Thank you to Netgalley and Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group LLC for the digital copy.
The experiment of Communism began in the aftermath or WWI and the over through of the last Russian dynasty. It did not go well. One of the problems was the massive famine which the USSR inflicted on the Ukraine and Southern Russia. Entire villages starved to death but all was denied by Stalin, and western news agencies spread the rosy reports of bounty Stalin told them. However, investigative journalist Gareth Jones traveled to USSR and was an eyewitness to the devastation and death. This graphic novel stands as a extremely important lesson in gaslighting, and provides a glimpse into the ongoing aggression of Russia against the Ukraine. It should be in every library.
#IntheShadowofStalinTheStoryofMrJones #NetGalley.

I defnitely enjoyed the historical context and liked some of the illustrations but in general was not moved that much by it. I had a hard time connecting to our main character and the story in general. It felt rather dry, much like the documentation of a historical event. Unfortunately this treatment of the story failed to breathe life into it for me. Often the cuts were so abrupt that I thought I might have skipped a page on accident.

The depiction of women was not great but was not surprised by this as it is often the case in comic books. Overall I felt this comic book was visually very interesting but did not capture my imagination or my emotions.

Told through excellent art work, the true story journalist Gareth Jones comes to life in this graphic novel. The journalist Gareth Jones travels to the Soviet Union in the height of the 1930s Soviet Holodomor Famine and when he returns to the UK, he begins a campaign to reveal the truth about soviet Russia’s mass economic gains and the truth about famine in the Ukraine.

A brilliant true life story about the courage of one man who is determined to tell the truth.

I’m of the opinion that graphic novels are a perfect way to impart history, especially to kids and teens (and even adults) who, in this technological age, don’t have the patience to sit and read a dense history book. In the Shadow of Stalin is a wonderful example and a very interesting read.
To be honest, I didn’t even know who Gareth Jones was before reading this, but it’s definitely left me interested in finding out more. The artwork is beautiful and really paints a clear picture of the life of this brave journalist. I felt the story jumped around a little too much for me to really understand the timeline of what was happening, but I think that might just be because I read it in a digital format instead of physical. Other than that, I think the story was pretty good and I appreciated the afterwords. When I hit the last page, I was very confused that that was the ending. I wanted to know more!
Overall, In the Shadow of Stalin is a wonderful graphic novel that illustrates a slice of history that’s important to learn.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the author for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Interesting historical fiction graphic novel. I think some kids will really enjoy it - especially those into WWII history, or the Cold War. It would pair really well with The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh (both about the Holodomor in Ukraine under Stalin).

I find myself somewhat torn on this. On the one hand, it took a while to get into the groove of this, the tale seeming too introduce a lot of players and just scratching at a nasty surface as people of the time underestimate Hitler and Stalin. But letting the suspense build, we go from "sheltered naivete" to "proper paranoia" and my interest was captured.

Here, seeing the horrors unveiled, I thought of giving this story four stars. We see it show "how war begins in the minds of men," how dangerous men can be dismissed as easily manipulated or useful and treated as something within one's control, and the all terrible hindsight we have from the future of how wrong they were. And we might reflect how the Western media can STILL have an iron grip on how people perceive the wider world and what they think is happening, how the need for journalists to "play nice and well keep giving access to story tidbits" with corporations and politicians hampers the ideal of journalism as a stalwart against corruption.

On the other hand, applicable as this drama is, it does seem slightly concerning how much it's cribbing from Mr. Jones the movie, which does seem to have faced a decent amount of criticism for a historical liberties. In particular, the George Orwell and Gareth Jones meeting that seems to have no record that supports it. Moreover, I would argue it's an unnecessary side thematically, as the question of "could people ever build a utopia" seems almost... insensitive after what we saw depicted in the Ukraine of the time. A bit of "whataboutism" as he wonders if the Soviets are "just doing the best they can." As if people just stumble into atrocities with body counts in the five million range.

Should this be more biography or drama? Which is more important? Gareth Jones's mantra would seem to suggest the truth should be enough. Still, if this comic broadens anyone's world view, help be just that little bit less susceptible to propaganda and political falsehoods, if it causes any fence sitters to reflect on how society can teeter to atrocity and how they might fight it, I can't deny it's done its job.

