The minute I picked it up, I knew I would love this graphic novel. Physically it’s an exquisite piece. It’s incredibly handsome and manly. The deep red cover with its engraved lettering mimics the leather notebooks used by officers during WWII. The size and weight felt very familiar in my hands and the elastic marker further enforced the idea that I was reading someone’s private diary. I remember thinking, I hope I like this book because I’d want to give it as a gift. Recipients would be impressed with the packaging and remember the exchange. Happily the content does not disappoint. It’s a wonderful story based on the author’s grandfather’s service as a Canadian soldier during WWII in France. The panoramic sketches of the Normandy landing are breathtaking. Some pages contain nine panels of drawings containing no verbiage. They remind me of stained glass window memorials but instead of cliché scenes of war patriotism, they show the reality of war; fear, sickness and prayer.
Overall Rating (*****) 4 stars out of 5.
