Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams ComicArts for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Red Badge of Courage is one of those classic books that I never got around to reading when I was younger. One of the reasons I stayed away is because I knew it was about war, which I do not enjoy reading about. However, I decided to give this graphic novel a try.

Set during the heart of the United States’ Civil War in the 1860s, the book is a stark look at the conditions men were forced to fight in. The artwork conveys the utter demoralizing and awful conditions found as troops marched to their next battle. The battlefield conditions were horrendous, and the casualties were high for both sides.

Henry Fleming, the protagonist of the story, is not much more than a kid when he decides to join the union army instead of being drafted. He soon finds, however, that his idea of battlefield glory is replaced by utter despair and fear and cowardice.

I appreciated how the artwork showed some of the many layers to the story with the depictions of Henry Fleming and his battalion. The scenes of battle are bleak, and Henry’s struggles are shown not just with words, but with the excellent artwork of illustrator Steve Cuzor.

I’m not sure how many teens would pick this graphic novel up of their own volition, but I’ve found that reluctant readers can and will gravitate towards books with pictures quite readily, no matter the subject. Would recommend to anyone who, like me, was afraid of tackling a classic about the war machine.

I appreciated the notes at the end that talks more about the life of Stephen Crane, whose life was all too short.

A great graphic novel on a classic novel. The artwork was well-done and the story was maintained to be able to follow the plot. The novel was full of action as well as an introspective look into a person’s character and soul. A great read!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.