I thought this was a good graphic novel about a young girl named Liberty and her mother. It starts out with her mother and how she became pregnant. It talks about how hard she has with her life and what she does. I thought the art style was okay and the story seemed a little rushed.

"Liberty" by Warnauts & Raives is a beautiful graphic novel that tells the story of two women in Paris during the German occupation of World War II. The artwork is stunning, with intricate details and vivid colors that bring the story to life.

The novel takes a unique approach to the subject matter, exploring the lives of ordinary citizens who are caught up in the war and trying to survive. The two main characters, Louise and Martine, are complex and well-developed, and their friendship is the heart of the story.

While the novel does an excellent job of capturing the atmosphere of Paris during the occupation, some readers may find the pacing to be slow at times. Additionally, the narrative can be difficult to follow, with flashbacks and dream sequences that can be confusing.

Despite these minor flaws, "Liberty" is a poignant and beautifully crafted graphic novel that offers a unique perspective on the events of World War II. It's a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit in times of adversity, and a testament to the enduring power of friendship. For fans of historical fiction and graphic novels, "Liberty" is a must-read. 4/5.

Patchy, if not clumsy, the long timeline of this story takes us from James Brown and Ali in Zaire to post-9/11 NYC. From my point of view it kind of mumbles around on issues of race (including black on white racism), colonial thoughts of certain white men, and how young generations often seek to avoid the mistakes of their elders in vain. It really doesn't help that the switches in narrator between the older white man who loved the mother, and the daughter, and/or other people are all done so badly. Light entertainment it isn't – and three stars are a touch generous.

Absolutely beautiful pictures throughout. This would be a beautiful coffee table book. Each page is like a painting. I didn't follow the story as much as I adored the artwork.

First of I want to say that the art style of this graphic novel was gorgeous, one of the best that I've seen. That being said, I feel like the plot was lacking, it had a lot of plot holes and it was overall confusing to follow along to.I found myself rereading some parts, because I just couldn't seem to understand what was going on.
To add to that, I feel like the overall message and idea of the graphic novel was good. I loved seeing the hardships of a mother and daughter and seeing how their life stories intertwined. I just wish that the plot was a bit more developed.
All of this is why I have to give this book a 2,5 stars.

This book follows a mother and daughter over the decades. It starts off with 16 year old Thshilanda who ends up getting sexually assaulted and ends up pregnant and follows her moving to America and her journey of finding happiness and stability in a segregated time where black parole were treated terribly. Then the book also follows Tshilanda daughter Liberty life and the mistakes she makes while trying to figure out how to live her life while also trying to not make the same mistakes her mother did. This book also just talks about police brutality, segregation, politics, Muhammad Ali. But this book also touches on deeper issues like the fetishes that white men have when it comes to black women and how black women will see each other as threats when each others bodies mature. Overall I really enjoyed this book I loved the illustration and the topics that were brung up. Would recommend but make sure to check trigger warning

A poignant and powerful story about relationships, family, and race.

I loved the complex relationship between Liberty and her mother, how it enunciated the hardships of growing up as a Black woman and I also loved how the book did not shy away from presenting the “difficult” topics as they were.

I thought this was a beautiful narrative on issue we are living in. The art was beautiful and I felt the characters were compelling.

This graphic novel is a story which is beautifully told with well designed artwork and bright and beautiful colours. The story which spans several decades and countries, tells the story of a woman called ‘Liberty’ and her mother, and how decisions and actions can affect generations to come, all creating a tapestry of family through choices and actions.

It is also a story of change, culture and love and how our understanding of race and culture has changed across these decades. The story starts in Kinshasa with an unwanted pregnancy but ends in New York with family and hope. The storytelling is excellent and together with the artwork makes a really engaging book.

Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was a poignant story of generational love, loss and pain. I felt that at points through the book the plot was lost and I could not really understand what was trying to be put across to me. The art style was beautiful and I wish the story had been more clear so I could have got more out of the authors work as the premise was one that really interested me.

Thank you net galley for providing me with an arc of Liberty in exchange for a honest review.


I had a really hard time finishing this. The art style although gorgeous is sadly the only redeeming characteristic of this book as the plot is confusing and all over the place with forgetful characters. Sadly cannot recommend this.

