bearystarry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Medical trauma, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Torture, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Hate crime, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Colonisation, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Classism, Blood, and Biphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
redheadorganist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Mental illness, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Lesbophobia and Homophobia
yaboiellis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Bullying, Classism, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Blood, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Body horror, Death of parent, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War, Alcohol, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Torture, Xenophobia, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual violence
satansluckycigarette's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Torture, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Genocide
zealforneil's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Analysing the politics of the story has surely been done to the moon and back, and it will have been obviously stated that it is as pertinent now as ever. Perhaps that simply reflects how our society walks the tight-rope between fascism and anarchy as much now as it did when V was written.
The story and the characters, however, surely make this stand apart from other politically-driven fictitious works. The characters come and go, killed in various brutal fashions, losing their minds or their comfortable lives. It is them that has driven me to read the story at pace, to follow their changing fortunes and witness their demise. V is not the most compelling character by a long shot, and in this collection’s epilogue, Moore admits that he surprised even himself by giving the fascist characters such fleshed-out backstories.
The confluence between incisive political commentary and intriguing characters are what has made this a modern classic, and the alchemy of combining them is perfected as the story wears on.
I’m sure I’ll return to V for Vendetta again in a few years and find new political angles and story arcs to intrigue me again. And I’m sure it will seem just as chillingly feasible then as it does now, and has seemed since I first read it.
Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual assault
melodyseestrees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Torture, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Racism and Lesbophobia
berodatheelf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Suicide, Blood, Violence, Homophobia, Death, Drug use, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization
emilo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Torture, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Antisemitism, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Rape, Hate crime, Genocide, Confinement, War, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Deportation and Racial slurs
samferree's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Sexism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Genocide, Hate crime, Police brutality, Suicide, Blood, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, War, and Xenophobia
samdalefox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Pros
- The inclusion of Valerie is incredibly important. To centre the story of a persecuted lesbian woman of integrity as the manifesto for resilience, resistance, hope, and love is just perfect.“...it was my integrity that was important. Is that so selfish? It sells for so little, but it’s all we have in this place. It is the very last inch of us, but in that inch we are free....It is strange that my life should end in such a terrible place, but for three years I had roses and apologized to nobody. I shall die here, every inch of me shall perish—except one” (156, 160).
- The inclusion of arts as well as the sciences and philosophy. The symbolism of the roses is particuarly beautiful for socialists and communists, referencing Rose Schneiderman's "bread for all, and roses too".
- The pacing and aesthetic was bang on for a dystopian vision. Heavy shade, stylised thought 'bubbles', interesting strip arrangement.
- Accurate portrayal of various supporting systems of oppression propping up fascism; racism, homophobia, and notably patriarchy. At first I wanted to put the appallingly frequent slut shaming, misogyny, and sexism into the cons bucket as I didn't enjoy it, but tbh it's a hallmark of fascism so is probably best accepted charitably as accurate and not unecessarily used.
Cons
- Dare I say, too much focus on the fascist government and not enough on the oppressed people? The novel does a good job at exploring the nuances of consciousness in the people in power; how they are negatively affected by fascism too. But in a graphic novel that claims to want to upset that very balance of power, it would have been nice to have the same nuance and diversity explored within people not in power (excluding V and Evey).
- The was VERY problematic. It was unjustified as a plotline and completely undermines the anarchism point the novel was trying to make in my opinion. I think Evey's liberation could and should have been achieved in a different way, and the story of Valerie could have been included via a different mechanism.
Spoiler
capture and torture of Evey - I would love a follow up about the BUILDING PHASE. Most dystopian fiction focuses on the destruction phase of anarchy. The building phase in V for Vendetta was at least mentioned, but was never focussed upon. The building phase is not as gritty, glorified, or glamorised, but it is still tough and a worthwhile story to tell. I think V for Vendetta missed a trick by not creating a short sequal or appendix covering the hardships of healing and creating.
Favorite Quotes:
“Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain. Everybody. Everybody has their story to tell.”
“Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it.”
Moderate: Torture, Misogyny, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Forced institutionalization, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement