Paracuellos, Volume 1

author: Carlos Giménez
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1975
rating: 5
read at: 2016/04/15
date added: 2016/04/15
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Paracuellos, Volume 1' by Carlos Giménez is a staggeringly difficult graphic novel to read. The stories are tough to fathom. The fact that they are true makes this an extraordinarily powerful work.

The stories take place during Franco's reign in Spain. With a grown up population fallen in battle or executed or imprisoned, the children are left in the "care" of Church-run "homes" like Paracuellos. One of the children in the stories is young Carlos Giménez. Given little to eat or drink, the children rely on the rules of savagery in a place where punishment is strict and sometimes given out unmercifully. The adults are garish cartoons as they spout religion and political propaganda. Some of the kids are lucky enough to have family that occasionally can visit and bring food. The rest of the children are left to beg for scraps.

Granted, there are moments of humor in this grim place. That would be one of the only ways to survive such a thing. We see bullies get payback when they move to other schools, and a young boy saving to buy his favorite comic book series.

Each chapter takes place over 1 or 2 pages. Some of the stories and characters are linked. There are other schools besides Paracuellos featured. All seem pretty horrible.

This is a testament of survival in the face of pretty horrible circumstances. I'm glad I finally got to read this award winning comic in a reprint format.

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


via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/23DBWGl