Indiana by Claire Bouilhac and Catel is a beautifully illustrated graphic adaptation of George Sand's classic novel, capturing the emotional depth and feminist themes of the original work with sensitivity and modern flair. Through expressive artwork and well-paced storytelling, Bouilhac and Catel bring to life the struggles of Indiana, a young woman trapped in a restrictive marriage, as she yearns for freedom and self-discovery. The adaptation remains true to Sand’s revolutionary spirit, making this both a visually engaging and thought-provoking read. Indiana is a must-read for fans of classic literature, feminist narratives, and stunning graphic novels.

Thank you Europe Comics for a copy of Indiana!

"The young Indiana is a product of her time—submissive and bound by societal conventions—but despite the many obstacles in her path, notably her controlling husband Colonel Delmare and the charming Raymon de Ramière, she will find her way to love and most importantly, freedom. This adaptation of George Sand’s seminal novel Indiana captures the compelling and at-the-time scandalous feminist drive of the original."

For a comic, this has gorgeous illustrations and was "easy on the eyes". As for the story, I thought it was a bit dry and difficult to follow - perhaps because the story is just not for me. Overall, I highly recommend this for readers who want to explore the racial and gender issues in the 1800s AND in an accessible format!

This was a really interesting read, although I can't skirt over the racist undertones that sometimes make this read a little uncomfortable as this is a graphic novel adaption of a book that was originally published in 1832. I have not read the original story to know if these aspects were toned down or adapted as is, but this story does remain fitting with the time period that it was written in, so, personally, I can not fault it too much for the undertones.

That being said, I did really enjoy reading this adaption. I will say that this was more of a 3.5 star rating for me, but I rounded up as the story kept my attention nearly the entire time, the stakes were high, and the tragedy was palpable. I also really liked the art. Another thing that bumped up my rating was the inclusion of the opening and closing scenes where we get a glimpse into the original author, George Sand's life. This is an exceptionally cool detail as the original story of Indiana was written by a women who used the pseudonym of George Sand in order to get her work published, which is what many women during this time period were resorting to in order to get be picked up by a publisher.

Although Indiana, our main protagonist, is often times annoying, spoiled, and, quite frankly, unbearable, the weight of her tragic adolescent life seeps through the pages as the story progresses. Even though it is very easy to dislike her, it is almost impossible to root against her. You want this poor woman to find her happy ending, something that has been alluding her for all her life. Between these pages you will find unhappy home life circumstances, forbidden love affairs, scandal, adventure, and, above all, the longing to hope for a better future.

Paired with the interesting storytelling, the artwork is beautifully done. I really enjoyed each still and how Catel brought Indiana's story alive and not just to life but alive with vibrant colors, beautiful line work, and wonderfully drawn scenes. These pages made me feel like I was really inside the pages of this novel and it was almost like coming back to the surface of a body of water for air when I closed the book and returned to my living room.

Trigger Warning: Animal Cruelty.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to those looking for forbidden romance coupled with bleak undertones and just a hint of adventure. Think Wuthering Heights. If you liked that book, there is a good chance you will also like this one.

I received a free eBook of this from Netgalley. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the authors for providing a copy to me.

I have been getting too deep into the art and craft behind comic creation to give any comic less than a three star rating right now. The amount of work that went into this visualization of a mediocre French classic (sorry George Sand, you're still a queer icon) must have been so draining - it's not the artist's fault that the original novella is badly paced. They worked with what they had. I only would have wished for a little more diversity in the appliance of visual storytelling devices, but other than that... pretty!

I love George Sand, and loved that there an adaptation of the classic tale.

Sand was before her time, and the issues revolving around gender roles and racial issues were really well thought out. The illustrations were fantastic and I really enjoyed the story from this fresh perspective.

Thank you to author and NG for this wild ride.

From a graphic novel standpoint, this was beautifully illustrated and brilliantly colored. I appreciate that this made a French novel from 1832 more accessible, but I guess I just don’t love the storyline in general. Indiana is not my favorite leading lady, so often struck by various maladies. This was a delight for the eyes but not my favorite tale.

Originally published in 1832, George Sand’s Indiana delves deep into the complexities of love, social norms and the human condition. Set in rural France, the story follows the journey of the eponymous protagonist, a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage to the wealthy but oppressive Colonel Delmare. Through Indiana's eyes, we witness the suffocating constraints imposed on women in 19th-century society, where marriage often meant subjugation and loss of personal autonomy. The arrival of the enigmatic Raymon de Ramière sets off a chain of events that forces Indiana to confront her desires and the limitations of her world.

