
Member Reviews

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It included things I didn't know in my prior looks into Vincent's life and I really appreciated the perspective of Jo as narrator. I enjoyed the art.

"Vincent: A Graphic Biography" is an engaging and visually appealing depiction of Vincent van Gogh's life. The biography spans from his birth to his death, touching on his love affairs, career, mental health struggles, and family relationships. The graphic format makes it an accessible read, though some might find the illustrations a bit simplistic.
For those not looking for an in-depth analysis of van Gogh's work or life, this graphic biography strikes a good balance. It offers more detail than a brief summary while remaining approachable and concise. The content and illustrations make it enjoyable, and it's suitable for a wide audience, including young adults and adults alike.
Overall, "Vincent: A Graphic Biography" is a quick yet insightful read for anyone interested in learning more about one of the great artists in a visually engaging way. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

A lovely, well illustrated book. I have read other books about Van Gogh's life and found this to be easily accessible. Thanks to Netgalley.

This was a comprehensive exploration of Van Gogh’s evolution as an artist and as a man. I liked how it was framed from his sister-in-law’s point of view, which humanized him. The illustrations were pretty, but I couldn’t help but feel that they lacked the spark and spontaneity of Van Gogh’s work. On a similar note, the typed text was off putting, too stark and lifeless to match a creative genius like Van Gogh.

The artwork is very poor quality for a book about one of the most famous artists of all time.
It looks cheap and childish.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Vincent: A Graphic Biography by Simon Elliott.
This was a well laid out and informative biography of Vincent VanGogh, and also his brother, Theo. I love graphic nonfiction for its ability to inform readers in a way that the topic sticks with them and doesn't slog them down. The art was vibrant and fitting, and it even spurred me onto another book of letters between Vincent and Theo.

I really enjoyed this. It was bite sized information which was great for learning. It didn’t droll on. I really liked the artwork. I felt really sad for Vincent.

As a fan of the works and writing of Vincent Van Gogh I was excited to have the opportunity to read this version of his life story. The origins of his lifes work and his daily struggles are told illustrations that compliment the narrative well. For any fan of his works and life story this would make for a easy detailed read.

As an Art History major and an avid reader, I’m always excited when I get books about art and artists. So, I jumped at the chance to read Vincent: a Graphic Biography, hoping for a new creative take on Vincent van Gogh’s life. Maybe my expectations were too high, because in the end it felt pretty flat and uninteresting.
The book starts with Jo, Theo’s wife (van Gogh’s sister-in-law), explaining that after the brothers’ deaths she was left their letters and paintings and all the responsibility of Vincent’s legacy. Then we spend most of the book learning about his life and work, returning in the end to Jo’s efforts to get recognition for the artist.
It’s an interesting framing device, but it leads to a lot of telling, not showing. I felt like we were constantly told how to feel about Vincent, never really getting a chance to form our own opinions. Here is Vincent being oh, so sensitive, misunderstood, depressed, feeling all of his feelings – it gets annoying after a while. I can accept that it’s a biased account (for example, it leaves out that Theo died of syphilis), but it mostly seems sanitized. If this was a children’s book, that would be fine, but it isn’t.
I did like the second half of the book more, as the focus shifted from the man to the artist. We get glimpses into how Vincent saw the world and how that translated into his paintings, his shift to painting from memory (and not just from reference), his choice for brighter, more saturated colors. I would’ve liked more of this.
The visual part of this graphic biography was underwhelming (with a few interpretations of Vincent’s work that really stood out). First about the formatting: this looks more like a children’s book that a graphic novel. There’s a lot of text next to illustrations, making it feel more didactic and less as a narrative.
Most of the illustrations look like they were traced from photos, keeping the basic outline and filled with flat color blocks. The choice seems to be made for speed, not with artistic intent relating to the text of van Gogh’s style. There are a few times where the art takes inspiration from Vincent, and I really liked the result. I also found it very interesting that the book doesn’t use any of the real artworks – seems kind of meta.
In the end I think this book could be useful for people who are looking for a short biography of a famous artist, but for anyone trying to really understand Vincent van Gogh, I think his letters to Theo are a better source.
“With paper – if it’s not a letter I’m writing but a drawing I’m doing – it hardly ever goes wrong.” Vincent van Gogh

