A true story about slaves shipwrecked on an extremely small island in the South Pacific for 15 years. There's two stories really as it goes back and forth between this story and the story of the scientists excavating the island in 2008. The story of the excavation is overly packed with detail and drones on and on without providing any new details. There's not much point to it over than making the reading very dry and tedious. This would have been considerably more interesting had it only focused on the story in the past.

I don;t often enjoy graphic novels, but this one caught my eye and I had to read about the poor slaves abandoned there. So sad. Slavery was just so wrong, but the brutality of leaving human beings on a dessert island is just so inhumane and savage... defies words. Book should be used in classrooms.

Savoia gives voice to a group of slaves who were forsaken by the slave drivers after a shipwreck. For fifteen years the slaves manage to survive in an island that was little more than an atoll.

I started this graphic novel believing it would be an illustrated story about a group of slaves in the 18th century. And though it was partly that, it was much more a recounting of a group of archeologists coming to a tiny island named Tromelin in 2006, where they were trying to find evidence of how those slaves, who were abandoned on an island with almost no chance of survival, lived on the island.
The story moved me. I had never heard of it and it's terrible to think what these people must have gone through! 15 years on a tiny island with almost no vegetation...no hope of being rescued...

The art is beautiful and the storytelling not bad either. I especially liked the flashbacks about what life could have been like for this little society of slaves back then and I also grew to like the parts that told of the archeological pursuits in the much more recent past better with time, but I have to admit that it was often rather boring and it took me very long to finish, because I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading.

I thank Europe Comics and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

This is a remarkable true account of survival against all the odds.
It shows the inhuman nature of the 'civilised' French being nothing but people traffickers, taking the indigenous inhabitants of Madagascar for profit, to be sold on as slaves. Perfectly legal at the time.
A quite shocking read on the face of it. The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin is a both the worst of humankind and the best in terms of spirit and adaptability to live against the odds.
It is a great title as when word reaches the East India Company of abandoned survivors on this inhospitable island, they are ignored because they were slaves; little economic value to rescue and an embarrassment how they came to be on board the shipwrecked vessel.
The story of the shipwreck is told in episodes alternating with the modern research team and archaeological expedition who visited Tromelin.
This is a clever approach because it is only through painstaking research that the story has come to be told. The facts are indisputable but the story is a creation literary genius weaving this evidence together. I found the modern similarities between abandonment even for a short stay at the weather station fascinating as modern technology often failed and the native Malagasy coped adjusting to their new situation. Having been taken from their homes by force; having been shipwrecked and then left alone, while the French sailors journeyed for help they somehow found the will to live on. not knowing how long their isolation would last. Having little hope for the future as to be rescued would be to be recaptured into slavery. Perhaps better to die on this new island as free people. But they we removed from their culture, religious practices and customs and their community values.
Again, fascinating that something of the modern scientists is mirrored in their solitude and deprivations, although death wasn't a constant fear as the new plane was scheduled in a set number of days.
A graphic novel that I hope is shared as part of France's national curriculum. Since the Malagasy as seen in this true account, were poorly treated, but worked tirelessly to live with dignity.
A privilege to read and share with others.

In 1760, the ship, Utile, carrying African captives bound for the slave market, was shipwrecked on Tromelin, a small desolate island 500 kilometres away from Madagascar. With the aid of the Africans, a new ship was built from the remnants of the old but, when it was finally finished and able to leave, the black captives were abandoned. Despite the promises of the captain that he would send rescue, it would be fifteen years before any came for them. When the story of the Tromelin slaves spread around France, it became one of the major pushes for both the abolition of slavery and the Enlightenment.

The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin is written and drawn by Sylvain Savoia who, two hundred years after this event, accompanied an archaeological crew to the island to try to uncover how the slaves survived on what was hardly more than a barren sandbar. The graphic novel is divided between the dig and life for the archaeological crew and that of the slaves which is based both on what is objectively known about the event both then and now and Savoia's own conjecture based on what the archaeologists uncover. Savoia's art is stunning, showing in great detail what life was like for the captives both on the ship and the island. The story is also beautifully written especially as it shows the suffering of the captives again both on the ship and on the island as well as the indifference to their suffering displayed by their captors. It is a heartrending indictment of the cruelty of the slave trade and the people who plied it. It is also a testament to the resilience of the people who survived and even built a life for themselves in some of the worst conditions imaginable.

