Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War

by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm (Illustrator), Ari Kelman

The first graphic history to capture the full scope of the Civil War, gorgeously drawn and expertly told


The graphic novelist Jonathan Fetter-Vorm and the award-winning historian Ari Kelman team up to create a unique portrait of a brutal and defining event in American history: the Civil War. The result is Battle Lines, a monumental graphic history—rendered in Fetter-Vorm’s sweeping full-color panoramas, and grounded in Kelman’s nuanced understanding of the period—offering a series of wholly new perspectives on the conflict that turned this nation against itself.
     Each chapter in Battle Lines begins with an object; each object tells its own story. A tattered flag, lowered in defeat at Fort Sumter. A set of chains, locked to the ankles of a slave as he scrambles toward freedom. A bullet, launched from the bore of a terrifying new rifle. A brick, hurled from a crowd of ration-starved rioters. With these objects and others, both iconic and commonplace, Battle Lines traces a broad and ambitious narrative from the early rumblings of secession to the dark years of Reconstruction. Richly detailed and wildly inventive, its stories propel the reader to all manner of unlikely vantages as only the graphic form can: from the malaria-filled gut of a mosquito to the faded ink of a soldier’s pen, and from the barren farms of the home front to the front lines of an infantry charge.
     Beautiful, uncompromising, poignant, and utterly original, Battle Lines is a daring vision of the war that nearly tore America apart.

Genres: History, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Civil War, War, Comics, Historical

214 pages, Hardcover

First published August 12, 2014

About the author

Jonathan Fetter-Vorm is an author and illustrator. His first book, Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb was selected by the American Library Association as a Best Graphic Novel for Teens in 2013. His Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War, co-authored with historian Ari Kelman, was published in May of 2015. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Slate, and Guernica. Jonathan lives with his wife and son in Montana.

Reviews

[Dov Zeller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battle Lines is one of the best graphic histories I've read in a long time. At first I was a bit frustrated by the form. The book is broken into 15 short relatively-unrelated sections, each introduced with text formatted in the form of a newspaper article, with illustrated and illustrative vignettes to follow.

When I first picked it up, I was looking for some over-arching connected storyline and that there was none, came as a disappointment. But as I got deeper into the book I realized that this is what war is. It's stories all over the map, people living in separate realities connected how exactly? By time? By space? By pain? By representative and non-representative retellings? Certainly this book made clear how differently the war was experienced by different individuals, and different populations.

Many of the sections in this book end in tragedy and despair, but I suppose that's not surprising. War is a hideous thing. But it also often initiates progress and allows for people to move through the world in ways they aren't able to in peace time. Women often have opportunities to be more independent during wartime. During the civil war slaves became free, though the process for most wasn't a simple tale of exodus from slavery into some triumphant freedom. This is not melodrama, but it's serious, and not optimistic. The art is beautiful and the stories often focus on individuals and there are moments of humor that can bring a brightness to the deeply disturbing subject matter. There are journalistic and personal narrative qualities in tension throughout the book, and I find that it's a productive tension that really works to make this a great piece of literature. There's a Dickensian feeling, to the degree that Dickens was an investigative journalist who created fictional characters to vivify the feeling of real social conditions. But, of course, a Dickens novel brings all the characters into contact, and in this book, a lot of people are kept more distinctly in their separate worlds. I appreciate that in the end. I think it makes sense, and gives this book a broad range while still having an atmosphere of surprising intimacy.

This is not a comprehensive history of the war but it does clarify historical facts that have gotten muddied over the years, for the sake of driving home ideological points or for simpler historical retellings. There's some very nice commentary on the ways the civil war was shaped by and shaped the U.S. governmental systems. We are 'set straight' that neither the North nor the South were ever cohesive in their attitudes toward war or race. We see, horrifically, white immigrants in the North attacking black northerners because they are so frustrated about being drafted into the war. We see white slave owners in the South trying to make sense of the crumbling infrastructure of their world. We cheer for the emancipation of former slaves, be we are also made to understand that change is going to be slow and bloody and nobody's life is going to be easy. We see the wealthy northerners paying to get out of the draft while those without economic resources are pushed into a war whose technology for brutality has advanced, and whose death tolls are profound. We see POW camps in all their horror. There is a section on malaria, and one in which we learn about new gun technology. Though war certainly breaks down and reshapes some social structures it also highlights the ones in place that continue to haunt us. The problems of wealth disparity, economic hardship, the pitting of poor immigrants against each other and other poor communities while so many of the wealthy float away on their private, poisonous (to many large and small ecosystems, and the non-wealthy classes) bubbles.