The story of Vincent Van Gogh is a heartbreaking one and I thought it was well told here, delvinginto the good and the bad. Great for students looking into Van Gogh's life. I was not initially a fan of the artstyle, but it grew on me and I thought it was used quite well to illustrate Vincent's life. There is something from Van Gogh's life for artists to learn from perhaps.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Vincent: A Graphic Biography
I deeply love the art of Vincent Van Gogh ever since I learned about his life in art class when I was growing up.
This book tells the story of Vincent Van Gogh from his childhood all the way to his tragic end. It's retold through the voice of Jo, his sister-in-law, the wife of his brother Theo, who died shortly after Vincent.
One thing to note is the art style. It is unique, but it was not for me. How this book is formatted reminds me more of a picture book and not a graphic novel.
This book is definitely an interesting read, but I will not be reading this book again.

I’ve read very long and extensive biographies of Vincent Van Gogh and know not everyone needs that much detail. This is a good graphic biography of the painter Vincent Van Gogh. It is told from the view point of his sister in law, who many don’t realize is the one who kept his collection and worked to have him be accepted as an artist long after his death. The book covers the basics of his life growing up, his first failed romances and careers. It also covers the strong and unique bond he shared with his brother Theo. It does not spare details of his poor mental and physical health and times he spent in asylums or under a doctor's care. He was a prolific artist but sold very few paintings during his lifetime. I liked the stylized graphic illustrations in this book and easily recognize the iconic paintings I’ve seen in great museums. I think this would be great for someone who wants to know more about the artist but doesn’t want to delve into a 1,000 page biography. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, White Lion for the temporary digital copy and I am leaving an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for an advanced ARC of this book
I have always loved art and anything to with creativity, Vincent Van Goth had always been art I look upto and reading this Graphic Biography is a easy way for children to learn about the artist at a digestible pace.

Vincent: a graphic biography
When you love art and graphic novels then this is a book you need to read.
Most of uss do know Vincent van gogh, but did u know how his life was?
This graphic novel tells about his story.
The illustrations are nice to watch and tells the story very clearly.
The short text tells the story beside the illustrations and u will learn about Vincent s life.
But you can enjoy and watch the illustrations and later read also the text.
There is a lot to discover.
I think it would be great if this book is used in school so children can learn about artists.

I found this somehow all at once intriguing, perplexing, and saddening. Vincent Van Gogh was supremely talented but also supremely troubled. Other than that I enjoyed his work, knew he'd cut his ear off, and, yes, was troubled, I honestly didn't know much about Van Gogh the man. My first reaction, probably because I was expecting illustrations representative of his well-known art, was to stop, close the ditigal book, and take a virtual step back. Why? At least initially, it was visual. The early illustrations weren't, to be polite, seemingly even particularly well done or informative. They were bland, lacking detail/shading, and seemed to be repetitive. As the book goes along, however, the illustrations, like Vincent himself, become more complex, reflecting where he was artist-wise at the time being discussed. In other words, the early artwork was surely by design, perhaps for reasons unknown to me, but I choose to see them as indicating young Vincent as a blank canvas, one whose ideas and direction were unformed. Knowing others will face the same issue, I'm opting for a 4-star rating although, quite frankly, at various places in the book, I was all over the place rating wise.
His struggles with mental health and depression are well-documented but this does delve into reasons or probably causes. Overall, they might be summed up by he felt too much, too strongly. We're seeing his story through the eyes of his sister-in-law, Joanna, who was actually the one person most responsible for bringing his work to the world after his death. His brother Theo also features prominently and, sadly, died not long after Vincent, leaving Joanna alone to make her own way in the world. Her success in promoting Vincent's works, left to his family at his death, is obvious today. I mean, there are entire museums bearing his name and his Starry Night painting is everywhere. What we get here, however, is the behind-the-scenes story of Van Gogh's troubled life, where feeling ran too strong to control, both drawing him to others and driving others from him, including women he seems to have been almost fixated on.
I won't detail the turmoil of his life. That's better left to the individual reader. I will say his life was definitely turbulent, anguished, and, quite frankly, rather disturbing. Let's just say, mental health care back then wasn't what it is today and it's far from infallible nowadays. Through it all, seeing the still relatively undefined artwork depicting him frequently apparently screaming in anguish, against the visuals of the intriguing, developing style of his artwork, is all the more remarkable for the contrast. His life is the focus, though, and though he gave us the gift of his amazing talent, it wasn't a happy one. It's hard not to feel both sadness and respect for what he accomplished in the face of such turmoil. Joanna, his sister-in-law, does get spotlighted at the end although, you know, she perhaps deserves a book of her own (and I write this without checking to see if one already exists). Thank you #QuartoPublishingGroup - #WhiteLion - #FrancesLincolm for allowing me a sneak peek at this troubling but also interesting life.

