Graphic Novel Review – Barbarians and the Birth of Chinese Identity: The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms to the Yuan Dynasty (907 – 1368) (Understanding China Through Comics, Vol 3) by Jing Liu (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Graphic Novel/History
Length: 168 pages
Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
Release Date: April 25, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1611720341
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd volume in the Understanding China Through Comics series
Source: Amazon Vine from Review
Rating: 4/5 stars
“The labyrinth of Chinese history, with its dynasties and gigantic land mass, can put off the adventurer to this exotic land. We need help to explore and explain how this country came to be. Liu Jing has already provided guides to the earlier history of this country with his illustrated comic books. He continues to lead us on this expedition to discover what historical treasures lie beneath the dust of Chinese history. In this volume we discover the vibrant life of the middle period of the China story — the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties. This formative period was racked by wars, but at the same time, and as we watch in these pages, it produced innovation, commerce, and cultural accomplishments that defined the Chinese nation. Dive into the history of this period. You will not be disappointed.”
I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. I don’t have a ton to say about this book. It is a decent comic history of Japan for the time period listed in the title. The history was easy to follow and the graphic diagrams help you to understand what’s going on.
The whole book was interesting and I found it surprisingly engaging given that I am not a huge fan of reading about history. My 10 year old son read it as well and said it was interesting and he liked it.
Overall a well done book about Chinese history that is easy to follow and will appeal to middle grade and older readers. I would recommend if you are interested in learning about Chinese history.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Goodreads Reading Challenge
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
