A tough read, and an important one. I knew a bit about Chernobyl, but this brought many details to life in a way that felt more real than just text on a page. The science behind nuclear plants and this particular disaster is made understandable by many concise explanations throughout the book. Being able to read through the events from before the plant had been built to the modern day, and see how many errors, cover-ups, lies, and outright corruption happened along the way, was a chilling experience. But the illustrations are what truly make this book stand above others. They're done in a blocky, flattened style that evokes the brutalist architectural movement sweeping the USSR (and other communist nations) at the time. Yet detail is given in small ways that create big impact. As the firefighters first approach the burning buildings, we can see how the soles of their shoes are melting off and sticking to the ground beneath their feet. A wide shot of the buildings decades later includes a crow, quite dead, in the extreme close foreground with great forced perspective. I'll eagerly await more graphic novels by this talented artist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for unbiased review.

Chernobyl disaster is one of the two most severe radioactive disasters - rated at seven which is considered as maximum severity that have happened, other being the Fukushima nuclear account in Japan which happened at 2011.

On 26 April 1986 reactor number four at the power plant suffered a catastrophic explosion that exposed the core and threw clouds of radioactive material over the surrounding area as a fire burned uncontrollably.

I have watched the documentary about it and yet it has always has interested me how it happened and how it affected humankind and human history.

The illustrations in the book are superb, they give Kind of dystopian or utilitarian feel which makes the whole book even more substance.

The book gives details of how, when and even aftermath of Chernobyl disaster.

Highly recommended if you are into history of such accidents that happened several decades back.

Thank you Netgalley and Palazzo editions for the wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The illustrations are skillful and the narrative seems engaging and informative. Will be adding to our library.

I'm not really a graphic novel girl but I find the Chernobyl disaster fascinating so couldn't resist requesting this one.
We are told how the reactors came to be, how they were built and also what happened on that fateful night and the aftermath.

This is a fascinating read and I did enjoy it, as much as one can enjoy this kind of subject matter.

I did struggle a little with the scientific details but that is just down to my brain as they were explained pretty well.

The graphics were really good and overall I would definitely recommend this one.

4 stars

#netgalley #chernobylthefallofatomgrad #matyasnamai

A well researched account of the lead up, explosion, and aftermath of Chernobyl. I likes that Namai focused on the stories of first responders and families affected by the disaster as well as the science and politics behind it. The graphic novel used harsh linework contrasted by blues and yellows (a nod to the Ukrainian flag) that translates well throughout the story.

A harrowing account without being too graphic, readers will find this informative and interesting.

Chernobyl has always grabbed my attention in any form of media I can find it in. In this graphic novel we learn about the before, during, and after of the deadly disaster.

This is a very information dense-feeling graphic novel that felt like a more accurate representation of the disaster and what lead up to it compared to a lot of other media about Chernobyl. The art style is a bit utilitarian, but at times reminded me of some of the graphics in the Fall Out game which kind of fits the themes. I wouldn't say this was a fun read per-say but it was very interesting if you want to learn more about this disaster in an easy to digest form.

Thank you to Netgalley for the early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Chernobyl disaster was incredibly complex. Several authors and historians have documented this incident in very lengthy books. Chernobyl, a graphic novel by Namai successfully describes the conditions leading up to the incident, the incident itself and the aftermath in 112 pages. This clear and succinct book makes understanding the disaster accessible. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ad Lib Publishers for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel beautifully and concisely depicts the events surrounding and following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It is short, but intricately told, with a pitch perfect balance in the storytelling of bureaucratic failure, technical detail, unsung heroism, and the impact on the immediate and ongoing lives of those involved.

The art style uses a limited palate of of muted blues and yellows, presumably as a mark of respect to the region, as well as being an expressive stylistic choice. The overall effect seemed reminiscent of the Constructivist style (at least to my untrained Western eye), which felt appropriate, and I really appreciated.

The storytelling moves effortlessly from being direct, punchy and sometimes shocking, through to gentle, pastoral and almost poetic in places.

Overall this is an incredibly accessible, evocative and, in places, moving retelling of the Chernobyl disaster. I was pleased to see historical and technical experts credited, giving me confidence in the accuracy of what is portrayed. I only wish that I had had something like this when I was at school - and then perhaps I would have spent more time studying history.

Thank you #NetGalley and Palazzo Editions for the free review copy of #Chernobyl in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A retelling of the horrific Chernobyl nuclear accident, in beautiful, striking art and two-tone colouring of the Ukranian blue and yellow. If you've read Midnight in Chernobyl and/or have seen HBO's Chernobyl, you will know the story, and it's still bracing and utterly terrifying to read.

Highly recommended.

This may be the first nonfiction graphic novel I’ve read, and it was absolutely worth it.

I’ve always been interested in the Chernobyl disaster, being a Soviet-born kid of the 1980s, knowing a few kids whose parents were Chernobyl liquidators, having to do school assignments on it what seemed to be every April, and by now having read quite a few books on the subject (and yes, I also love that HBO series as well). In these books I no longer look for any new information, but rather for new angles and good explanations and good presentation. And this one was a good surprise as graphic novel format allows for a fresh and memorable look at what happened in Chernobyl and what led up to it.

