I was lucky enough to get March Book Two by John Lewis from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my honest review. I really loved March Book One, and I even gave it a rare 5 Star Review. The third book in the trilogy, March Book Three, just came out in August of this year. I can't wait to read that one.
I have learned more about the Civil Rights movement from this graphic novel series than I recall learning from my high school history classes. Now, to be fair to my hs teachers, they probably taught a ton about the Civil Rights, but history class was never a favorite of mine.
March Book Two gets 4.5 out of 5 Stars in my review. It's a great book, a fast read, perfect for history lovers and reluctant readers. I loved the information, perspective, and the feel of the book. March Book Two definitely had a darker tone with more angst than March Book One, but the Civil Rights was heating up more, and there was more conflict throughout the book.
I found myself saying, "Wow!" several times throughout this book. I was shocked by the history and how people treated black people. I was amazed by the bravery and the sacrifice of those who stayed non-violent throughout the movement. I have new appreciation for how relentless the Freedom Riders were.
I loved this quote on page 108, "The fare was paid in blood, but the Freedom Rides stirred the national consciousness and awoke the hearts and minds of a generation." This book, and the history shared was inspiring, and it makes me want to be willing to make the change.
I have a few details that I felt could've been improved upon. The illustrations were great, but I was confused the first little bit with the speech bubbles that were written so small and not clear. I eventually learned that those bubbles were for you to know that the person was talking, but you don't need to know what they were saying. That is the first time I remember seeing that occur in a graphic novel. Since that concept is not done often I was confused and frustrated trying to read those bubbles. Personally, I don't think those speech bubbles added anything to the story. I would've removed them if I were the editor.
The only other aspect of the book that I felt was less than stellar is the amount that was covered. This book felt far more intimate and less character development compared to the first book. This second book seemed to include a lot of history and information and less characterization.
High school History and English teachers should seriously consider including this series in their classroom studies. Boys and girls alike as well as readers and those that don't like to read will enjoy and learn from this book series. Book two has more violence than the first book, but it is all in context with the history.
March Book Two is an all around great book and series. You should most definitely go check this series out.
Amazon has the following book review from School Library Journal:
"Up-In this second volume, representative Lewis continues describing his experiences with the civil rights movement. As in the first book, Lewis attends Barack Obama's inauguration, flashing back to his life as a young man taking part in the fight that would make it possible for America to eventually elect its first black president. Lewis lays out his involvement with sit-ins and the freedom rides, as well as becoming chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and speaking at the March on Washington in 1963, where he urged the crowd to "complete the revolution." Graphic in every sense of the word, this memoir puts a human face on a struggle that many students will primarily know from textbooks. Lewis makes it clear that the movement was far from a uniform entity, with disagreements cropping up, some small, such as differing opinions about the wording in speeches, others more serious, including whether to respond to resistance passively or with violence. Visually stunning, the black-and-white illustrations convey the emotions of this turbulent time, from Lewis's fear and pain while in prison to Governor George Wallace's sneering indifference during his "Segregation forever" speech. Powell's use of light and dark is masterly, and the contrast between the joy of Obama's inauguration and the obstacles faced back in the 1960s is effective. This insider's view of the civil rights movement should be required reading for young and old; not to be missed."
Have you read this series yet? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Are you a history nerd? If you like history you most definitely need to go check this book out.
Happy Autobiographical/Memoir Graphic Novel Reading!
I received this book for Myrick Marketing in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.
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