I was intrigued by the idea of a graphic memoir, and I found the use of the Chinese Zodiac to explain Ai Weiwei's life through imagery successful ... but man, there's a lot going on here. I am familiar with the artist so I didn't learn a whole lot about his work, but I did learn things about Chinese culture that I did not know. Overall a very cool project.

<I>Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Zodiac is the graphic memoir of Ai Weiwei, renowned Chinese artist and activist. It's not so much a literal depiction of his life, but a legacy for his son to read about him and his life. We explore Ai's life from his childhood, his father's imprisonment and exile, his own imprisonment, and his art, all woven together by the Chinese zodiac signs.

Though some of the stories/explanations went a bit over my head without proper research what everything meant (historically, but also his art installations that I was unfamiliar with), this is a beautiful and (to me) unique memoir. If you're interested in Ai Weiwei, graphic novels or Chinese folklore and culture, this one is definitely for you!

Zodiac was very interesting and beautiful visually. I liked the use of the Chinese Zodiac to explore the author's life story.

This beautiful comic about the Chinese Zodiac was written in a way that describes each animal independently and so deeply. I felt the love and appreciation for the traditional Zodiac signs and their meanings that the Author is feeling. Beautifully illustrated, well done.

This was a thought-provoking autobiography and reflection on the purpose and power of art throughout time.

Have you ever read a comic or book and felt you were not up to the circumstances? I did, with this one. And don't get me wrong; I don't mean at all that it's a difficult book. It's just that it demands TIME and a lot of RESEARCH to completely understand it. That is, at least, if you are into the real story it portrays or into the recent history of the Chinese People's Republic.

It is one of those books that you read, and after that, you're not the same person—not only because of everything it says about the history of the country and how you end up becoming an activist who wants to fight for human rights without even having had the intention of becoming one in the first place. Nonetheless, in case you're not into history (or advocacy) as I am, it's still a read that you cannot miss.

The way it mixes the ancient art of astrology (in this case, specifically about the Chinese zodiac) into the memoirs of the artist and activist Ai Wei Wei (AKA the author) is exquisite. I couldn't help but compare it with another work I know about the zodiac, which is 'Fruits Basket,' but the comparison is very fragile. Both works take an entirely different approach to the twelve (or thirteen) animals, but I like this particular comic because it is more mature and speaks from a philosophical standpoint instead of a funny representation of people born in the year.

All in all, I truly recommend this book if you're looking for a nurturing slow read. It definitely won't waste your time.

Such an interesting story about a Chinese artists life shown through the Chinese zodiac signs. I loved this!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy!

Beyond just a graphic memoir, Zodiac is truly a piece of art unto itself. Each section is cerebral and atmospheric, weaving in allusions to Chinese history and culture, Ai Weiwei's life and previous work, and his conflicting feelings about the China of today. It's not a light read, but it is incredibly engrossing, and holds something for people with varying degrees of familiarity with Ai Weiwei. I know of him and his work and studied Chinese for 10 years, so some of what was alluded to was familiar to me, but in Zodiac was presented with more depth and poeticism. There was also a lot that I learned from this book, about Chinese proverbs, Ai Weiwei's life and career, and the animals of the zodiac. The art style was also unique and appealing. I think the highlight was the way that Ai Weiwei juxtaposed traditional Chinese mythology and lore with the troubled nature of China in the 20th and 21st century, highlighting the complexities of both in a thoughtful, philosophical way.

An important graphic novel analysing art and freedom in the modern world through a Chinese activist prism.
Ai Weiwei is an artist asking questions about where we stand and what we use our voice for, what it means to create and why he does it.
It's great to have this kind of insight and regular conversations. Everyone gains from using their minds to think about freedom, ethics, where we come from and where we go... this is philosophical, but also very much about taking a stand, about freedom of speech and about always questioning things.

Fantastic graphic novel interspersing the author’s life, history of China. A graphic memoir that reflects philosophy and learnings from his life. Enjoyable read and important content. Thank you to #netgalley and the author for an advance copy.

Zodiac was full of truly intriguing and beautiful stories. I enjoyed reading it, but I found that the illustration fell a little flat for me. I think that graphic novels are a powerful medium for storytelling in that the visuals have the opportunity to tell a story all on their own. For such a well-planned and thoughtful title, I expected a bit more from the illustrations. This is my preference as someone who enjoys vivid colours and imagery. Otherwise, it was a great read and I would recommend it to people who don't have as strong a preference as myself.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Clarkson Potter/ Ten Speed Press for an advance copy of this graphic memoir that tells the life of one man who has lived in not just interesting but very dangerous times.

A young boy grows up in exile and suspicion by his own government, a victim of being the son of someone suspected of dissent. Away from anyone he knows, living literally in a hole in the ground the boy is raised on stories of the past, reading propaganda comic books, with no idea of where life could and will take him. These comics, stories of brave workers in China taught this young boy the power of art. That even in propaganda a truth can be made apparant. The son of a poet, the boy was raised on stories of the Chinese Zodiac and how each animal characteristics effected the people born under the different signs. This boy would grow up to be an artist, a dissident, a documentarian and writer, and memorist in prose and graphic form. And this is his truth. Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir is by the artist Ai Weiwei, with contributions from Elettra Stamboulis and illustrated by Gianluca Costantini. This graphic novel tells the life of Ai Weiwei in a story of essays about the Zodiac, and how outside influences, and personal convictions created the artist and man he is today.