This graphic novel adaptation offers a fresh and innovative take on George Sand’s classic tale. By interweaving elements of Sand’s own life with the novel’s narrative, Claire Bouilhac and Catel provide readers with a deeper understanding of the author’s struggles and influences, especially its feminist overtones, which are prominent throughout the novel as it criticises the double standards and injustices faced by women in a patriarchal society.

The format of the graphic novel also allows for visually stunning illustrations that bring the story to life in vibrant detail. From the lush landscapes of rural France to the intimate moments between the characters, Catel's art emphasises the emotional depth of the narrative and engages readers on many levels.

Regarding the novel’s weaknesses, although Sand’s criticism of how married women were treated in France was revolutionary, it is reasonable to acknowledge its flaws and inconsistencies.

The depiction of Indiana’s character, with her tendency to faint or fall ill in moments of challenge or dilemma, can be frustrating from a modern feminist perspective. This representation reflects the social expectations placed on women during Sand’s time when they were often relegated to passive roles and denied control of their lives. While some readers may understand Indiana’s struggles as a reflection of the constraints placed on women, her depiction may also seem regressive and reinforce stereotypes of female fragility.

The inclusion of colonialism and the French colony in the Indian Ocean, with its dynamics of power and oppression, adds another layer of complexity to the novel, but the colonialist themes are overshadowed by Indiana’s journey, potentially diluting the critique of colonialism and its impact on marginalised communities.

As it is crucial to be critical of how characters from marginalised backgrounds are portrayed in literature and the potential impact on readers, I think it’s important to note how the representation of Noun, a character who is presumed to be black, raises concerns about racial stereotyping and the perpetuation of harmful tropes. For example, Noun’s decision to take her own life rather than confront the injustices and hardships she faces speaks to the desperation of those marginalized by society, as her suicide is presented as a tragic consequence of the systemic oppression and lack of agency experienced by Black characters in the novel. But Noun’s portrayal falls short, failing to challenge or subvert stereotypes and instead reinforcing problematic assumptions about race and identity, rather than offering a nuanced exploration of her character and experiences. The decision to have Noun resort to suicide as a means of escape from her hardships strikes me as a missed opportunity to explore alternative narratives or avenues for resistance. Rather than empowering Noun to confront the injustices she faces and advocate for change, her suicide may inadvertently reinforce narratives of helplessness and hopelessness among Black characters.

Additionally, the moral ambiguity of the characters, with few if any portrayed as truly virtuous or sympathetic, can contribute to a sense of disillusionment or detachment from the narrative. While flawed characters can add depth and complexity to a story, when coupled with a lack of clear motivations or character development, they may come across as unsympathetic to readers.

In conclusion, Indiana offers an interesting exploration of love, societal norms, and feminist themes. But, while the narrative provides valuable insights into the struggles of its characters and the injustices of their time, it also grapples with shortcomings in character development and representation, particularly concerning gender and racial stereotypes. Despite these flaws and while acknowledging the limitations of the adaptation, particularly in character development and thematic exploration, the graphic novel breathes new life into Sand’s tale, offering readers an accessible and visually engaging alternative, that is both easier and quicker to consume. And, by engaging critically with its themes and complexities, readers can appreciate the novel’s enduring relevance while remaining vigilant of its limitations.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

I most definitely think it's time I now pick up the full length book!

I think this manga is very interesting although it did seem very strange and obscure in some places and sometimes the art and in your writing style didn’t make sense, but overall I really enjoyed this but I am a little sceptical about generally, although I did enjoy it I just didn’t really I couldn’t make sense of most of it it’s just I don’t think is marketed for me as an audience and I think that’s what I fell flat

A beautiful, colourful, and vibrant adaptation of George Sands novel of the same name.
This graphic novel is the tale of a woman who loves life, her dog, and the wrong man.
This story shows how societal pressures were in the 1800's, where women belonged to their husband and scandal can shun that same woman without the blink of an eye.

A beautiful graphic novel that looks into the inequal marriages of women in the past.

Indiana is so well illustrated, the issues well explored (both the racial and the gender issue) and the protagonist overall well likable. Each character and their relationships with each other are so well depicted and rich in meaning and detail I simply cannot possibly rate this anything less than 5 stars.

Cannot wait to read the novel this is depicting!

Such a good story and very beautifully illustrated. I really enjoyed this graphic novel. Thanks NetGallery!

***I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review***

Sweeping, stupid, yet entertaining. Relationship drama is one of my top hated aspects, but this kept me hooked like those cheap soap operas that make no logical sense with all the cringe manipulation and mansplaining. However, George Sands clears out a simple and open conclusion with her sharp and feminist dialogue, regarding the original classic this edition adapted.

Considering this is a graphic novelisation of the actual book, the art was nice I guess; actually, it reminded me a lot of the illustrations in my old childhood school textbooks. Nostalgia.