The parts of the story concerning the dig are, not surprisingly, much less emotional both in the art and the storyline providing a stark contrast to the shipwreck: the crew has supplies flown in, they have a time schedule for when they will leave, they are in no real danger. Interestingly, although the island is still unoccupied for the most part, there are signs of human existence everywhere in the debris that floats up onto the island and that is having a negative impact on the marine life that exists there.

The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin is a brilliant use of the graphic novel to tell a true and tragic tale, one that should be more widely known. If I have any criticism, it would be that the prose was often fairly dense and sometimes difficult to read. But this is just a small problem and I would recommend this to anyone interested to better understand the consequences and tragedies of the international slave trade...actually, to everyone because it provides the kind of history that should never be forgotten but is known by few outside a university classroom.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Europe Comics for the opportunity too read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Based on the true story of the L’Utile and those who survived its sinking, Sylvain Savoia’s The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin chronicles a little-known story of cruelty, prejudice, and survival against unimaginable odds. Told in two parts, the book relays its content through both the eighteenth centuries inhabitants of the island and the dedicated research team who pieced together the survivors’ story in the early 2000s.

I personally found Tsimiavo and the historical storyline more compelling than the modern one, but that’s just me. The tenacity of the Malagasy survivors and the brutal realities of their experience were poignantly drawn and while I appreciated the story of the researchers, I must feel it paled in comparison.

The illustrations were not overly detailed, but the artwork is clean. I found the historical storyline easy to follow, but the modern story is illustrated without cell borders with text crammed between images. The end result felt unnecessarily jumbled and took some getting used to. Beyond that, however, I have not complaints with the book and am happy with the time I spent reading it.

I thought this would be interesting in the beginning but I quickly lost passion in this book and felt that it would be better for a different reader.

This book is a comic version of a real story. Over two hundred years ago, a ship crashed near a tiny speck of an island and caused the entirety of their crew to be stranded, including the slaves they had stolen from their homes. This story also shows the author and the people documenting their struggles in comic form, as well as in actual documents and pictures from their study.



For fifteen years, they’re stranded, despite battling frantic depression, starving, having almost no water, and losing tons of their own people, they’re able to survive. Although the french crew eventually opts out, building a ship and abandoning the slaves, they’re strong enough to keep themselves alive without them. I think this book really shows the strength of people, even when they’re hopeless and on death’s bed.

Though I loved the story of the slaves, I found the comic documentation of the people in present day bland and boring. I would have loved to see the slaves part of the story by itself, with the actual photos and documentations of their study at the end, but I was sad to see that the only real evidence was jammed into the last two pages of the book.

If you love true stories turned into comic books, you’re going to love this. It’s a fast read, and I’m glad I got the chance to check it out.

Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

This book is based on true events and tells the tale of a shipwrecked slave ship. It's both an interesting and sad story. Peppered throughout are bits and pieces of the author's own story- his travel to the island of Tromelin, how he spent his time there, etc. I'm still torn as to whether or not his additions add to or take away from the story of the castaways. While it was interesting to read about the findings of the archaeologists, sometimes it felt like too much info when I really just wanted to know the fate of the castaways.

The author penned in sordid detail the atrocity that befell slaves left to carve out a meager existence upon a deserted rock - an island reef. Sylvain Savoia is given full credit for the creation of both script and illustrative artwork. The drawings were outstanding. This graphic novel elevated reading to a whole new level. It was like watching a movie with closed captions. The single plot saw to it that the storyline would not wander and remained on track. It was an entertaining and easy read.

In 1761, on Madagascar, slave merchants took possession of over 100 innocent victims and stored them down below, aboard their ill-fated ship, the Utile. On the way to Mauritius the seagoing vessel became grounded just off the island of Tromelin, 300 miles east of Madagascar. For many, they would come to call that wayward atoll home for endless years to come.

Those poor, wretched souls had to endure treacherous cyclones that mercilessly swept over their prison island and took many of its stranded inhabitants with it. With every pounding, thunderous storm more perished. Fifteen years later, out of nowhere, a ship dropped anchor just offshore and rescued the remaining handful of slaves. Not a one looked back.