A graphic novel that combines a history lesson with great technical explanations of a nuclear accident, encompassing science, politics and everyday life in a 100 pages, it’s succinct and yet quite comprehensive. It’s very effective in getting points across in just a few memorable images — a vodka bribe to the police from Pripyat looters, an analogy between an oven and RBMK reactor to describe how the safety test resulted in the explosion, the saint-like imagery of nuclear halo and holy trinity of RBMK reactor creators.

Done in blue-gray and yellow color palette (I love and deeply respect that choice), the artwork seamlessly combines stark and bleakly poignant all in a few simple strokes, and those last few pages are so lingeringly sad and yet somehow almost light, without hitting any false notes. The art style brings to mind the industrial propaganda posters, almost synonymous with the Soviet era, as well as a strange style of some Soviet melancholic cartoons that may have slightly scarred me as a young and impressionable child, and all together it just works so well for the time, the events and the mood.

Perfect art choice.

4.5 stars.
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Thanks to NetGalley and Palazzo Editions for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

This non-fiction graphic novel tells the events leading up to and the actual day of the accident at Chernobyl, along with the affects after the explosion.

I loved this graphic novel! I actually didn't realize it was a graphic novel before I read it, and was a little worried because I don't usually enjoy them. It was wonderful. The graphics allowed for a better understanding of the complex material that is the reaction at Chernobyl that led to an explosion. The information was easy to understand and follow, a wonderful way for someone who is not educated in the field to have an understanding of what happened that day. It was informative, interesting and fascinating, really allowing the reader to learn something without being overwhelmed. I highly recommend this read!

This comic is for you if you haven't read Alexis Alekseyevich's novel or seen the HBO series based on it, but want to find out more about the nuclear disaster. It's based on records, so it's historical, but it also gives you the right amount of information at the right pace and presents the events in an interesting way. You learn about the causes, the unstable machines, the inexperienced ministers, the accelerated procedure, the live testing and finally the total news blackout which only makes you question the Soviet machine even more. I asked myself questions such as, if there had been so much space for nuclear power stations elsewhere, why were they built on the western border? Or why they wonder about the disaster afterwards, when there were many signs along the way. We are seeing the consequences first hand, including the evacuation of the town and then the 40 km radius as military exercise. Also very interesting for me was the depiction of the settlement around the nuclear power plant itself, where the illustrations actually contain Russian inscriptions. I also liked the colours and I am very happy that it will be published in Hungarian.

Chernobyl: The Fall of Atomgrad tells the story of how the disaster at Chernobyl happened and some of its aftermath.

This graphic novel would be a great introduction to the disaster. I didn't know much about Chernobyl going in and I learned a lot. Someone who is more knowledgable would probably find this graphic novel very basic. The art style wasn't my favorite as some of the illustrations were difficult to see but I did love the color palette.

I thought this was an excellent overview of the Chernobyl crisis, particularly for someone who wasn't familiar with the details. I loved the subtle details told with the art and how the simple palette of blue, black, and yellow amplified the rapid poisoning of the earth. My only wish is that the ending covered more of the long-term aftermath of the crisis in the cancer cases for the people who continued to live there.

One of my favourite graphic novels so far. This is the story of the Chernobyl disaster told in a different way from what I have seen before. There is quite a lot of text for a graphic novel, but that is needed if you want to make it informational. Really love the art style and colouring. I read this as a NetGalley eARC, but I am definitely ordering my own hardcopy as well.

If you ever wondered about what actually happened with Chernobyl, this is a pretty good resource. The gross ineptitude, malfeasance and corruption that allowed this to happen is truly horrible. A lot of it was, of course, covered up and straw men were left to take the fall for things out of their control as is typically the case for things like this. I do like the art and the use of only blue and yellow. While this is basic at times, it is a solid place to start if you want to learn more.

An interesting mix of beautiful art and historical accounts of the great Chernobyl disaster. From the inception of the Plant to the Fallout, this graphic novel explores it all and hands you facts along the way. I find the Chernobyl disaster interesting to say the least and I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel.

Like many pepole I watched the HBO Show about Chernobyl and I wanted to learn more about this tragic event in history. The illustrations are great and this graphic novel covers the complete timeline of events. It also provides more detail than I have ever read in any of the other books.

Informative graphic novel, and the muted colors seem to support the tragic storyline. This text focuses more on the details and less on the emotions and personal impact of the Chernobyl incident. It is more of an overview, skimming the surface of the event - why it happened, when, and the results - rather than a deep dive like Adam Higginbotham's incredible book on the subject, but it is a solid introduction that may lead readers to other sources.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

History through graphic novels is truly a medium meeting possibly its best form. Through evocative, wonderful art, Namai tells a thoroughly researched accounting of the Chernobyl disaster. Highlighting key characters, notable side events and eventually leading us all the way through how the final Soviet show trial and its buildup finally led to an opening of the USSR to the west, contributing to its downfall.