⊹ . ⋆ ☽ ⋆ . ➶

I’ve never read George Sand so was interested to read this as an introduction. It’s nicely done and while not completely into the story I think I’ll have to read the novel now!

This was such an interesting way to read this story. I thought the drawings by a were incredibly well done and the pacing was perfect.

I love George Sand so I couldn't help but jump onto an adaptation of one of her novels in comic book format. Indiana is not one I particularly liked, but it is an important one, as her first novel, it put in place her world and started exposing some of her philosophies.
I really liked that the volume included an intro and conclusion with George talking about the story, what it meant for her and the influence on the time, it's just a few pages but I think they add a lot to the text.
The comic book is beautifully illustrated and coloured, with lush curves and lots of lovely details.
Sadly, I remembered while reading why I've never been a fan of the romantic area, but that's not the fault of the adaptation, it's very respectful to the book, very much like I remember it.
I enjoyed it and recommend this work to people who like classics, especially ones written by women, and like to explore them in graphic format too.

I had heard of George Sand before so I was interested in this comic, but it was terribly disappointing. No one was likeable and suicide often seemed to be people's first reaction to bad things. I don't know why Indiana kept going back to Ramon; he was awful. And poor Noun! I disliked most of my time spent reading this. Would not recommend.

I admit that I am no expert on canonical French literature. I know a little about George Sand as a person and am fascinated by them, but I am not so familiar with her work. Her Romantic and realist blend in <i> Indiana <i> is reworked into a graphic novel for the modern reader. <i> Indiana <i> feels like the lovechild of <i> Sorrows of Young Werther <i> and <i> Portrait of a Lady <i> (even though the latter was published later). It follows the 16-year-old Indiana's unhappy marriage to the much older Colonel Delmare. She falls in love with their neighbour Raymon de Ramiere, who is engaged in an affair with Indiana’s maid and best friend, Noun. Indiana and de Ramiere have a sort of on-and-off-again relationship, declaring their love and then rebuffing the other. Meanwhile, Indiana’s cousin Ralph stands on the sidelines being secretly in love with her.

If I had a nickel for every time there was an English cousin named Ralph in love with his cousin, in a canonical novel, I’d have two nickels…which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice.

As this is a graphic novel adaptation, I will not be commenting on the plot which is taken from George Sand’s work but rather how the story has been adapted.

Firstly, I did enjoy the first few pages which provided some context surrounding George Sand and their work. This came back at the end and I thought it was a nice way of ending the story and analysing some of the themes.

I found the art style grew on me and by the end of the novel, I quite liked it. There are some sentences that seem to have been taken directly from an English translation of the text which were revolutionary for the time, as does some of Indiana’s characterisation, which was cool to see.

I liked Indiana’s progression as a character, from her role as an unhappy woman to her finally standing up for herself. There were many false starts and to and fro-ing, but for her time and situation, she pushed back against the control of her husband, and even her false lover.

However, most of the story is told to us where it could be shown. For example, there is a panel that says “Monsieur de Ramiere was bothered by how bravely Noun sacrificed her reputation for him” but we never actually see Noun sacrifice her reputation until after she dies. This is a book where there is a lot of sitting in drawing rooms talking and it can be difficult to push the story along, but the way the information was communicated was not always effective.

I would have liked the relationship between Indiana and Ramiere to have been explored and stretched out more, as I could not see what it was that Indiana saw in him after they met. Why is he interested, is it mere boredom or love? Ramiere wanted to control something that wasn't his and get personal pleasure, but why her? There was a lot of flip-flopping between love and hate with these two characters and I couldn’t understand why Indiana was so devoted to this guy.

There were hints at the political world going on in the background but I wish I could have seen that more.

I found spots of this confusing and the pacing wasn’t quite right and I couldn’t work out what was supposed to be the climaxes of certain scenes, or whether this was an important discussion among the romantic leads or if this was another scene repeating the unstable dynamic of Ramiere and Indiana.

This book is an interesting look at George Sand’s work for a new age. It was a quick read and I think could be useful in introducing George Sand’s work to a larger audience. It would work well as a teaching tool as well, possibly read alongside the novel itself. I am now intrigued to go back to the original text.

C/W: suicide and animal cruelty

Interesting... I wasn't too familiar with the Original Classic and I do have to say that I had some mixed feelings about this plot but overall enjoyed the graphics. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a chance to honestly review this book.

Indiana isn't satisfied with her married life. But different and new is not always better...

Although I enjoyed the drawings, I didn't feel immersed in the narrative.
There were moments when something was lacking that would give the story more life.

My favorite parts were the beginning and end, where we can learn a little about the author.

Overall, it's a good adaptation, with good coloring and lettering.