This book is good, though not emotionally easy reading. It's compelling, beautiful, smart and inspires further reading and research. Why I didn't give it a five? I am still thinking/curious about representation of different populations and individuals in here, the scope of the book. But, I highly recommend it.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would not consider this book a "Graphic History of the Civil War," but rather a graphic overview of the personal during the Civil War. In my family, interest in the Civil War seemed to be passed down genetically. My brother's interest turned toward battles, tactics, generals and statistics. I was more interested in the music, the poetry and, mostly, the people and animals affected by the War. Consequently, this book greatly appeals to me. Much of the history is simply skipped and what is told is presented as abrupt newspaper articles. But the graphic chapters do exactly what art should do--make the viewer feel, feel what it might have been like to be an ordinary person caught in the Civil War. The stories of the soldiers, the wives, the children, the slaves and the doctors are told simply but movingly. Most effective is Chapter 5: "The Magic Bullet," a very touching depiction of a soldier losing his arm. This slender book conveys more than facts about the Civil War.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the main events and battles of The Civil War, usually given ample coverage, are relegated to 1-page faux war-era newspaper articles. This is not a bad thing. In fact, it's kind of brilliant, in that it provides the necessary facts quickly, but allows the actual illustrated comic bits to cover lesser known happenings- POW camps, slaves discovering the Emancipation Proclamation, malaria, draft riots, etc. - making this a compelling and worthwhile read even for self-proclaimed Civil War buffs.

[Wes Stahler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brutal and unbiased portrayal of the Civil War. I picked up some history knowledge along the way.

[Danny Johnson]

this book is about the civle war and itt shows the sruggles and horiffic probloms our country went into.

[Sonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb history, well researched, and offering many perspectives all handled with even-handed skill from both writer and illustrator!

This is first rate. And it shows just how powerful, varied and apropos the graphic novel format can be!

Please let there be more books of this high quality!

[Graeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read our interview with the author!

https://erstwhileblog.com/2015/05/21/...

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Battle Lines” is an excellent graphic introduction to the American Civil War. It covers the conflict in broad swathes from the factors which led up to it to the end of Reconstruction and the disputed election of 1876. Each chapter is linked to a specific emblem and begins with a description of specific events in the form of a newspaper article. This is followed by a graphic section illustrating the theme of the chapter. A great deal of the book is based on respected primary and secondary sources and the bibliography provides plenty of material for further reading.

[Tiffany Blose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative!!!! Learned a lot!!!

[Douglas Grion Filho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good graphic novel and impressively well researched. Probably one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. The ways they use the drawings to explain historical events is so interesting and refreshingly new. Devoured it in one sitting, highly highly recommend.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully put together nonfiction graphic novel about the American civil war with well used primary sources and affecting art work.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published at Reading Reality

Note that the subtitle for this is “a Graphic History of the Civil War” and not anything like “the Complete History” or “the Comprehensive History”, because it isn’t either of those.

Instead, Battle Lines is the history of the Civil War told in a series of snapshots. Each chapter illustrates the history of one found and commonplace item, as seen through a short graphic story of what the thing is and how it got to be part of the history of the Civil War.

The snapshots usually show the story of someone equally commonplace, or someone who would be commonplace except for their intersection with the War. These are stories of regular people who are in uncommon and usually unpleasant situations. It is a refreshing change from all of the histories of the war as it appeared to generals and statesmen, or even to upper and upper middle class observers.

These objects and these individuals tell the story of the war as it felt on the ground. It brings the tragedy of the war down to a human level, and the graphics make the reader feel. The thinking comes later - but it certainly does come.

The graphic stories relate things and incidents that are known, but are generally seen at a more strategic and less visceral level.

The chapter on Andersonville Prison is stunning and heart-breaking. We all know from reading even a cursory history of the Civil War that conditions at the POW camp were brutal and degrading. In this graphic history, we see it from the prisoner’s side, as a diary is passed from one prisoner to another, as each one goes through the cycle of initial internment through grinding hunger and despair to sinking into oblivion and death, only for the diary to be found and continued by the next inmate/victim.

Although the Andersonville chapter sorrowed me deeply, the one that gave me the biggest chills was the one about the draft riots in New York City in July of 1863, 152 years ago this month. The draft could be avoided by paying a fee, and many, but not all, rich people paid to stay out. So the draft affected the immigrant population, who took out their frustrations on a readily available target - the free blacks who lived in NYC, as well as federal institutions. The scenes of death and destruction, and of mob violence aimed at non-threatening targets out of hate and fear, are utterly chilling. This chapter is told from three perspectives: the immigrants participating in the riot, the rich family who act as if it is none of their business, and the black families trying to protect their children from the mob.