This was an incredibly well illustrated graphic novel. The timeline flies through the 60's/70's to Obama's election in 2008 - with the latter years getting a few pages here and there. I almost think there could have been more included to continue to flesh out the story.

There is some compelling commentary on social issues as well as an interesting storyline arc following a handful of main characters and their connection to each other. I did find it hard a couple of times to figure out/orient myself around who the narrator was as compared to the pictures and story unfolding on the page. I also thought the usage of flashbacks was interesting and overall really well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the electronic copy to read and review.

A beautiful story told through stunning illustrations. A wholly moving story of generations relative and redemptive lives.

I enjoyed this graphic novel. The art was gorgeous, and the intergenerational stories were interesting, although I felt they were too rushed to be enjoyed fully.

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this graphic novel.

While reading it, I thought it was all over the shop like there were so many new characters coming into the story so suddenly and so many time skips without explanation. It’s probably just what I got from it as I’m seeing a lot more people were into this than I am….

This was an interesting tale of a woman's journey, how it began and how it evolved. It's a story of power, immigration, growth, family and struggles. It's interestingly illustrated and put together from various perspectives.

The art in this graphic novel is so beautiful. I’d read it again and again just to see all the amazing illustrations.

I enjoyed this generational story, it brought me into a different culture to my own and allowed me a front row seat to the lives of black women in America.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the copy!

Absolutely beautiful and evocative visuals but I found the scope of the story (decades and generations long) to be so rushed. This graphic novel could have easily been doubled in size and had a much larger impact.

The story of a mother and daughter from the Congo to New York is full of emotion, real people and conflicting ideals.

I just wish we had more time with this story!

Out March 29, 2023

This will be published on the 28th of April 2023.

A Thankyou

Thank you to Netgalley and Warnauts & Raives for this reviewers copy of the graphic novel Liberty.

Graphic Novel?

Here at R&R we are excited to review our first graphic novel! We’re no strangers to the medium, have read numerous marvel, DC, dark horses……comics and graphic novels. You might think many things about graphic novels, but we believe there is more than one way a story can be told and graphic novels are works of art. So sit back, read the review and ask yourself, does this sound like something I am interested in?

Blurb

“This sweeping, intercontinental graphic novel covers 40 years in the life of a mother and daughter. Liberty is a young woman navigating her shadowy past and rocky present in the New York City of the early 2000s. But “Liberty” is also a word with a weight of its own, one carried by an entire generation of African-Americans living through a moment of great hope and fear.”

Story

The story begins in Kinshasa. 1974. This is a story about rape, race and life. I was drawn to the story for the artwork. I enjoy art and was impressed by the illustrations, the cover and the colour between the pages. This is a tale of a woman from Kinshasa and I found it quite sad. The pace was fast. Everything happens in a moment. The writing between the first pages did not make me connect with Tshilanda, some was cliché and you only have a few sentences to get a feel for the character – the drawings however make you connect with her. The sadness impressed upon her face, the hanging of her low shoulders as she experiences tragedy, the horror in her eyes, as she knows that she has to live with the experience forever. But is that not what a graphic novel is? A mix between sentences and art? Both colliding together, one without the other would make the whole thing collapse. Men deciding decisions – Vietnam war – Racial segregation – there is a lot to unpack with this graphic novel. If you like your resting to come with heavy issues, this story is for you.

Would I recommend?

Having studied the Civil Rights Movement in America academically, I was already familiar with issues brought up in the book. It is hard to say something so gritty is entertaining, it seems such a crude word to use when describing these topics. So I will not use. I read the novel in a few hours, the art kept me interested. The pace was too fast, I felt like I had no time to connect to the characters, although I did sympathise with them. The narration began to change as quickly as the plot. Mike. Liberty. Tshilanda. I would say this novel is not about the characters, but about the history. If you like your relaxation with heavy themes and concepts, give the novel a try. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, you’ll have to go for something else.

2.8 Just an honest opinion.
Was that her half brother at the end?!

The history of the time periods in this was fantastic. The decisions and things that happened with the characters were upsetting for the most part. I both liked this and disliked it. It does show how cycles continue.