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wrentheblurry's review
3.0
Note that while I put this title in my Historical and Realistic Fiction shelves, I recognize that it's based on an experience the author's father had in the late 60s.
I wasn't previously aware of this story from the Civil Rights Movement. A white TV reporter (Jack) meets and forms something of a friendship with a black activist (Larry). Jack videotapes some of a peaceful protest organized by Larry that goes horribly wrong. Racism hurts my heart so much, especially since it's still around decades after the events depicted in this graphic novel.
The artwork is all black and white, and realistically depicts the characters and backgrounds. It isn't really my style, though it is good.
The storyline is a bit confusing in places, or maybe it's just a lack of flow, for sometimes I had difficulty telling what was going on. By the end I was either used to it, or all caught up, for that ceased being a problem.
I would recommend this to teens that are both interested in the Civil Rights Movement and enjoy the graphic novel format. It was good, but not great.
I wasn't previously aware of this story from the Civil Rights Movement. A white TV reporter (Jack) meets and forms something of a friendship with a black activist (Larry). Jack videotapes some of a peaceful protest organized by Larry that goes horribly wrong. Racism hurts my heart so much, especially since it's still around decades after the events depicted in this graphic novel.
The artwork is all black and white, and realistically depicts the characters and backgrounds. It isn't really my style, though it is good.
The storyline is a bit confusing in places, or maybe it's just a lack of flow, for sometimes I had difficulty telling what was going on. By the end I was either used to it, or all caught up, for that ceased being a problem.
I would recommend this to teens that are both interested in the Civil Rights Movement and enjoy the graphic novel format. It was good, but not great.
zephyr42's review
4.0
This book destroyed me. I may come back and edit this after I have more words.
foofers1622's review
5.0
This book was recommended to me after reading John Lewis's [b:March: Book One|17346698|March Book One (March, #1)|John Lewis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1360539808s/17346698.jpg|24086771]. Another heartbreaking true story during the race riots in Texas in the 1960's.
kevin_shepherd's review against another edition
3.0
The Silence of Our Friends encapsulates a sympathetic white perspective of the American civil rights movement in Houston, Texas circa 1967. Taken as such, as a bystander's chronicle, it's incredibly well written and drawn. This isn't a definitive accounting of shameful American history, but rather an epilogue written by an eye witness. That is where this novel is successful. Where it falls short is in its attempt to portray a black point of view - at those points the story becomes cliché.
hidingincorners's review
4.0
Poignant. A stressful, emotional read. As relevant as it is revelatory.
lattelibrarian's review
5.0
This was so incredibly good. Like any good tale, I was sucked in completely, willing to give myself over to the events. I've read some reviews admonishing this graphic novel for portraying the Civil Rights Era from a white perspective. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I also think it's important to recognize that these types of friendships did exist, and that those friendships in themselves were radical. Certainly, the friendships didn't affect the white person nearly as badly, but it was still something that nobody wanted to parade, necessarily.
That being said, this graphic novel did a really great job comparing and contrasting their lives to illuminate just how different they were. Not only that, but there was a smidge of an ulterior motive within their friendship. Jack is glad to have an "in" to the protests--something that's his job to record for the media station. Not only that, but Larry is glad to have someone record it and get their struggles out and heard by the masses. The two are friends, but they both use each other's friendship to further their cause.
This graphic novel is also somewhat biographic in nature, as Mark Long is Jack's child. Long certainly has an interesting perspective, and given that it was so close to his childhood, I would argue it's an authentic one, and one that needs to therefore be included in this discussion. I would much rather a somewhat fictionalized biography written by a white author over total fiction about this era by a white author any day.
Overall, this book does a great job of showing the cruelties and hardships that these friends and their families faced, as well as the small joys. This is an admirable text, and I'm glad that I had access to it.
Review cross-listed here!
That being said, this graphic novel did a really great job comparing and contrasting their lives to illuminate just how different they were. Not only that, but there was a smidge of an ulterior motive within their friendship. Jack is glad to have an "in" to the protests--something that's his job to record for the media station. Not only that, but Larry is glad to have someone record it and get their struggles out and heard by the masses. The two are friends, but they both use each other's friendship to further their cause.
This graphic novel is also somewhat biographic in nature, as Mark Long is Jack's child. Long certainly has an interesting perspective, and given that it was so close to his childhood, I would argue it's an authentic one, and one that needs to therefore be included in this discussion. I would much rather a somewhat fictionalized biography written by a white author over total fiction about this era by a white author any day.
Overall, this book does a great job of showing the cruelties and hardships that these friends and their families faced, as well as the small joys. This is an admirable text, and I'm glad that I had access to it.
Review cross-listed here!
joelmk's review against another edition
Long gives us an account of the Civil Rights movement in his part of Texas. The knee jerk reaction to this book would be to see it as a whitewashed version of the Civil Rights. This is a story about being in community with one another and having each other’s backs. The Silence of Our Friends is story about falling short of being a good ally and a story about forgiveness.
kice7788's review
4.0
it was really really good and showed that we are all equal. I will write a full review for my blog so look out for that.