Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers- E-Arc Review

 

Hi! Today, I’m going to share my review for an E-Arc I read last month. Thank you to Net Galley for putting this on Read now.

 

Title: Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers

Authors: Lauren Burke, Hannah K. Chapman, and Kaley Bales (illustrations) 

Genre: Non-Fiction, Graphic Novel

Source: Net Galley Read Now

Expected Publication: April 20^th, 2021

Rating: 4 stars on Goodreads, 4.5 stars on The Storygraph

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55104100-why-she-wrote?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=t1XnlCSCVn&rank=2

 

Goodreads Summary: In Why She Wrote, dive into the fascinating, unexpected, and inspiring stories behind the greatest women writers in the English language.

 

This compelling graphic collection features 18 women—including Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Anne Lister, and more—and asks a simple question: in a time when being a woman writer often meant being undervalued, overlooked, or pigeonholed, why did she write?

 

Why did Jane Austen struggle to write for five years before her first novel was ever published? How did Edith Maude Eaton's writing change the narrative around Chinese immigrant workers in North America? Why did the Brontë sisters choose to write under male pennames, and Anne Lister write her personal diaries in code?

 

Learn about women writers from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, from familiar favorites to those who have undeservedly fallen into obscurity, and their often untold histories, including:

 

• The forgotten mother of the gothic genre

• The unexpected success of Little Women

• The diaries of the "first modern lesbian"

• The lawsuit to protect Little Lord Fauntleroy

• The personal account of a mastectomy in 1811

• Austen's struggles with writer's block

• And much, much more!

 

Why She Wrote highlights a significant moment from each writer's life and retells it through engaging and accessible comics, along with biographical text, bibliographies, and fun facts. For aspiring writers, literary enthusiasts, and the Janeite who has everything, this new collection highlights these incredible women's hardships, their influence, and the spark that called them to write.

 

• GREAT GRAPHIC NOVEL FOR ALL AGES: Librarians and teachers recommend graphic novels for readers of all ages, especially beloved nonfiction titles like Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis and Raina Telgemeier's Smile, Sisters, and Guts. Immerse yourself in the stories of these fascinating women through the fun, approachable, and dynamic medium of the graphic novel!

• CELEBRATION OF WOMEN WRITERS: Want to read more books by historical women writers, but aren't sure where to start? The stories and bibliographies of the women featured in Why She Wrote is an inspirational deep dive.

• OVERVIEW OF WOMEN'S HISTORY: Add it to the shelf alongside other collections of women's history, including Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky, Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu, and Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: A Graphic History of Women's Fight for Their Rights by Mikki Kendall and A. D'Amico.”

 

Overview

They drew me to the book last month because it had female authors, and it was Non-Fiction. That it had a Graphic Novel element was something that added another reason I wanted to read this. After I started the novel, I knew that I would enjoy it and that I would learn about female authors, and classic authors I knew and ones I wanted to learn about through this novel.

 

Writing

The writing in this novel was fantastic. They present the information in such a way that it keeps you engaged in the Non-Fiction sections. Where the writing takes this book from good to great is in the comic that follows the information about the author. Every author has an important moment of her life as a comic, and this helps the reader understand where the author was in this moment of her life more because there is a visual to go with the writing. The comic text is easy to follow, and it is easy to read, which for me adds a few bonus points. The tone of the comic matches what we learned about the writer in the Non-Fiction Section. Sometimes when reading a Graphic Novel or comic, the writing can take away from the art, or the visuals, here the writing enhances the art. Overall, the writing was informative, and took a snapshot of the writer’s life and works, presenting the information in a new and fun way.

Art

What makes this book over the top is the art. Each panel of the comic about each woman is crafted so beautifully, and the designs on each scene are eye-catching. From reading the comics, you can tell that the illustrator took time with every page and panel because they crafted each with such detail. Another thing I loved about the art was that each comic looked different. A lot of these women lived around the same time, and yet the same design was not used twice, because, like their comics, each women’s story was unique.