The story in Battle Lines starts from an attempt to show the flash points that caused the Civil War, both from the direct military standpoint at Fort Sumter, and the court cases and laws that built the cause of abolition. The denser history is conveyed through short but compelling and accurate newspaper article type pages that tell a lot of history with succinct exposition. For the background history, it helps to already know at least the outline of the causes of the War, but then, most Americans have had this in school, probably multiple times.

The narrative ends with a chapter about Reconstruction and the rise of the KKK and the white supremacists in the post-Reconstruction South. Just because the official battles were over, it did not mean that hostilities had in any way, ceased.

Have they yet?

Reality Rating A-: Anyone who is looking for an accessible history of the Civil War will want to read this book. It is not comprehensive, but the graphic stories make the reader feel the War. It is not a view from 1,000 feet. Instead, it is a view from the muddy, bloody ground. For a war that still inspires so much passion, it helps the understanding to experience, even vicariously, some scintilla of what the participants might have felt. Even through the glass darkly.

While the format makes it difficult to convey large pieces of complicated history, such as the parts about the causes of the war, when it reaches for one single illuminating article, it works incredibly well. These stories and these pictures feel true, even though they are made up of amalgams of personal accounts and histories rather than simply illustrating a single one.

And we know what the Civil War looked like because there are so many photographs. One of the chapters of the book shows the creation of one such photograph, and it feels like we are there.

If you need to tell someone what the Civil War was, and most importantly, why it still matters, hand them this book.

[Dan McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am exploring graphic novels and this is my second one. This book is a quick and graphic way to capture the history of the Civil War. I highly recommend this book.

[Int'l librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I finished this one, and still don’t know whether to describe it as history or fiction. The title says history. It gets a non-fiction catalog designation. There are newspaper-style accounts of the day to open each chapter. And the individual stories are all based upon historical records and artifacts. But it’s still a collection of imagined stories. I’m inclined to think of it as an exceptionally true work of historical fiction.

That alone isn’t enough to explain whether I like the book; which I do. My favorite aspect is the wide range of individual characters. The stories are all self-contained, so it’s not possible to get too attached to anybody. Even so, there are a lot of powerful emotions in their actions and words. I did a fair bit of rereading and jumping back and forth, before finally reaching the final page. “Opera Glasses” “The Magic Bullet” “A Photograph” “Death Letter” and “Ink” are among my favorites.

There’s a disturbing if appropriate amount of washed-out blood red in the subdued colors of the line drawings. Younger children are not the target audience. There’s also a significant amount of similarities in facial features from one story to the next. It’s enough to make me wonder whether I’m missing some common thread in an extended narrative.

The newsprint accounts aren’t as interesting: they don’t stick with me the way the stories do. They provide an important informational anchor, but they get in the way of what I really want to do: work my way through all the personal pains and tragedies of the graphic panels.

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say history books tell you a lot about the time they were written in as much as they tell you about the past, and while this is no true history book, the principle is the same here. The war here is depicted in the emancipationist tradition as an unfinished revolution, with issues of race front and center. The issues of government, democracy, aristocracy, and nationalism are given short notice.

Yet, the quasi-triumphalist tone found in most books is thankfully absent. The war is depicted as a long tragedy; the only famous person to show up is Lee and he says nothing. This is a book about separation and alienation and it does not forget that the same Northern generals that ended slavery were tasked with conquering the west. Emotionally the book is monotone in its anguish, but deep and buttressed by some of the finest art I have ever seen in a comic. Unsurprisingly, the stories of slaves and Southerners carry the most weight here, since they both lost the war in a sense. So the tone of tragedy and the book's willingness to embrace complication has particular resonance.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously, this book isn't an in depth look at the Civil War. If it were, it wuld be much, much thicker. Each chapter begins with a one-page synopsis of one phase of the conflict, followed by a vignette in comics form that pertains to that phase. It actually works quite well. Considering the brevity, this book goes into far more informed detail than I would expect. The comics are artfully done, some of them deeply moving. While every battle may not be covered, all of the crucial ones seem to be. While I haven't read a great deal about the American Civil War, this is one of the better, more memorable books I've read on the subject.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

While excellent, the writing was generally so good that I found myself aggravated when it wasn't, which was generally whenever the writer appeared to take sides on issues, no matter which side he took. Some sections take a northern viewpoint, other parts take the southern side's ideas as just being obviously true, and in odd ways. That was distracting, as in the blithe assumption that Lincoln provoked the firing on Fort Sumter.
Still, the historical and personal vignettes throughout the book are fascinating, and if you want to put the Civil War into a context where individual lives give it perspective, then this is the book for you.

