This book was amazing! I had no idea all of the parts of the War Effort Canada was involved in during WW2. This book was a fascinating look at our military’s contribution, as well as a few individual stories of intense courage and bravery. This is a MUST read for all Canadians. 176 It was interesting. Really felt like an encyclopedia article with illustrations. The artwork wasn't all that good either. So it gets an ok but not great rating from me. 176 This is a GREAT READ! Until I read this book, I never knew how epic was Canada's involvement in WWII. The U.S., Britain, nay, the world owes so much to Canada for without them, the world very well might have become a much darker place. Kudos to Paul Keery for such an entertaining and enlightening experience.
Thank you for the loan Franklin Public Library! 176 Canada at War is a fine read. It has some great visuals and some interesting tidbits that were new to me. Some of the panels that express the men's body language and tired faces really helps to get you more immersed in their story rather than simply reading a battle narrative. I only have one minor quibble, which is purely a personal preference, I really wanted to let my young son read this with me because the reading level is very accessible that a 7 year old could read this, however some of the panels depict mature and explicit battle scenes which he would not enjoy looking at. At times I was confused who was the target audience for this book. 176 Medium-rare. I wanted a basic understanding of Canada's involvement in WW2 and I got it. That said, it was kind of a dry read. 176
This is a beautifully illustrated account of Canada's extensive involvement in WWII from the pre-War build-up to the post-War impacts and legacy. The text is a little flat and wordy in places but there is so much to get in it is hard to see how this could have been avoided without losing some of the impact of the Canada's role. This is clearly well researched and very informative. A great place to start building your Canadian war knowledge. 176 While I undeniably came out of it realizing more about the immense involvement that the Canadian military had in the liberation of much of Europe from the Nazi regime...there’s so many things wrong with this text:
The artwork is horrible.
COMIC FUCKING SANS!
There’s an intense amount of unnecessary details about the types of ships, fighter planes, military types and so forth that most people reading this will have zero understanding of and find themselves bored and confused. It’s different if it was all explained properly but it’s just thrown into the book like we all know this information...and honestly....that’s most of the book. It reads like it was made for WW2 historians that have intense knowledge of all these specific details. Anyone else can only have a basic idea of much of it and will be lost through most of it and be very uninvolved with all of it. 176 Really disappointing. There was no narrative to this graphic NOVEL, no characters to become invested in, virtually no dialogue - only the text of a mid grade-level textbook (plus some oddly specific details about equipment) accompanied by illustrations that didn’t add much value and weren’t beautiful or striking enough on their own to make up for the weak text. I learned a handful of new facts about Canadian involvement in the war, but not many. I was going to give the book two stars because it wasn’t offensive, but then I decided that there is something genuinely harmful about a book about WWII that mentions Jewish people exactly once, concentration camps exactly once, and (in a book about CANADIAN involvement) mentions Canadian internment camps not at all. There was hardly a word on Canadian support for the war, no mention of the Canadian refusal of refugees, and very little attempt to humanize any of the victims of the war. Basically a summarized wikipedia article with pictures. Ergo, one star.
Are my standards unrealistically high because I just days ago read Maus, a staggering graphic novel about WWII? Perhaps. Does maybe having unrealistically high standards mean I will soften my stance? No. 176 It was with a real sense of wonder and appreciation that I read this account.
Having read with horror the losses in the Great War and visited Vimy Ridge I was interested to learn about the role and psyche of Canadian forces engaging in another European War.
Although this fine account focuses on the Canadian commitments and engagements in the 2nd WorldWar it does not make easy reading. Many lives were lost and you have to wonder in what capacity the troops were used. In parts like with the Italian campaign you wonder about joint operations and whether one nations fighting units were sacrificed ahead of another’s.
This is a tremendously moving account and it quite rightly identifies acts of heroism and where medals were won by acts of courage.
In Britain we see the Yanks joining the battle late and seeking the glory.
It is impressive that the Canadian government and it’s people supported Britain from day one. It is also heartening and Canadians should be very proud of how its tightening units gave so much in the conflict.
Indeed the Battle of the Atlantic and through air crews from the Battle of Britain onwards made a real and strategic difference.
The bravery of Canadian troops particularly in their liberation of the Netherlands means many Dutch people will never forget the role they played in defeating the Germans.
It is that sense of mature Nationhood that shouts in this account that shows why Canadian people can be proud and the legacy they brought to the peace.
Canadian youngsters would benefit greatly from hearing this story. But as stated the story should be better known in the U.K. where we sometimes forget the Allies defeated Nazi German none were more loyal and determined than the men and women of Canada. 176 Graphic books are a new format for me and this is the first one that is not a novel. It looks at the role Canada's military had in World War 2. But since the text had very little flow, it felt like the illustrations are the driving force of this book. The text is only there to set the scene or give some added information. World War 2 is such a massive subject that there truly is no way to get at it in such a short book, so it helped immensely that I had a solid knowledge of the topic.
Canada at War jumps around and highlights a specific person, then a specific battle, then a specific division of the military, and then suddenly mixes in a bunch of statistics. And if you don't particularly like this style of illustration, you probably won't get much from this book. However, I did like the illustrations and once I approached the book as a series of vignettes about Canada's involvement in World War 2, I was able to appreciate it. I especially liked it when they highlighted the sacrificial contributions of someone who won some award for courage or valor. But the statistics have their story to tell too.
Because Canada and Britain worked so closely during World War 2, if you are from England you might enjoy this book too. But it will appeal predominantly to Canadians, although I was sorry to see the huge contributions made by French Canadians almost completely ignored. But like I said, this is predominantly the illustrator's Show and Tell and what he considered important and inspired him to draw.
If you're looking for a page-turning, thrill-ride, this ain't it. But if you want to see some wonderful artwork, learn a bit more about Canada's involvement in WW 2 and feel some Canadian pride, then this will be a good fit for you. I got my copy from the library, which may be a good idea to help you decide if you like the illustrations too before you pay money for a paperback copy of it. Some people may consider it dry, but after sitting through years of Canadian History classes that truly were dry, this graphic, historical ebook is like a trip to the oasis. I didn't come to Canada at War with any specific expectations and when I just accepted it for what it is, a short glance into my country at war through the eyes and talents of a couple of people, I found it interesting and enjoyable. Definitely not for everyone, but for me, I considered it well worth my time.
I should mention that due to the nature of the topic I would not recommend it for children. However, considering the restrained depiction of the horrors of war, I feel okay to recommend it to those who consider themselves sensitive readers.
Thanks for reading my review.
Sincerely, Laura-Lee 176
A beautifully crafted graphic novel, tracing the achievements of the Canadian Forces in the Second World War.
In 1914, Canada went to war as a subject of Britain. In 1939, it made the choice to fight all on its own. Canada at War follows the developments and setbacks, wins and losses, of a nation learning to stand up for itself in the midst of the most difficult war of the 20th century.
In graphic-novel format, fully illustrated and in full colour, Canada at War shows the growth of a nation's army, navy and air force through movingly depicted triumphs and tragedies. From the disheartening losses at Dieppe and Hong Kong through the Battle of the Atlantic and the invasion of Sicily, it focuses on the human dimension of the key battles and decisions that ultimately swung the war in the Allies' favour.
This poignant graphic account ends, after the victories of D-Day and Juno Beach and the liberation of Europe, with a final reckoning of the legacy these storied years have had on a country forged through war. Aimed at both adult and young adult readers, this very human history tells the stories behind some of this country's most distinguishing military moments.
Short-listed for the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award. Canada at War: A Graphic History of World War Two