This is a good, simple biography about artist Vincent Van Gogh. From the title, I expected it to be more of a graphic novel type format, but it was not. I still found the book to be informative, if not a little simple. I appreciated that the author included information on Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, who is not appreciated enough for her devotion to both Van Gogh brothers, and for making Vincent truly famous. I thought the cover art was beautiful, but found the interior art to be a bit flat.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Told from the perspective of Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, the person behind Vincent Van Gogh's success and Theo Van Gogh's beloved wife, VINCENT: A GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHY tells the life story of the world famous artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Starting from his beginnings, the author does not shy away from Van Gogh's life-long struggle with mental illness and the his journey to creating artwork. It also beautifully depicts the devotion of Theo to his older brother, and the vision he had for his brother's artwork-- which would eventually be carried out by his wife and son.

The story, while historically accurate, is bare bones-- meaning it can reach a wide audience for those looking to learn a little bit more about Van Gogh, without the intimidation of a full biography. The artwork, similarly, does the job effectively and thoughtfully, but leaves some to be desired.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. More specifically, I’d rate this a 3.5. The biography was informative, fast-moving, and easy to follow. It was initially odd to be from the perspective of Vincent’s sister in law, but after learning about her efforts to promote his paintings after death, it makes more sense. Van Gogh’s story is such a sad one- and this book attempted to capture his internal struggles with depression. I’m torn on how this graphic novel’s illustrations were crafted - his works are very recognizable despite the cartoonish style, and in some ways I enjoyed that - but at the same time, I think having glimpses of the actual paintings would have helped solidify the reality of Van Gogh a bit more. I’m not sure if it’s simply due to being an advanced copy that isn’t the final book, but the text on the page was small and the font uninspired in comparison with the art. Again, this may not be the same font used in the final version. The biography hit a lot of highlights but still left a lot to the imagination about what was going on personally with Vincent during his paintings and life. His life read more like a timeline or passive retelling, which makes a bit more sense with it being the in-law telling the story. While it is a graphic novel, there are some depictions of female nudity, self-harm/suicide (not just by Van Gogh), and other adult topics. Anyone knowing anything about his life would not be surprised, but the nudity pushed this into an older intended audience.

I am a big fan of Van Gogh, and I was delighted to see a graphic biography similar to Monet: Itinerant of Life by Salva Rubio. I enjoyed Van Gogh’s light being narrated by his sister-in-law Johanna. It was fitting since she basically became the steward of his legacy following his death. I thought the different “phases” of the book were well chosen, and the writing itself was clear and engaging. I was a little let down by the art. It felt a little more aimed toward younger audiences despite the biography itself being meant for adults. I wanted more inclusions and nods toward Van Gogh’s unique style but it was a lot more sparse than I was expecting. I did learn a few new things about Van Gogh, his brother Theo, and about Johanna (who was fascinating in her own right).

I recently had the pleasure of reading a graphic biography of Van Gogh, thanks to an ARC from NetGalley. As a devoted fan of his work, I was drawn to the unique perspective offered in this biography, narrated by his sister-in-law. It was enlightening to learn more about her role in shaping his artistic legacy, a facet I hadn't explored before.

However, while the narrative was engaging, I couldn't fully immerse myself due to the art style. It felt overly simplistic and didn't do justice to Van Gogh's intricate work. I had anticipated artwork more reminiscent of his own masterpieces, something richer and more detailed, which left me somewhat disappointed. Additionally, I felt the balance between text and visuals was skewed, with too much emphasis on narration rather than letting the art speak for itself.

Despite these shortcomings, I believe this biography serves as a decent introduction to Van Gogh's life for those seeking a basic understanding. However, I'm uncertain about its target audience. The childlike artwork and cover design may mislead potential readers, as the content delves into deeper themes not suitable for a younger audience. Overall, while it has its merits, I would recommend it cautiously to those interested in exploring Van Gogh's story.

This is one of the best biographies I have ever read. The second half of it presents the life of Van Gogh through his own letters as imagined to be interpreted by Jo, his sister-in-law. Readers get to see the depth of emotions experienced by Vincent, his brother Theo and Jo, his sister-in-law. When you feel so much for the world around you, you will see them in such depth that it can be tormenting. And maybe that is why his art is so moving and why the world was just too much for him.

The colour palette used in the book also changes to reflect the change in Vincent's art style in different stages of his life.

If you like his art, get this book.

I will get multiple copies of it as presents for my students.

Thank you for giving me the chance to preview such a moving book.

As someone who has always been interested in Van Gogh, I found this book fascinating. It was beautifully written. I love that this biography is written in the form of a graphic novel. I think the illustrations are well done and help to enhance the story. I learned so much from this book. I had no idea how important Van Gogh’s sister-in-law was to bringing his works to the masses. I also never knew about the bond he shared with his brother. His life really is a tragic story, which was very sad to read. However, it was inspiring that through all the tragedy, he was able to create such artistic masterpieces. The author did an amazing job accurately portraying Van Gogh’s life with such detail from the perspective of his sister-in-law. This was clearly a well-researched book. I would highly recommend this book.