[Eric Kruger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really hard-hitting little graphic history, done in a series of vignettes. If you want the real human story of the horrors of this war and what it felt like to be a part of it, both soldier and civilian, this is a great place to start.

[Brian Burmeister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over one hundred and fifty years after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the President’s legacy and the Civil War itself continue to fascinate our nation. As Battle Lines points out in its preface: more books have been written about the Civil War than days have transpired since its end. (Some 10,000 more, in fact.) Amidst so much information about that era, how then can a book stand out as remarkable?

By encompassing a wide section of time and a wide range of issues, graphic novelist Jonathan Fetter-Vorm and historian Ari Kelman have created a text which gives life and meaning to the years surrounding the American Civil War. Instead of just a history, Battle Lines gives us the stories of people’s daily lives, challenges, and hopes for the future.

Organized in 15 chapters, the book closely examines specific moments in time, ranging from the years leading up to the War through the years immediately after. To assist with grounding the reader in the realities of each moment, every chapter begins with the front page of a newspaper. Through the mechanism of these introductions, the reader is given the necessary context for the stories that follow. From these clippings, one learns of the political climate and the war efforts—all valuable information to set the stage for the stories at the heart of Battle Lines. Whereas the newspaper introductions focus on the major moments, the major players, the events and the people school children are taught about in classrooms all across the U.S., the focus of each chapter is on the War’s unsung heroes and forgotten villains, the everyday people who lived during this difficult chapter for America.

I was greatly impressed with the care Fetter-Vorm and Kelman took in being as true as possible to history. Inspired by surviving photographs, letters, and objects, the stories in Battle Lines hope to be as true to life as possible and, as the authors write in their introduction, “These . . . are the faces of the war. These are the stories behind the statistics.” These stories are compelling, powerful, and moving. They highlight that the War was many things to many people. We see stories of women’s roles as nurses at the front lines. We see the class struggles that erupted into violence in New York City. We see slaves escaping in the night after the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Through the book’s 15 chapters we see a fine representation of the issues of the time (during the buildup to the War, the War itself, and the Reconstruction), issues that affected different regions, different races, different genders. The book gives voice to the voiceless: forgotten figures of our past, whose powerful stories show us that the Civil War was as complicated as it was deadly.

Fetter-Vorm does a wonderful job establishing the grim realities of war, including the tragic loss of life and limb, without overwhelming the reader with unpalatable levels of gore. This balance was masterfully done; while one might call the art in Battle Lines a PG-13 version of the horrors of war, one cannot read Battle Lines without feeling the Civil War was one of the most heartbreaking eras of the American story.

In general, the art itself is beautiful. Despite the comic nature, each drawing is realistic, giving each person unique attributes and clear emotions. Additionally, the simple, muted color palate gives each chapter a feeling of unity, as well as a somber tone.

Battle Lines is an absorbing, attractive, and haunting book. For anyone with a strong desire to learn more about the Civil War, or anyone looking for a graphic history with real heart, I simply cannot recommend Battle Lines enough.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American Civil War is one of the most heavily discussed wars in our nation's history. It is often referenced in today’s political atmosphere, and yet I bet a good chunk of Americans have no idea what started this war, how profoundly it affected people from all walks of life, or how it became one of the bloodiest conflicts in which Americans essentially killed one another in the name of freedom.

President Lincoln has always been my all-time favorite president, but I’ll be honest: before reading this graphic novel, my ignorance became glaringly apparent. I’m glad that after finishing Lincoln in the Bardo, I was inspired to invest time in learning more about the Civil War.

I want to warn you that this graphic novel is not a comprehensive guide to the Civil War, nor does it pretend to be. Each chapter begins with a newspaper headline as though it were from the 19th century, leading into a segment of perspectives, ranging from those affected by mosquito-borne malaria to prisoners of war, enslaved people, women, Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, and countless others.

I appreciated how the chapters did not follow a linear timeline. I think that choice is brilliant because war is not linear. Information at the time heavily relied on newspapers and letters, and it often took days, weeks, or even months to receive updates from the warfront. This graphic novel captures that essence and offers valuable insight for anyone curious about diving into U.S. history.