In 2008 a group of archaeologists traveled to the island in search of hidden clues to the slave’s existence. Their excavations turned up coral huts, spoons, plates and even a human skull. More artifacts would be soon to follow. It was speculated that in consideration of their abominable living conditions how anyone could have possibly survived for as long as they had. It was a true testament to the human will to survive.

My gratitude is sent to NetGalley and Europe Comics for this digital edition in exchange for an unbiased review.

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

There are many stories from history that we do not know. It isn’t that in every case they are totally forgotten, though that is true in some cases, for sometimes people do know the story, but the story is not widely known. This graphic novel relates one of those known but unknown stories.
The novel tales two stories. The first is that of the slave who not only find themselves kidnapped but then stranded on a small island. The second is group of scholars many years later as they struggle to piece together what happened. There is the stark contrast between the deprivations that the shipwrecked people suffered to that of the relative ease in which the researchers live.
The dual stories work, as the graphic novel is true. It is a non-fiction graphic novel. Once you realize this is account and that is why some of the characters aren’t as fully developed as they would be in more fictional and less scholarly accounts.
The amount of information that the book conveys is quite nice and the art work is lovely.

'The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin' by Sylvain Savoia is two true stories woven together. One is from history, and one is from those looking to discover that history.

In 1760, a French ship named the Utile ran aground on an island called Tromelin. It had 160 slaves aboard that it wasn't supposed to be carrying. Of the 80 that survived the shipwreck, we follow the life of a young woman trying to survive. The white men build a boat and leave the island. One promises to return, and the young woman believes him.

In the current day, the island of Tromelin has a remote weather station. A group of men, including the author/illustrator are there to uncover what can be found of the life that the castaways found. Along with this, are the feelings of being on a remote island with limited water and power. In a place of sparseness and beauty, the author finds a rhythm to life.

Along with the story, is a written account in the back with maps, letters and photographs of the event and the archaeological dig that took place.

I found it fascinating. I liked both stories, and how the lives of these two people centuries apart intermingled. The art works really well for the story. Since the drawings have no borders, I sometime found reading to be confusing, as I wasn't sure if the text was below the line I was reading, or above the line below. That's a minor quibble and shouldn't stop you from reading this.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

Another brilliant graphic novel, published by Europe Comics!

My heart was in my mouth as I read this. The story flashes between the past and the story of the abandoned slaves, and the present which is a story of an excavation. The excavation uncovers the village that the slaves built for themselves and has helped people understand how the slaves survived on the tiny sandbank/island for fifteen years!

It is a shocking story of human inhumanity and cruelty. At the same time it is not a surprising story because it is a story of slavery. It is yet another illustration of how slaves were treated during the transatlantic slave trade. They were treated worse than animals. The lesson is that we should never forget this because it shows us the depths to which humanity can descend.

In 1761 the French ship L'Utile (The Useful), was transporting slaves from Madagascar to Mauritius, and it ran aground on the tiny island of Tromelin. With the help of the slaves the sailors built a new boat promising to takes the slaves with them, but they betrayed them and left sixty slaves behind promising to return for them.

Of course they didn't because when they reached Madagascar and asked for help the French government refused to provide a rescue ship because France was fighting the seven years war. Most of the abandoned slaves died in the first few months. It took the French government 15 years to send a ship to rescue the slaves and by that time there were only six women and small baby alive. Some of the other slaves had tried to leave the island by raft but it is clear they didn't make it and must've perished. Others perished on the island.

The graphic novel portrays this story with really great artwork and characters that bring the story to life. We are told the story of the slaves alongside the story of an excavation and the past and the present stories just add to the richness of reading this.

I always find it hard to read true stories of slavery because the suffering is unimaginable. With this story part of me was thinking that the abandoned slaves at least had their freedom even if it was on a small sandbank of an island. Who knows if the island would've been a better fate than captivity.

It is a story that is well worth reading. I really enjoyed it despite all the pain and the heart rending feel of the story, because there are still aspects of hope within the story. The slaves were indomitable and courageous. They survived for 15 years with nothing and that in itself is amazing. I have reviewed a number of comics for Europe comics and they always so good to read especially the historical stories.

This is hard to read but at the same time it is a brilliant comic.

Many thanks to Europe comics who provided this for review via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

A fascinating look at an event that apparently turned the French against the slave trade. A shipwreck leaves Africans who have been captured for the slave trade alone on a small desert island, where some manage to survive for 15 years.

