Vincent by Barbara Stok | Review

Vincent by Barbara Stok 
Pages: 142
Release Date: 2012
Rating: 💜💜💜💜
Buy it: Amazon | Book Depository
Away from Paris, Van Gogh falls in love with the landscape of the south of France and dreams of setting up an artists' studio for him and his friends to paint together. But attacks of mental illness leave the painter confused and disorientated. When his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin refuses to reside permanently at the Yellow House, Van Gogh's dreams are left in tatters. However, throughout this period of intense emotion and hardship, Vincent's brother Theo stands by him, offering constant support.


Read to complete the Magical Readathon 2020 prompt: read a book under 150 pages

I love Vincent Van Gogh. When I was 5 my mum took me to a museum in London where I saw one of his many Sunflower paintings and I was absolutely mesmerised. Something about his art just caught my attention and now I have become slightly obsessive about his life and all the work that he has produced.

When I saw this book I knew that I had to read it, but I wasn't sure if I was willing to spend €15 on a book I was going to read very fast and probably only once. Luckily, this pandemic kicked off so I had the very valid excuse of avoiding boredom whilst everything around us shuts down. And I'm so glad that I decided to pick it up.

First of all, the story. The story is a mixture of plain picture boxes, conversations Vincent had with people and letters that he sent to Theo (his younger brother) which created a very interesting narrative. This biography tells the reader the story of Vincent from when he moves to France for his health, all the way through his manic breakdown, and ends with him moving back North. Of course there is some artistic license taken, as the conversations Vincent had with people can't be truly known by us these days, but the general story sticks very close to the knowledge we have of Vincent today. The interspersion of his letters to Theo added context to his life, and it was interesting to see how his relationship with his brother shifted as his mental health declined.

The art style of this book is gorgeous. Barbara Stok's art style was an excellent choice for Vincent's life story as she perfectly captured the whimsical nature of his artwork and even used it to portray Vincent's own life. My favourite part of her style was how she displayed Vincent's breakdown, as the panels become more vivid and manic the further he falls.

I don't think you have to be a fan of Vincent's work to enjoy this book. Obviously you'd be more inclined to pick up the novel if you have an interest in him, but this graphic novel is just so beautiful that I think anyone could enjoy it. The artwork is gorgeous, the story is fun and it is short enough that it wouldn't take long to get through. I'm so happy to have added it to my collection and I know for certain that I will be picking it up again in the near future.