I truly admire how the authors provide sources for their storytelling, which helps to combat the many myths that have been perpetuated about the Civil War, especially now, in an era where facts are seen as optional. Those in power often aim to keep us misinformed, confused, and dismissive of the truth that American history is full of violence. Allowing it to be whitewashed will only lead to the downfall of our society and the erosion of American values.

The more you read, the more you realize that Lincoln was dealt an almost impossible task. And yet, he, along with his administration, the Union Army, and Congress, managed to prevent the country from falling into the hands of the Confederacy and their belief that slavery should be a permanent pillar of the U.S. economy.

While I don’t believe our nation is on the brink of another civil war, I am deeply uneasy about what lies ahead. I can only hope there are still people in power fighting for what is right, helping us survive the dark period we are currently living through.

[Joshua Molchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to read “Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War,” illustrated by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm and written by Ari Kelman. It was a very enjoyable graphic novel- especially coming from someone who knew very little about the Civil War before reading it. This graphic novel would be great for your stereotypical teenage boy who does not enjoy reading but can successfully digest larger, yet simple words and terms.
Instead of a traditional book form that follows a protagonist, this book highlighted a different storyline for each chapter and used that as a means to show the major events of the Civil War. This made reading the novel a much more fun experience than reading an average history textbook. It is important to note that there was no shortage of historical fact; actually, I read about events I had never heard of before and I even stopped to research some of them even further. However, the detail and design of this graphic novel made these events seem infinitely more interesting than I remember them being in my high school history class. For example, the book’s preface sets the tone by including details such as; “On Independence Day in 1863, after three days of fighting, the land outside the town of Gettysburg festered under the weight of roughly 6 million pounds of flesh, the carcasses of the fallen soldiers and their horses” (p. ix). Lines like this combined with the relatively graphic and often bloody sketches are not found in your average history textbook and would be very captivating to some readers!
Additionally, the artwork in this book can be taken apart layer by layer and discussed extensively. Some images that might seem very simple often actually have multiple meanings intentionally woven into the drawings. I can see entire class lectures based around page 13 depicting the events of the time all “resting upon an unstable foundation, a fundamental contradiction… SLAVERY & LIBERTY”. A great book!

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Setting → United States (1860s-1870s)
Writing → non-fiction: US Civil War

Pros:
a) illustrations: realism (color)
b) bright & colorful art
c) scenes - double-page battle events w/ watercolor
d) short chapters
e) heavy historical background
f) reference photos (black & white)

A gorgeous graphic novel depicting events before, during, and after the Civil War (US). The Civil War remains the deadliest war in all American history. In 4 years, over 620,000-850,000 men died and 1.5 million were wounded. It was expected that 1 of every 4 soldiers conscripted to fight would not survive.

The book opens with brief two-page spreads each highlighting early events and dates that led to the development of the war. It then separates into chapters with introductory newspaper overviews accompanied by a mini-narrative. The illustrations are drawn in a realistic style with vivid watercolors painted throughout. It covers all of the major battles, military regime shifts, political upheavals, and extreme trials of war.

I loved the double-page landscapes that only focused on representing the artwork. There are only a few but they are amazing! Another chapter had an unraveling rope stung throughout the pages that ended up joined together at the end. These small artistic touches enhanced the visual effects of the individual narratives. The narratives themselves were handled well. They switched back and forth between showing soldiers on the front lines of both armies and the everyday lives of families left behind. Overall, it was a fantastic representation of the Civil War in graphic novel form that everyone should have the chance to experience.

[Jurij Fedorov · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt his Los Alamos book was a tad dry. Quite good and illustrative yet nothing new. Just stuff you'd had known if you saw a short documentary on it. Now, this is what I seek in history! Deep history, personal stories, you feel the real events. In Trinity he explained what happened. X said this and Y said this. Always big names talking. Here the generals are for once mainly ignored! I adore this as dates, locations, and generals is all Civil War fanatics care about.

We see a Confederate soldier return home. Tired and worn out. We see an anti-abolitionist get imprisoned by Lincoln without a trial. We see soldiers in a trench getting demolished by the Union soldiers. We see Black soldiers getting buried in a mass grave. A soldier writes letters home to his wife before he dies. KKK gets created. It's all small scenes showing you separate parts of the conflict.

This is an emotional tour the force showing you the civil war instead of just telling you about it. You feel the war situation as they go over John Brown and how states fought each other to get more or less slave states. The free states didn't want to accept more slave states.

