortunately, due to the non-linear storytelling and unreliable narrator it made it hard to follow the story.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Having never read Slaughterhouse-Five, I feel like I didn't completely understand this comic. I quite liked the art, the drawing, the way the story was told. It all felt very well done to me. However, I had the constant feeling that I was missing something, because the story didn't make much sense. I can only assume people who have read the novel will get much more out of this than me.

The other option is that you don't need to read the novel before reading this comic and what this makes you feel the same way the novel does, in which case the problem is I don't understand the novel.

Whatever the case, I am interested in reading more from these authors.

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This, unfortunately, was not my cup of tea. I found the narrative to be maudlin and quite centered in the white-American experience and it did not seem to go anywhere.

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Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of the graphic novel of Slaughterhouse Five, by Ryan North, Kurt Vonnegut, and Albert Monteys.

So. It. Goes. For anyone who has read, or is interested in reading Slaughterhouse-Five, this is such a fun ride. It has been so long since I read Slaughterhouse-Five, and I read it way too soon after I read Catch-22, so I often get them confused. But this was a lovely reminder of what a genius Vonnegut was and how I should probably just read more of his stuff.

The graphics and dialogue made me laugh, and cry, and turned my stomach multiple times. It's nuanced and raw and depicts all of the terrible human (and not so human) aspects of war. It's FULL of triggers, so please go into it with caution and care, but I really enjoyed this version of a story that I have loved once before.

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This is the first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.

This novel follows the life of Billy Pilgrim as he goes through his life, including WWII and his life after. The only catch is...Billy is unstuck in time.

The novel does a really good job floating between times and scenes and characters. It captures the sadness, insanity, and horrors of war as well as how people deal with it after. The art, color, and wording perfectly compliment the story. I really enjoyed this graphic novel and its portrayal of SlaughterHouse Five.

Thank you to #NetGalley for my digital ARC of #SlaughterHouseFive

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I'm not much of a graphic novel person but I LOVED this book! I would like to see more versions of classics like this. Made me want to reread the original. Very well done!

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It's hard to imagine any adaptation of Slaughterhouse-Five doing justice to the original work, but this graphic adaptation not only holds true to much of the original but also stands on its own. It balances Vonnegut's humor and wit with its own interpretations. The art is engaging and designed in such a way to help with continuity in a book otherwise written in a non-linear fashion. This adaptation works for those who have read the book and those who haven't! As some of the original novel has elements that make it not appropriate to younger audiences, the graphic novel clearly maintains some of the same but does so in a way that is tastefully done.

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A fantastical adaptation of the classic--it almost feels like the book was always meant to be a graphic novel. Perfectly executed, a great read whether (or maybe especially if) you know the book or not!

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Slaughterhouse-Five
By: Ryan North, Albert Monteys and Kurt Vonnegut
3.8 / 5.0

I have not read the original work, so I went into this blindly. I could follow along easy enough and grasp the storyline, but that being said, I do not think I got as much out of it. It would be a good companion novel to the original work. The first few pages did help me understand the story better. I feel like if I had known some background knowledge I would have gotten more out of it, but I still enjoyed reading it. This graphic novel made me want to read the original work though, so I would call that a success!


Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/slaughterhouse-five-ryan-north/1136471821?ean=9781684156252

This review will appear on my blog on September 15, 2020.

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