In "In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones" Andrea Chalupa has written a gripping and compelling account of the efforts of Welsh journalist, Gareth Jones, to uncover and expose the Soviet government's deliberate role in the Holodomor that killed up to five million Ukrainians in the early thirties. The fact that Jones later paid for his actions with his life is also noted and makes the book resound even more strongly. Although, the book does not shy away from showing the horrors that were perpetrated in Ukraine, its main focus and strongest impact is its focus on how the news of widespread genocide was ignored, misunderstood, denied and, eventually, politicized in the West.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Oni Press, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

This isn’t the kind of story I tend to pick up very often, but because I enjoy learning about history, and this book covers a time period I’ve hardly read anything about, I was interested in reading it. I was a bit nervous going in, knowing it might not be the nicest story…and I was right; it wasn’t. At the same time, I feel like the people in this story deserve to be remembered for their heroism and the unjust way they were treated. If you enjoy historical graphic novels that pack a punch, and don’t mind more adult themes (the famine—and what it drove people to do—was no joke), I’d recommend you check this book out. It’s not one you’re likely to forget anytime soon.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

This was a rather quick read. One of the main takeaways from this was when you put yourself out there and stand out amongst the crowd, be prepared for what comes with it. Not everyone is going to agree with you standing out and standing on your morals and values. The money and power can make people do crazy things if it means keeping everything in order. But I did appreciate the graphics though. Even though this story occurred almost 100 years ago, it is still something that occurs today. Good book.

I found it difficult to read and follow. The story didn't draw me in easily. the story it tells is good, but the narration style and the illustrations made it difficult for me.
It may be interesting for readers who are interested in the events and people of the historical period it describes. references to current politics can also be found. but I didn't like it very much.
The colors, illustrations and pages were beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the free review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In the Shadow of Stalin is a graphic novel telling the story of Welsh journalist, Gareth Jones. In the years leading up to the Second World War, Gareth Jones was involved in documenting Adolf Hitler's rise to power and planned to visit Russia to report on the Holodomor, a man-made famine that led to the deaths of millions of Ukranians. This was extremely dangerous and attempts were made to discredit Jones, ending with his kidnap and murder the day before his 30th birthday in 1935.

As much as you can, given the subject matter, I enjoyed this graphic novel. The artwork was great and the story was easy to follow. I knew nothing of Gareth Jones and his efforts to show the world what was happening and am interested to find out more. The author of the graphic novel has also written the film of this story so I will try to watch that too.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Oni Press for an advance copy of this historical graphic novel that looks at the history of the Soviet Union in the Ukraine in the 1930's, and the brave journalist who gave everything to get at the truth.

A Russian leader in hopes of bolstering his powerbase and to make his country look like a major power decides the the Ukraine would be the perfect place to do something. People who wish to know more about what is going on are persuaded to look elsewhere, by hook or by crook. Bribes are dispensed to those in power, foreign journalists, diplomats, even politicians in far lands, like America. Those who continue to speak out, or to try and ferret out the truth are shouted down, defamed and ruined in career and for life. If that doesn't work they are murdered, overtly and covertly. All to hide the sins of a leader at the end of his rope. And the people of the Ukraine suffer. This story is not ripped from today's headlines, but torn from the pages of yesterday, in the 1930's during what the Ukrainians call the Holodomor, the Famine. In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones is written by Andrea Chalupa with illustrations by Ivan Rodriguez and tells of the genocide committed by the Soviet Union, one that was abetted by many, but uncovered and reported by a brave reporter, who might have paid the ultimate price.

Gareth Jones has a gift for languages, making acquaintances, and getting his teeth into a story and never letting go. Jones is flying high after a interview with Adolf Hitler, and Joseph Goebbels, much of which is ignored by people who don't think that war is possible, or if there was, Hitler would be easily defeated. Jones arranges through government contacts a chance to travel to the Soviet Union to interview Stalin. The Soviet Union is going through an unprecedented time of growth, one that Jones is at a loss to explain how. Where could Stalin be getting the money from? Jones is met by a press core and a group of foreign diplomats who seem uninterested in doing their job, sharing stories of Soviet achievements, fed them by sources. Jones breaks away and finds only horror on top of horrors in Ukraine, but no one seems interested in telling his story.

A true story that just reiterates the fact that history repeats itself. Horrors in the Ukraine, ignored by the world, with paid for politicians, I'm looking at the United State Senate, mostly midwest Senators here, parroting party lines from Moscow. The story is very well written, and flows well. One is not lost on the travels, as the book does go to a lot of places, and tells a lot of story, and atrocities in it's short size. I liked the idea of George Orwell in the story, which helps put Jones in a very rarefied group of people. Which is fitting as Jones is not really known much to people, though he was one of the first that pulled the curtains away from the worker's paradise that was the Soviet Union. The art is very good. Capturing the look and feel of the era, along with the characters. I enjoyed the use of colors, and the real attention to detail that the artist brought to the book.