The island has nothing on it, and somehow, they manage to get rain water, and catch fish, and survive.

The second story in the book is of Sylvian, the author, flying to the island, to learn by what was left behind, how these people survived. I tended to skip over those parts, that were sprinkled into the story of the people left behind, because I was more interested in that part of the story.

Not sure if this story is well know by the French, but I had never heard of Tromelin, or the people left behind. Glad that it got translated.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin is a graphic novel that follows two separate and distinct narratives: one of Tsimiavo, a Malagasy woman trapped on Tromelin, and Sylvain Savoia, an artist working on an archaeological expedition on the island. This graphic novel unravels the forgotten story of the L'Utile/Tromelin, where a trade ship wrecked and stranded sailors on a tiny island alongside their slaves stolen from Madagascar. These narratives of Sylvian and Tsimiavo are interspersed and work in multiple ways to illustrate how racism effects individuals, as well as, the written record left behind. The artwork is also stunning in this graphic novel and uses its qualities to demonstrate the difference in equality.

I was completely enraptured in Tsimiavo's story, which begins when she is taken from her homeland and thrown onto a foreign ship with strange men. It was absolutely stunning and also heartbreaking to see Savoia uses the graphic novel format to capture a sense of how Tsimaivo felt on that ship. Her terror, her fear and how she felt in that situation are beautifully captured. I stopped on the panel, where Tsimiavo is first shown on the ship and Savoia shows the slaves at a lower angle than the sailors. It really creates the feeling of how small and subservient these individuals would have felt. In fact, I would use this panel to show how graphic novels can be superior to literature.

In addition, this graphic novel is truly exceptional because it attempts to shed some light on a remnant of forgotten black history. It does not shy away from the truth; it does not paint the white man as benevolent or fair, but instead as cowardly and craven. And honors the Malagasy people, who died on Tromelin while white men sailed free. We need more graphic novels/books that are willing to look at the industry of slavery and ugly aspects of history without glossing over it. Therefore, I think this graphic novel will become a must-read.

Even though I think this graphic novel is an important read, it is not entirely flawless. In fact, I found that I did like how the narrative jumped back and forth between Tsimiavo and Sylvian because the found the former much more interesting. Sylvian's narrative is also necessary to provide a commentary on the archaeological dig and how the island feels to him. However, I cannot think of a solution since I think Sylvian and Tsimiavo are both necessary to the overall work. I do think that the overload of information in Sylvian's panels did create a disjointed effect between the two. Furthermore, the text was often not presented in a clear order and I often found myself rereading sections of text in different ways to piece it together. Overall, it could have been clarified.

I'm afraid I am unable to form any judgement since I could not download the book despite several aatempts to do so.

This book recounts the history of an event long ago. It is filled with numerous details about the hard living conditions on an islet after being shipwrecked. It is constructed into a graphic novel form, but in my opinion it should be written more like a non-fiction book, or a fictionalized novel. So many details are presented, especially of the current-day archeological finds, that one soon becomes overwhelmed and the story becomes fragmented as it goes between the account of the past and the findings of the present.Artwork is nice and the retelling definitely gets the message across.

A very interesting graphic novel for adults. Very realistic artwork and story line. With a historical bend to it. Much to learn from this one.

I had absolutely no idea about the wreck of the L'Utile, or about the abandoned slaves on Tromelin, and I doubt that there are very many have. So for its subject matter alone I give this work high marks for shining attention to this incredible and heart-wrenching bit of history.

Unfortunately, it then goes on to suffer a bit from the contrast between the two simultaneous stories that it tells - that of the shipwreck and the slaves' plight, and that of an archeological expedition taken to better understand the life that the shipwreck survivors managed to scrape out. The latter, while interesting in its own right, is also a little overloaded. The pages covering it are so packed with multiple drawings and accompanying text that it honestly becomes a challenge to read.

However, I found that such inconvenience was balanced out by the former tale of the Tromelin slaves. Thanks to Sylvain Savola's work, one doesn't merely learn about their plight, but actually is able to get a glimpse of what they experienced, including their despair, their fear, and the incredible will to live that allowed them to survive for years on such an inhospitable speck in the ocean.

This is definitely a work I would definitely like to have added to my library's collection of graphic novels as soon as possible.