The book begins with Ai Weiwei in the present day discussing why cats were not invited to be a part of the Chinese Zodiac. As we read the book goes back to discuss growing up during the Cultural Revolution, where his father an educator and poet was called out for his impure thoughts, the family exiled far into the interior, and even worse his father's works burned. From there the narratives dips with stories of the Zodiac, and how the 12 animals were chosen, to past historical events, to Ai Weiwei's reading of comic books opened his mind to the power of art, and what art can convey, and even influence. Ai Weiwei discusses his brushes with the law, the abuse he suffered and the fight that he continues to wage. All beautifully illustrated.

A very unique graphic memoir, one that tells a powerful story, but does not let the lessons learned bog down the story with meaning, or importance. This is really a book one can dip into read the section, learn a little, and put down, coming back later when one feels like it. The use of the Zodiac describing people Ai Weiwei interacts with, is different, and a way of looking at totalitarians in a different way. Why do some question, while others just accept. What makes one go on when everyone else is willing to be hammered into place. The artwork really compliments the story. The characters are very lifelike and real. The backgrounds are very crisp from city scenes, to being in cars, to a cat and a mouse crossing the river. As an artist, it must have been different if not difficult to have another artist draw the life Ai Weiwei had lived. However both work very well together telling a very interesting and surprisingly philosophical memoir of a life that is still learning and causing change.

Recommended for people who have always felt that graphic novels have a lot of potential, and can tell stories not only uniquely, but in ways that simple words can not convey. A very different tale, but one that stays with readers.

I want to start out with I’m slightly obsessed with the zodiac, the origins and the stories people have come up with using different lessons and history of the zodiac.

I had never heard of Ai Weiwei but now I have an artist to add to my list of artist I look up to and look forward to seeing more of their art. This book had me looking into not the history that I did not know but also into the work of this artist.

I will start out with the style of drawing wasn’t my favorite. I did enjoy the architecture drawings but otherwise I didn’t really care for it. The story though. It taught me a lot about another country’s history that I wasn’t aware of. It is kind of that thing of if you are born in the USA you know a lot about your countries history and sprinkles of other country’s but not as much. This is only my second time reading a graphic novel memoir and it did not disappoint. The way Ai intertwined not only his own personal history but fitting it in to the folklore of the zodiac was honestly something to read. The way it seamlessly would go to his time and throw back to another to help explain things that if you have not a lot of knowledge of was astonishing. I’ve read books that try to explain past events and have it be a bit jarring but I didn’t feel that way reading this because it would add to the story. The added bonus of seeing parts of his own work/style in the book was also very cool to see because they incorporated in such a way that I was not expecting.

If you can get past the style or like the style of drawing then I think this is an excellent look at an amazing artist’s life and seeing how different events in history shaped him into the artist he became.

A discursive memoir that serves as both an introduction to the artist and a recitation of his key themes. This might be a bit disorienting for a newcomer to Ai Weiwei but fans of his work will appreciate the consistent use of his pieces in the illustrations and the stories within stories that make up the 12 chapters of this brief and insightful graphic memoir.

ARC from Netgalley. Not a knock against the artist, but I found it hard to really get into this book.

I admit I hadn't known much about Ai Weiwei beyond a couple of his works I'd seen in museums (and as it turns out, in Beijing, if you count the Olympic stadium), so when I spotted this book, I jumped on the chance to read it. And it's an intriguing medium to learn about Ai Weiwei from: a very artfully presented story, but drawn by someone else; a true story of life, but delovered in melancholy, sonorous tones of fables and classic tales, arranged along the framing device of Chinese calendar. It lends a lot of gravity to the read: I probably liked the first few chapters, capturing conversations with his son, more than the later, more heavy ones, but they all established the atmosphere as well as facts of his life. The intrisive eye of the state, the ebb and flow of art movements, the more chamber emotions of one family - I thought they were rendered in a pretty impactful well, even if none of it was remotely linear. It was a very quick read, too -- I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of Zodiac.

5 stars

I love Ai Weiwei, and when it comes to his art, I don't think much could sway my devotion. As a result, it's not surprising that I devoured and loved this graphic novel, but I truly think I would have felt that way even if I had come into this knowing only very general, surface level info about this nearly mythical individual.

As the title suggests, the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac serve as the framing narrative for this intriguing memoir. Ai Weiwei has been very forthcoming about his opinions both in verbal and artistic representations, and all of the familiar characters pepper his memoir in the same way that they infiltrate (or infiltrated, as the case may be) his actual life. He creates a timeline of his experiences, realizations, and general life philosophy not only using the animals of the zodiac, but also incorporating heavy hitters from Chinese mythology and folk tales. Girls who turn to silkworms thanks to horses seeking fulfilled promises? Check! Sun Wukong? Check and CHECK! (Fellow monkeys will find that section as pleasing as I did; I am certain)!

A personal highlight is the description of the Alcatraz exhibit. Having gotten to see that in person a few years ago and finding it deeply affecting, I really appreciated gaining an even deeper understanding of the work and the experience.

Readers who know anything about the focal point of this work will expect outstanding art, a dash of the esoteric, a heap of ego (I'm not knocking it - it's well deserved), and an intricately and thoughtfully woven depiction of a riveting individual. Even high expectations will almost certainly be exceeded here.

The uniqueness of this final product matches what one expects for its subject.