A graphic novel for those that love history, and especially history that is not as well known. This is also a nice introduction to the work of writer Andrea Chalupa, who has been at the forefront of writing about the quick slide this country has been making into fascism and dictatorship. This is the second work I have read in graphic form, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

A graphic novel adaptation of the true story of journalist Gareth Jones and his coverage of the Holodomor. Given the current events of Russian and Ukraine now, this book would generate high interest for people wanting to read more about the history of the two nations, and Russia's history of covering up its state sponsored starvation of the population.

The story is really Jones's, as we start with his career taking off after interviewing Hitler. The plot follows him as he hopes to interview Stalin next, and to visit his mother's hometown, a tiny village in Ukraine. He is immediately rebuffed and shown the corrupt favor trading of Moscow, emphasized by Walter Duranty, but decides to sneak off and investigate the Russian countryside without supervision. The narrative is matter of fact and the art is grounded, with an emphasis on everyday gestures, like nodding or tilting the head to show movement.

Sometimes this understated method works, like when Jones is given food by a starving family and he asks who brought it. They reply their brother's name. It is only when Jones goes outside and sees a body frozen in the snow with some of the leg meat ripped off that you understand they meant it was their brother's body, not his hunting game. The banality of the atrocity being ignored by beauracrats and other journalists is the point...

However, a lot of time there is just talking and stilted postures in the same square panels that have no dynamism behind it. It hinders the story when the narration skips around, such as having Jones being dragged away by the Communist party enforcers, then cutting to a random villager with red hair explaining how people are starving. The same villager shows up in the end to finish the story, asking how George Orwell knew the truth of what happened in the Holodomor. The intent of having this as a coda of the story is obvious, but the way it is introduced and drawn feels abrupt. Especially when the ending of Jones's story seems to move away from Russia and Ukraine, and follow him onto his next search for truth regardless of consequences.

Overall, I would say "In the Shadow of Stalin" is something you would give to people interested in learning about more World War II intricacies. It go over well with people who read more than just "Maus," especially alongside other non-fiction graphic novels like those written by Derf Backderf and Daniel Clowes. The slower pace and muted action wouldn't make it a first suggestion for people who love graphic novels but have never before tried non-fiction.

This was a gripping tale of a man brave enough to tell the truth about a Soviet-made famine in Ukraine in the 1940s. I was unfamiliar with any of this, so it was a little hard to piece the story together. I wish I had read the last few pages of background info first. That would have given me enough context to really appreciate the power of what Garett Jones was willing to risk to tell the world the truth about a genocide. I also felt like the connection to George Orwell, though real, seemed shoe-horned in. Once again, after reading the last few pages, though, I can appreciate the author’s intention to highlight people who spoke truth to power.

⭐️⭐️ It was OK, I can see why some loved it
First off, I loved the art style, it really carried me through the story. I did have a problem with the story telling. I felt that there were a lot of holes that needed to be filled for those, including me, who don't have deep knowledge about Stalinist Russia in the years leading up to WWII. Because of that it was very disjointed and it seem like I skipped panels or pages, when in reality, I hadn't. I can see this really appealing to WWII history buffs who are looking for a unique personal story.

Thank you to Oni Press, NetGalley, and author Andrea Chalupa for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones is out September 3, 2023.

I love reading graphic novels about politics because they make the subject accessible and engaging for many people. However, despite my interest, I couldn’t connect with the story. I found myself skipping some pages, and the scenes didn’t resonate with me. Nonetheless, I do admire its art style.

This is more of my subjective opinion/preferences, so I think this could work for other readers.

This was something I received from NetGalley in exchange for a review. And this is that review.

In the Shadow of Stalin tells the story of a man named Gareth Jones. Mr. Jones goes to the Soviet Union with the goal of both examining Soviet life and interviewing Stalin. In the process he discovers the engineered famine in Ukraine. The remainder of the book is about the political maneuvering and social implications of what Mr. Jones has discovered.

The author assumes that the reader will have a strong working knowledge of that time period. The narrative fills in some details, but moves at an odd pace. There is a lot of power in graphic storytelling, and the writer's lack of experience in the medium shows.

The art is a good and, overall, this is a good story.

The comic book nature of this narrative makes a controversial topic accessible. It centres on the bravery of a British journalist, Gareth jones, who dared to investigate and publish the truth about how Stalin killed millions through an enforced famine in the Ukraine in 1933. He faced opposition from other journalists who were paid to discredit Jones.

It is a short book, but it brings a story tha5 some find complex to life.

Thanks NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this graphic novel

Based on the true events that happened during hitters time a report tries to find out the true goings-on and the effects its having... 1 I enjoyed the art in this graphic novel but I didn't enjoy the book that much because reading about these times make me a little uncomfortable, plus at times the story couldn't keep my attention.

Honestly I got a bit bored before the guy even got to Russia. I pushed through a bit but the story was jumpy and the art style was not for me.