Freiheit! The White Rose Graphic Novel by Andrew Grosso Ciponte

I’m here with a book review for Freiheit!, the White Rose Graphic Novel by Andrea Grosso Ciponte. I requested the arc from Netgalley after the cover caught my eye. I am not Jewish, so I have read other reviewers who are Jewish and have more knowledge of this to ensure my review is thorough.

About The Book 📚

Title: Freiheit!

Author: Andrew Grosso Ciponte

Publication Date: February 16, 2021

Publisher: Plough Publishing

Suggested Reader Age: 16+

Genre: Biography, Memoir, History, World War II, Holocaust

About The Author

“Andrea Grosso Ciponte works in Belvedere M.mo, Italy, as an artist and filmmaker, professor of art at various High Schools and as professor of computer graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts, Catanzaro, Italy, where in 2000 he graduated in painting. In his paintings Grosso Ciponte works since 2000 on paintings produced in a single session “alla prima” originated from images that passed through the filter of different mediums, such as photography, video and computer. A couple of years ago he also started creating “life” paintings. 2011 Grosso Ciponte showed his work at the 54th International Art Exhibition Venice Biennale. In the areas of video and computer art there are numerous collaborations with artists and musicians.” https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13458810.Andrea_Grosso_Ciponte

My Review

› The White Rose was a German anti-Nazi group that formed in 1942. Medical students Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf, and Hans Scholl formed the group with Hans’s sister Sophie, and Christopher Probst. These young adults used their knowledge to write leaflets against the Nazis which they helped distribute to the masses. In 1943, Hans, Sophie, Christopher, Willi, and Alexander were all executed for their involvement with the White Rose leaflets.

› The art is breath-taking. The colour palette conveys what I can only imagine would be the dire life of living during the Holocaust. I’m not an art expert, so take this with a grain of salt. The pages looked like paintings, and I could feel the atmosphere with each page. Reading this on a tablet was wonderful, the pictures were clear, however, reading the physical book would be a much better experience. Another thing I did like was the fact the actual White Rose leaflets are included in this book, translated to English.

› While reading Freiheit! I felt incredibly confused. The story was being told in snapshots that didn’t flow together like a story, which is incredibly disappointing considering this is an extremely important story to get right. While reading reviews I learned that Hans Scholl was gay, and for some reason, that was left out of the book. This is yet another example of how this book simply didn’t live up to its potential.

› Sadly, I don’t remember learning about the White Rose group before. You’d think reading a graphic novel about them would have left me feeling like I learned what I needed to know about it, but I had to go read websites and reviews in order to gather more information so I could truly understand just how courageous these young people were.

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 4
› Atmosphere: 5
› Writing Style: 4
› Plot: 5
› Intrigue: 5
› Logic: 5
› Enjoyment: 6
Average 4.9

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★

› Final Thoughts
• Freiheit means freedom and this nonfiction graphic novel is all about a group of courageous young people who put their life on the line for the liberty of others. While this isn’t a complete picture of the White Rose group, it does give an overall feeling and somewhat tells their end. Some reviewers have said this would be suitable for younger readers, however, I would have to disagree. The way that this is written is confusing and I would recommend it to readers 16+ who already have prior knowledge of the White Rose group.