Pros: From the cover (which is eye catching),I thought this book was going to be a children's book. Although I was mistaken, that wasn't a bad surprise. I very much enjoyed learning more about Van Gogh's life and especially appreciated learning about the role of his sister-in-law in his posthumous success. I thought a graphic biography is such a clever way to tell the story of an artist, and I would love to see more graphic biographies of different artists told in their style of art.

Cons: This isn't really a con and might not be a problem depending on how it is marketed and where this book is found in a book store/library, but I did assume from the cover that this book is a children's book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion | Frances Lincoln for the opportunity to read this book.

A decent introduction to the artist‘s biography. The perspective of sister-in-law was a fascinating choice for the framing. However, I struggle to imagine what audience it is targeted at. It is too graphic to be children’s version, too dry to captivate the masses and too superficial to interest art students or art enthusiasts. The style of artwork is quite simple and not enchanting making it doubtful that this book would be picked up as a coffee table book. So, I truly struggle to see how it fits the market.

I remember VanGough from school, but to be 5 much of his history... just the guy that cut his ear off...
What an interesting read. I'm not one for biographies, but this was a page turning graphic novel that managed to keep my interest. I love the way it included his portraits and was told from the view of his sister in law.
I didn't realise how deep his mental illness went. Obviously, the ear cutting was a hint, but wow.....if you want a decent read and a quickninsight to this famous artist, this is your hook / graphic novel

This illustrated biography was unique. Narrated by Vincent Van Gogh's sister-in-law, it walks through his life and struggles from her point of view. She was left with the task of selling his paintings, and she accomplished the feat of establishing his legacy and preserving his story. When I picked this up, I expected it to be a children's graphic biography. I was startled by some of the images and topics in the book, so I had to reframe my expectations. After doing so, I found myself more drawn to the story. Art students and fans will enjoy this quick glimpse into the life of Vincent Van Gogh and his sister-in-law who honored her husband by preserving his memory. For me, it wasn't my cup of tea.

Una biografia di Van Gogh interessante, pensavo che non avrei apprezzato lo stile (non è nel mio genere) ma mi sono ricreduta. Nel complesso ho più che apprezzato il fumetto. (meravigliose le tavole con il campo di grano e i corvi)

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists, and the concept of a graphic biography intrigued me, so I was excited to be able to read this! This graphic biography was told from an interesting perspective— that of his sister-in-law, whose involvement in the development of his artistic reputation I had no clue about prior to this book. I very much enjoyed learning more about her. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the art style, and I felt that there needed to be less text, since it is a graphic biography— I expected the story to be shown via the art rather just spelled out the way it was. Overall, I think it’s a good starting point for anyone who wants a basic understanding of Van Gogh’s life and story.

Good introduction to Van Gogh's life, especially for those who know little to nothing about him. Told from a unique perspective that sets it apart from other biographies. Some of the drawings - especially those in van Gogh`s style - were very charming and beautiful. My rating would have been much higher if all the pictures had followed this trend but many felt out of place due to their rudimentary style. Great for younger people to learn about the artist.

Vincent's story has always been one of my favorites and most touching. the drawings of this graphic novel are not to my taste, and I didn't really like them.

but I really appreciated the way the story is divided and told.

I liked how the biography was told through his sister in law's perspective. This book gives great insight into Van Gogh's tortured life.

Thank you netgally for the arc on Vincent Van Gogh, It was very interesting to learn more about Vincent and his upbringing. He is one of my favourite artists and knowing all the struggles he went through to creat his art.

This is a great introduction into Van Gogh. I think it would be great for schools to have as a starting point for students but it's also great for anyone of any age who wants to start learning more about this interesting artist.

I really liked the graphic aspect, it really condensed the information while still being fully informative and as someone who finds it hard to focus reading biographies, the art made it more engaging. I liked that it wasn't the typical graphic novel format, it flows much more which suits the story of an artist.

This biography gives you a look at his life, his art and his immense struggle with mental illness. You learn more about his family dynamics and relationships which I don't think most conversations about him touch on so that was interesting.

I actually had never heard of Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, even though she is pretty much the reason behind the success of Van Gogh, so she was interesting to read about and I liked that this was written from her perspective. For anyone else who doesn't know her, she is Van Gogh's sister in law and when he and his brother died she made it her mission to get his art out there and he is the reason we know him as famously as we do today.

This was my first Graphic Biography and I liked it, a lot. Having never read a graphic novel, I wasn’t sure what to expect and was therefore intrigued by the concept. The layout and illustrations added so much to the story. I found that Vincent’s life came across in a new and refreshing way. I see this appealing to a wide range of age groups from young to old. I would definitely read this one again.

I am not a biographies expert, but Vincent from his sister-in-law in color sounded more promising, it was still interesting but I couldnt find so much on these pages.

Vincent van Gogh's entire life from birth to death, his love affair and career, his mental health and family in pictures, although I think the illustrations could be less simple, for sure its contents aren't for young readers, so I expect the arts weren't too.

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group via Netgalley for ARC, I have given my honest review. The publication date is 6 August 2024.