Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation

I never had to read The Diary of Anne Frank as part of required reading in school. I had of course heard about it and knew what it was about but this was my first time consuming any kind of adaptation of the diary. I was surprised by her character and personality. Even without knowing much about her I had built up assumptions of what kind of person she was from the quotes that are often repeatedly shared and the circumstances of her death. But reading this adaptation has reminded me that she was a fully formed person. A teenager not a saint or just a victim of the holocaust. I wish Anne had been able to grow up and become the journalist she had dreamed to be, the loss of what she would have further created is almost as tragic as what happened to her.

I recently read Anne Frank's diary for the first time, and when I posted my review, several people urged me to read the graphic novel.

I'm so glad they did, and I'm glad I was able to read it.

The illustrations add vibrancy to the story. Anne imagines herself grownup and condescending toward those who were cruel toward her, and we see her as she will never be but might have been, a strong and productive woman. The hostility on the faces of those in the community toward the Jews heightens the fear surrounding the family. The diagram of the shelter helps make the setting clear. The depictions of the people around Anne in the shelter as wind-up dolls...the very Anne-centric pictures of the famous actresses of the day...animals around the dinner table...the Anne-Margo contrasts as seen in paintings...wonderful, wonderful.