While at times a tad dull as you have to read some pages full of text it's very much a very impressive project. And the good thing is that I know a lot about the civil war yet learned new stuff from this one as it tried to tell personal stories which you can't know all about no matter how much you read. I also really like how it's short stories as it means we don't have to follow the president or a big general.

[Tyler Vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent.

The format of the book is a full page of text detailing a major milestone of the war followed by a graphic vignette depicting the experience of someone impacted by the events described. Some chapters are more interesting than others, and the better ones are in the last half of the book.

Overall, it's a good supplement to any preexisting knowledge a person might have about the war, providing some context to the relatively simple story that most of us remember from school. The art is relatively simplistic and seems to be done in watercolor which is not my preferred method but works just fine.

One complaint I do have is the physical shape and size of the book. It is somewhat unwieldy and difficult to read comfortably in most positions. It's styled somewhat like a coffee table book but intended to be read like a normal book, which means it's really only comfortable in a fully upright position with the book supported by both hands or with it lying in a flat surface. This is somewhat of a recurring theme with graphic literature so this book is not alone in that issue, just not ideal for the way I personally read.

[Geoffrey Benn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Battle Lines,” by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm and Ari Kelman is a history of the civil war in graphic novel form. Its style is reminiscent of Ken Burn’s military documentaries – while the major battles are covered, the focus is not on the leaders or strategy, but rather on the experiences of the people who lived through the events. Each section of the book starts with a short piece of text providing background for the particular battle or event and then continues with illustrated panels documenting the experiences of a few people who went through the event. I enjoyed the book and found that it gave coverage to most of the major topics of the war, with the notable exception of the naval side of the war. It is sufficiently sophisticated to hold the interest of adults already knowledgeable about the civil war, but is written at a level that would also be appropriate for adolescents coming into the topic for the first time. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in civil war history.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

sniffing around for an accessible but not too watered-down overview text for the civil war-themed honors comp i'm teaching in the spring. this was a little disappointing-- the conceit of telling the history of the war through a set of objects appealed, but then the book itself really doesn't use the objects for much other than a way into a set of small scenes. i dug the modest, human scale of the book's scenes, and i appreciated its insistence on the sheet human cost of the war. but it doesn't really move deep enough to do the kind of work that might be productive in a college classroom. would be good at a middle- or high-school level for an introductory text. this is, as a prof has said of other M.O.R. graphic nonfiction, pretty classic rock. not trying to rattle too many cages, but also not bad, just not enough processing power for me.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for high school kids who like nonfiction graphic novels and/or the American Civil War. Each chapter has a full page at the beginning, covering an important topic of the war. A graphic story follows that supports that topic. For instance the first page might talk about the role of black people in the war, then follow with a graphic story about the Massachusetts 54th black regiment.

The blood and gore of war is definitely a focus in this book. There's a few swear words such as "son of a bitch." It depicts what the Civil War was really like. It's not just a benign description of tactical decisions, but an honest look at war from a soldier's perspective. I consider it suitable for grades 7 and up.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the drama and detail you'd hope for from a work of graphic history by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm. Chapters begin with a potted history of the most recent developments in the Civil War and American society. These sections are generally followed by narratives portraying life in the war. A few chapters are given over to history, such as of weaponry and the conflicts over new slave states.

I found myself most enjoying the straight history sections - the narrative chapters could be powerful, but they occasionally felt disjointed, with no connective tissue from one chapter to the next. The art, on the other hand, was consistently excellent.

[Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very educational overview of the American Civil War, suitable for a variety of ages. Fairly direct and plainly-written, with a number of poignant literary and visual metaphors. Notable for its focus on the common people who fought the war or lived through its effects. Notable historical figures are frequently mentioned but not portrayed directly in the stories. The closest one comes to General Lee, for example, is an image of his sword fading as a Confederate soldier returns home and sharpens his ploughshare.
The author's speak often of the effect of the war and aftermath on Native Americans, but these people are also notably absent. Perhaps they are given their own book elsewhere?

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is very good, but a few pieces are stunning.

First, the composition of the art is great. The chapter on malaria is a standout moment. Normally, the writing only magnifies this. The opening chapter, with its metaphor of the trauma of removal and reunion, pairs very well with the art.

Second, the sourcing is great. The recommended reading is like a Hall of Fame for Civil War history.

Finally, the subjects feel varied and strong, and benefit greatly from the art composition and historical sourcing. The chapter on the 54th Massachusetts combines these three in the best way, or perhaps the chapter on the Draft Riots.