From Netgalley - Out now

Children of the Resistance - Volume 1 - Opening Moves - Dugomier, Ers

Disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

If you haven’t seen the series A French Village, you should check it out. The series focuses on the residents of a village in Nazi Occupied France. It was, in part, the reason I downloaded this title.

The graphic novel, at least in this first volume, follows three children who live in Occupied France. Two boys – Francois and Eusebe – who are friends, and a girl – Lisa – who is taken in by Francois’ family after she is left on the side of the road.

The story captures the conflicting emotions of the children as well as the adults in their world. Francois’ father was in the Verdun and has thoughts about the War. These thoughts are different than those of his brother (Francois’ uncle) who lives in Paris. Francois has to reconcile these views as well as the German soldiers who save people in a fire as opposed to those who terrorize people.

Francois and Eusebe decided to rebel, to resist, in the ways that children can. The ways that the children (eventually Lisa joins them) do resist are varied, but all are intelligent. In some cases, it is an active, physical form of a resistance, but there is also the use words and counter propaganda. The children succeed not only because they work together but because they use their intelligence.

The graphic novel ends with a fact section at the idea. It provides background as well as historical context because the plot of the work is based on true stories.