I can’t count
the number of times that I have seen this movie. I just love it! With that said, I decided it was time
to check out the book, as I usually prefer books to movies. This is the very first graphic novel
that I have read, and I was so excited to read this when I first got it in my November Book Haul. I think that the
illustrations in this novel (or any novel!) really bring the story to life!
Title: V For Vendetta
Author: Alan
Moore; Illustrator: David Lloyd
Genre: Fiction,
Science Fiction, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC
Comics/Vertigo
Publication
Date: March 1982
Pages: 296
Out in
Paperback?: Yes; October 24, 2008
My Rating: 5/5
Goodreads Summary:
"Good evening, London."
It's nine o'clock and this is The Voice of Fate... It is the Fifth of the
Eleventh, Nineteen-Ninety-Seven...
"The people of London are
advised that the Brixton and Streatham areas are quarantine zones as of today.
It is suggested that these areas be avoided for reasons of health and safety...
Police raided seventeen homes in
the Birmingham area early this morning, uncovering what is believed to be a
major terrorist ring. Twenty people, either of them women, are currently in
detention awaiting trial...
The weather will be fine until
12:07 A.M. when a shower will commence, lasting until 1:30 A.M...
Have a pleasant evening."
A frightening and powerful tale of
the loss of freedom and identity in a chillingly believable totalitarian world,
V for Vendetta stands as one of the highest achievements of the comics
medium and a defining work for creators Alan Moore and David Lloyd.
Set in an imagined future England
that has given itself over to fascism, this groundbreaking story captures both
the suffocating nature of life in an authoritarian police state and the
redemptive power of the human spirit which rebels against it. Crafted with sterling
clarity and intelligence, V for Vendetta brings an unequaled depth of
characterization and verisimilitude to its unflinching account of oppression
and resistance.
"Remember, remember the fifth
of November..."
Characters:
V is such a
fascinating character from the very beginning. Described as an anarchist, he works to spread his ideals of
freedom and justice to the city of London. His destructive actions are inspired by the Gunpowder Treason Plot, hence the Guy Fawkes mask that V always wears. Despite his portrayal as a masked
villain, V is very likeable (if not loveable), thoughtful, and kind to
Evey. Evey Hammond is a 16-year
old girl, who allows V to show his softer, compassionate side throughout the
novel. I will say that I didn’t
prefer Evey too much in the novel.
She seemed a bit immature, however, this was necessary for the reader as
V needed to explain many things to her (I think I was a bit annoyed simply
because I have seen the movie before so I knew the reasoning behind what he was
doing without needed to have it described to Evey). Aside from the 2 main characters, Adam Susan, the leader in
the United Kingdom at this time, plays a fairly big role. As the dictator, he is exactly what you
would expect – frustrating, vindictive, and malicious. Overall, he is a great contrasting,
antagonist for the novel. Other
minor characters include those that work for the government and for Adam Susan
as Fingerman. These characters
could be a bit confusing at times throughout the novel because there are many
that you are introduced to, such as Dominic Stone, Peter Creedy, Conrad Heyer,
and Derek Almond). I found that it
takes some time to get to know these characters, but many have interesting and
developing stories that you discover later in the novel.
Plot:
V For Vendetta takes place in a post-apocalyptic United
Kingdom with Adam Susan acting as the leader and dictator of the country. Adam Susan, his government workers, and
the Fingermen act to instill fear in those residing in the country. However, one person decides to fight
back against their rule, V. V
wants to introduce freedom and independence to the people in London, and he works
at this goal through a variety of ways, for example, gaining control of the
only allowed broadcast in London.
Through his acts, he meets Evey, a young girl living in London under
fear of Adam Susan and the Fingerman; her parents were political activists, and
she wishes to be as strong as they were, an idea that V helps her with
throughout the novel. This novel
has amazing character development.
I absolutely loved to see how different events impacted specific
characters, and as the plot continues, those characters grow and develop. By far, my favorite to watch change is
Evey. However, I found Adam
Susan’s evolving relationship extremely interesting to watch. As you continue reading, the plot
really grabs a hold of you, making you want to know what happens next and why
this is going on.
Writing Style:
This graphic
novel is broken up into 3 different parts (perfect to read in 3 different
sittings). Since it is a graphic
novel, the pages seem to fly by quickly!
However, I was amazed that Alan Moore was able to convey such a deep,
intriguing story with only a few lines in each square! That definitely takes talent! I really enjoyed picking this book up
as my first graphic novel; having seen the movie, I knew that I was already
interested in the storyline and that did make it easier to follow. At times, I was a bit confused by some
of the government workers and differentiating their unique job titles, as some
were not mentioned in the movie so that did take some time to get used to. Overall, I really enjoyed the
experience of reading a graphic novel and would definitely recommend it to
anyone interested (as it was easy to fly through)!
Movie Review:
As I mentioned
earlier, I love this movie! Now, I typically prefer books over their movie counterpart, but with this
specific situation, I loved both the movie AND the book (this has really only
happened with The Notebook … just
saying)! Described as an action
thriller, this is definitely my kind of movie, especially since it stars
Natalie Portman (who I love)! This
movie was released in 2005, and I know I saw it for the first time shortly
after that (when it was on DVD); however, since then I have seen it many more
times. There are so many
interesting, unique details that I feel like every time I watch it, I pick up
something else that I may have previously missed (especially with all the
symbolism in this story!). Some of
the main differences that I noticed, after I finished reading the book and then
watching the movie again, was Evey’s age and Adam Susan’s love interest. In the graphic novel, Evey is much
young and seems more naïve than she is in the movie. Part of me enjoyed Natalie Portman’s portrayal of Evey a bit
more than the younger version in the novel, but I do think her naïve ways allow
the reader to learn more since she asks many questions. As far as the love interest of the
Leader, I am not sure how they would portray that in the movie; however, I
thought it add an extra element to the novel that was interesting. Overall, I definitely would recommend
checking out the movie, either before or after reading the graphic novel!
Have you read this graphic novel? What did you think of it and in
comparison to the movie? Have you
read Alan Moore’s Watchmen? I’m curious to check it out!
FTC Disclaimer:
All items
mentioned were purchased by me. This is not a sponsored post. All
opinions are my own. No affiliate links were used.
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