Resistance Book 3: Victory

In Victory we see France in the last days of World War II, and the effects the long war has had on the Tressier family. The son Paul is pushing more and more to be an active member of the resistance, drawing more attention to himself and placing himself in harm's way. His older sister Sylvie is still dating a Nazi soldier, but she seems unsure if she should regard him an enemy anymore as she gets to know him better. Youngest daughter Marie is frustrated by her limited role in any "important" work and fearful about the fate of their father. Also, she also has to deal with her brother's insults and dismissive manner. Ultimately, she finds a worthwhile task in hiding and nursing a wounded soldier in the village.

All the while, the family still has to deal with the prying eyes of their Nazi-sympathetic aunt as well as the increasing attention of the occupying Nazi soldiers. The leader of the troops especially seems to notice that the family is hiding something. This volume more than the others has more of an impending sense of doom. Not all things are as they seem, it turns out, and death awaits some of the characters. Also, the desperation of losing has driven the Nazis to lash out, and even when peace seems all but inevitable, great violence lurks and the hard work of rebuilding and reconciling must be done.


This third book in the trilogy is the product of Carla Jablonski, an accomplished YA author, and Leland Purvis, an illustrator who makes webcomics and other graphic novels, such as Pubo and Vox. He also drew the graphic novel biography Suspended in Language and the Turning Point series about American history.

The reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Terry Hong praised Jablonski and Purvis's abilities to "present wrenching, dangerous events with urgency, insight, and plenty of humanity; their completed trilogy offers even stubborn young readers a worthy, engaging alternative to learning difficult history." Publishers Weekly wrote that "the authors do a good job of making it clear how bloody and morally messy even the most noble fighting can be." Alex Baugh also offered a positive review of this volume, stating that it "is every bit as exciting, informative and well done as the previous two volumes," and that it "is full of intrigue, adventure, danger, and suspense."

A preview is available here from the book's publisher, First Second.

Click here for reviews of books 1 and 2.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!

Defiance (Resistance: Book 2)

This second book of Resistance depicts an area of France occupied by the Axis forces and collaborating with Germany during World War II. Life in Vichy France was not peaceful, as factions supporting France and ones supporting the Nazis were at odds with each other. Following the events of book 1, we see the Tessier children all becoming active in the resistance in various ways while trying to stay under the radar. 14-year-old Paul draws anti-Nazi posters and ends up running away to join the maquis in the countryside. The slightly older Sylvie gathers information from dating German soldiers, and the younger Marie tries her best to eavesdrop and keep up the family farm. Life becomes further complicated with the arrival of their aunt, who leans more towards the beliefs of the Nazi occupation force.

This sequel is the product of Carla Jablonski, an accomplished YA author, and Leland Purvis, an illustrator who makes webcomics and other graphic novels, such as Pubo and Vox. This interview with Purvis sheds more light on his life and career. This interview with Jablonski touches on this book and also where the series is heading.

Reviews on this second volume have been largely positive. Michael May wrote that "there are plenty of thrills and suspense in Defiance, but it’s the family drama that sticks with me longest after closing the book." Paste Magazine's reviewers applauded the book's refusal to turn historical subject matter into simple black and white issues. The reviewer at Publishers Weekly offered a contrary opinion that the story was slow and overly didactic. I found the book very compelling, and I was hard pressed to see what would happen to the Tessier children.

A preview and more is available here from the book's publisher First Second.

Thank you to Gina for the review copy!

Resistance, Book 1

This volume of Resistance is the first of a trilogy of graphic novels about children who get involved in the French Resistance in World War II. Paul and his sister Marie are helping their mother to run a hotel in Vichy France while his father is a prisoner of war of the Germans. Paul's best friend Henri is Jewish, and after his parents mysteriously disappear, the boys hatch a plan to hide Henri to protect him from the Germans. They soon figure out that their long-term prospects of success aren't good.

Paul likes to draw and Marie is very inquisitive and great at memorizing names, numbers, and other information. When they start prying into the actions of the adults around them, they stumble into Resistance activities. The children offer to assist in a plot to relay some information that will help those at the front while also shuttling Henri to safety. Because they are so young, they bank on the hope that the Germans will not suspect anything. However, once the children embark on their mission the reality and danger of the situation begin to set in.

The book has informative text pieces at the beginning and end that help to set the scene and also comment on the historical accuracy of the story. Author Carla Jablonski writes primarily young adult novels and her works have been recognized by the New York Public Library. Artist Leland Purvis is a former Xeric Award winner for his black and white anthology of stories Vóx. He also won the 2004 Ignatz Award for Promising New Talent.

The reviews for the book have been positive. Krisitian Williams said that seeing these events from children's perspectives was both "naive and refreshing." In a long, thoughtful review, Greg Burgas called it a "good book for kids but doesn't shy away from tough topics that makes it more adult-oriented." Kris Bather called it a "satisfying read," and the mother-daughter book club "highly recommend" it.

A number of resources, including a summary, preview, and reading group guide are available here from the publisher First Second.

Thank you to Gina Gagliano for the review copy!