July 8, 2019
In this painterly adaptation of the slim volume read by most Americans in middle school, Odyr’s expressive watercolor palette strikes a visceral note that matches the intensity of Orwell’s original text. An intelligent pig, named Old Major, inspires the other animals on an English farm to revolt against their cruel human masters, sparking a revolution. While all of the animals were considered to be free and equal, pigs Napoleon and Snowball wind up running the farm, earning extra luxuries as a result. An ideological disagreement between the pigs leads to Snowball’s brutal ouster and Napoleon rising up as a dictator harsher than their original human master. The novel was about the failure of the Russian Revolution and the betrayal of its ideals, but it stands as a general example of the desire for power overtaking idealism. This graphic novel version picks up on symbolic visuals, such as the animals’ hoof and horn flag resembling the hammer and sickle. Odyr skillfully plays to these stark elements while evoking the mood of the countryside and the plot’s shocking violence; the atmosphere and emotions are spot-on. But, while an effective illustration of the text, Odyr proves faithful to the original to a fault, not taking the opportunity to create a new, hybrid work of art. Still, the fidelity to Orwell’s vision makes it ideal for younger readers, in particular, and Orwell’s message is sustained. Agent: Bill Hamilton, A.M. Heath