Midnight Sun gets a nice mention in the latest Bookslut “Kid P.I.” feature. I hadn’t really thought about the book appealing to the “young adult” crowd, but I reckon if you can handle a curse word or two (no “F bombs,” though) there’s certainly the historical angle. Anyway, here’s a bit from the review:
Cool Read: In the graphic novel Midnight Sun, Ben Towle uses the real tragedy of the dirigible Italia, which crashed with its crew on the way back from the North Pole in 1928, to set up his fictional story about a reporter sent to cover the rescue. H.R. is a borderline alcoholic who majors at doing the minimum amount of work in his job and is more than a bit freaked out at the idea of traveling north on a Russian ship into the polar wilderness. (read more…)
Speaking of things young adult, a while back VOYA, (Voice of Youth Advocates) a library magazine about all things young adult, ran a review of Midnight Sun, but I couldn’t link to it because it wasn’t online. It looks, though, like the Barnes and Noble site is using it, though, so here’s that one as well:
A forgotten piece of history is adapted into an interesting and captivating story in this little graphic novel. The airship Italia was launched in 1928 from Italy, with the North Pole as its destination. It crashed in the Arctic Circle, stranding its captain and several of its crew members, and carrying off several others when the ship is lightened of its load. Towle takes this event, throws in an alcoholic American reporter sent to cover the story along with a few other fictional elements, and creates a compelling story. The black-and-white illustrations are very well done and reveal the undertones of the story clearly. The political tensions of the time are alluded to in the story but explained more clearly at the end of the novel. In the two final pages, Towle talks briefly about the actual crash, and how the story was adapted. The rescue of the Italia crewmen involved five countries, and resulted in the death of many rescuers. This event was related to the tension between Nobile, the captain of the Italia, and the emerging Fascist government in Italy. Readers may find this interesting. The novel itself is enjoyable and suspenseful. Sophisticated teens and history buffs will surely find it a pleasant read. Reviewer: Victoria Vogel
April 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 1)
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