A simply amazing visual look at an artist and visionary, whose work has continued to make a mark. I would gladly use this book when teaching about Vincent van Gogh and I appreciate the pairing of narrative prose and images.

Vincent: A Graphic Biography
BioGraphs Series
written and Illustrated by Sam Elliott
Frances Lincoln Books
due 8-6-2024
4 stars
Vincent Van Gogh's short, tragic life has always fascinated me. His quiet manner, childhood problems, becoming a painter that was ignored, misunderstood and ridiculed, and his suicide is an amazing story and I enjoyed this quick, submersive graphic novel. The bold basic graphics and colors fit the story well, and project Vincent's artistic style well. Vincent's story is told with passion and these graphics are a compliment to his artistry. Well done.
Thanks to #Netgalley for sending this e-book ARC for review.
#NetGalley #VincentAGraphicNovel

I felt so sad while reading this brilliantly illustrated biography of Vincent Van Gogh. Mental illness plagued him his whole life, causing mental trauma to not just him but his loving, devoted family. Told from the point of view of his sister-in-law, this story takes the reader through different periods of Van Gogh's life, showing his pursuit of happiness and love. He was rejected by lovers and by art critics, eventually dying much too young of a self-inflcted wound, followed closely by his brother.
Thank goodness his sister-in-law recognized his brilliance. Left alone with a child after both brothers' deaths, she was the one who made sure that the world learned about the brilliance of Vincent Van Gogh. Possibly the most brilliant part of this book is how the illustrations are in Van Gogh's style.
It seems crazy that people found his work childish and even frightening, when millions of people visit his museum every year now. There is even an asteroid named after him! I wish he could have known how much people love his work now.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Received this book as an ARC via NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion.
This is a graphic novel that is also a biography of the artist Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh is a complicated historical figure but I feel that this graphic novel presents his life in a new and interesting way to younger readers and adults. I have to say that the color choices and the simple, yet effective drawings by the author, Simon Elliot, helped to draw the reader's eye and yet did not detract from the text.
The text goes through his early life through his unrequited love and later on his struggles with mental illnesses such as depression and the work he did. It is told from the perspective of his sister-in-law and her narration really allows us to see Van Gogh in ways that he perhaps had not seen himself in life. She was able to turn him into a world renowned artist after a lifetime of rejection by his peers.
I think this book would be best read by children in high school, due to certain images of nude women and the depiction of his suicide attempt. This requires a more mature audience than middle school which is often the audience for graphic novels..

Thank you to NetGalley, author and the publisher for an eARC.
A quick life summary and journey to how we know of the painter Vincent Van Gogh. It is not detailed but nicely done. This is something you can read if you want to refresh your memory on life of the famous painter. I personally really enjoyed this one.
“Vincent painted despite his illness, not because of it” this line really stood out to me. I feel like a lot of people relate his struggle with mental illness with his art and romanticise it. I think it’s important to remember that even though his struggle was genuinely painful it still didn’t define him or his love for painting.
Moreover, I’m glad more people are talking about the woman behind his success. I’m surprised it took them long enough.
Plus it’s no shocker that a woman is behind all that because there is no way a man from 1800’s would’ve read his letters and conveyed his feelings through them and related it with his art. Only a woman is capable of such depth.
Lastly. I find it so wholesome that all of this happened because of love.