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yokorie's review
4.0
A gorgeous and captivating background of an influential woman many, myself included, are unfamiliar with. I was first attracted to this book by its contributors: I've greatly enjoyed Isabel Quintero's other novels and Zeke Pena's illustrations on other book covers. The placement of Iturbide's actual photographs interspersed with Pena's illustrations helps to drive home the fact of her talent. I think this book would be a wonderful additions to schools seeking to utilize comic art in their classes, or in libraries to help inspire patrons to grasp a better understanding of the art of photography and Mexican history.
sbelasco40's review
4.0
I loved this. I read it mostly all in one sitting. I don’t know anything about Iturbide, but this makes her work and life come alive, and the writing is so poetic and lovely.
aprilatthelibrary's review
5.0
"Perhaps what I'm looking for is to enter a world unknown to me."
"When I was a child, I only knew that words built poems. Housed stories. Had power."
This graphic novel introduced me to Graciela Iturbide and her work. It tells her life story, the famous photos she took and why she loves photography. I like how her focus is to bring light to cultures and peoples who are marginalized, misrepresented and misunderstood in society, while remaining respectful of the culture.
"When I was a child, I only knew that words built poems. Housed stories. Had power."
This graphic novel introduced me to Graciela Iturbide and her work. It tells her life story, the famous photos she took and why she loves photography. I like how her focus is to bring light to cultures and peoples who are marginalized, misrepresented and misunderstood in society, while remaining respectful of the culture.
kristi_starr35's review
4.0
Not the easiest read, but an enlightening one, snapshots from the life of Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide (1942 - ). I appreciate the blend of Peña's illustrations with Iturbide's photographs, including his interpretations of her photos. The frequent sprinkling of Spanish words and phrases add another distinct voice alongside the images, bestowing a greater sense of authenticity.
Quintero and Peña introduce readers to Iturbide's work and life in vignettes not constrained by chronology or location. In a brief description of her early life and family, we can sense that Iturbide will not fill the role of a quiet wife and mother. Instead, after the death of her young daughter, Iturbide truly begins to spread her wings. She travels through Mexico and later around the world as n artist - a photographer. She is both student and master, chronicler of this world and other worlds. Her subjects are strong, confident, unusual, memorable, real.
The stories provide little sense of a timeline, but the drawings of Iturbide indicate a nonlinear chronology. Ancillary materials include a biography of Graciela Iturbide, image captions for photos, About the Authors section, and a bibliography for further reading.
Quintero and Peña introduce readers to Iturbide's work and life in vignettes not constrained by chronology or location. In a brief description of her early life and family, we can sense that Iturbide will not fill the role of a quiet wife and mother. Instead, after the death of her young daughter, Iturbide truly begins to spread her wings. She travels through Mexico and later around the world as n artist - a photographer. She is both student and master, chronicler of this world and other worlds. Her subjects are strong, confident, unusual, memorable, real.
The stories provide little sense of a timeline, but the drawings of Iturbide indicate a nonlinear chronology. Ancillary materials include a biography of Graciela Iturbide, image captions for photos, About the Authors section, and a bibliography for further reading.
saidtheraina's review
3.0
I love that the world is being exposed to Iturbide's work through this book. Her photographs are truly striking, and I loved that several of her photos are included within this book. They integrate well with Zeke Pena's illustrations (those end papers with drawings of different cameras are so so gorgeous).
That said, I've read a lot of nonfiction graphic novels. Many of those I read are memoir, written by someone describing their own life. So I think that wealth of reading experience colored my perception of this work - there's an obvious difference in describing a historical figure's life instead of your own. Structurally, I also found it a little bit hard to follow. For some of those reasons, I decided it wouldn't have a wide enough appeal to booktalk to broad school audiences, but I will (and have) definitely handsell it when I have the opportunity.
I loved the context given to the photographs though, as well as the photographs themselves. Quintero includes a brief biographical words-only essay in the backmatter (complete with citations), as well as image captions for the photographs (good job!).
That said, I've read a lot of nonfiction graphic novels. Many of those I read are memoir, written by someone describing their own life. So I think that wealth of reading experience colored my perception of this work - there's an obvious difference in describing a historical figure's life instead of your own. Structurally, I also found it a little bit hard to follow. For some of those reasons, I decided it wouldn't have a wide enough appeal to booktalk to broad school audiences, but I will (and have) definitely handsell it when I have the opportunity.
I loved the context given to the photographs though, as well as the photographs themselves. Quintero includes a brief biographical words-only essay in the backmatter (complete with citations), as well as image captions for the photographs (good job!).
pagesandteastains's review
4.0
ARC provided by NeTGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"Her wings are spread and her eyes are always ready to fly."
"Photography reveals flocks of birds with unclipped wings moving inside me. The incessant fluttering is the sinew that holds my limbs together. Their chirping releases the shutter. I am a bird and not a bird. I am a woman and then a bird. Or a bird and then a woman. It doesn't matter. What matters is this: the lens gives me bird sight. With it, I am made aware of many angles of truth."
I love reading books that introduce me to things I never knew of before, in this case, I am sad to say I had never heard of Graciela Iturbide before. The graphic novel is short and explores the life and beginnings of Graciela's work. The graphics are beautiful and I loved the actual photographs inserted after a graphic illustration, it almost made it feel like the book came to life? It was cool.
The book was inspirational and enlightening. I loved how Graciela interprets her work and isn't afraid to take risks and travel. Isabel Quintero did a fantastic job carrying the message across and I hope we get to see more graphic novels like this about real life people. I loved it and would definitely recommend you pick it up.
"Her wings are spread and her eyes are always ready to fly."
"Photography reveals flocks of birds with unclipped wings moving inside me. The incessant fluttering is the sinew that holds my limbs together. Their chirping releases the shutter. I am a bird and not a bird. I am a woman and then a bird. Or a bird and then a woman. It doesn't matter. What matters is this: the lens gives me bird sight. With it, I am made aware of many angles of truth."
I love reading books that introduce me to things I never knew of before, in this case, I am sad to say I had never heard of Graciela Iturbide before. The graphic novel is short and explores the life and beginnings of Graciela's work. The graphics are beautiful and I loved the actual photographs inserted after a graphic illustration, it almost made it feel like the book came to life? It was cool.
The book was inspirational and enlightening. I loved how Graciela interprets her work and isn't afraid to take risks and travel. Isabel Quintero did a fantastic job carrying the message across and I hope we get to see more graphic novels like this about real life people. I loved it and would definitely recommend you pick it up.
longl's review
2.0
Beautiful illustrations and imagery. I was really interested in the integration of photographs with the panels of graphic novels. The writing was just okay though and centered on a vague art/creativity-speak.
droar's review
4.0
I quite liked this poetic introduction to Graciela Iturbide and her work. The book flows lyrically through different periods of Iturbide's life sometimes moving forward in time, other times slipping back to the past. The non linear timeline lets the Quintero & Pena highlight the major themes of Iturbide's life and round her story together in a pleasing way (that often doesn't work for biographies). As a newcomer to Iturbide's art I really liked that the story mixes her photographs in with the illustrations, it let me see some of the photographs without digging around online, and it makes the book feel more real. Lyrical and lovely, recommended for photography lovers, graphic biography fans, and those with a fondness to lyrical true stories.
lofimichelleeo's review
5.0
A beautifully illustrated, poetic introduction to Graciela and her work.❤️
debi_g's review
The prose itself is artistic, which heightens the experience of the drawings and photos.
I found the switch-offs between first and second person narration jarring, even though the appearance of the pages differed accordingly.
I found the switch-offs between first and second person narration jarring, even though the appearance of the pages differed accordingly.