Description
Book SynopsisMadame Livingstone is based on the true story of the unlikely partnership between a Belgian and an African who were responsible for the sinking of a German battleship in the Congo during the First World War. Aviator Gaston Mercier, lieutenant in the Royal Belgian Army, arrives at Lake Tanganyika, Congo in 1915 on orders to sink a critical German warship, the Graf Von Götzen. To find out the ship’s exact position, he is assigned a guide, an enigmatic, mixed-race African and the supposed son of the famous explorer David Livingstone who is nicknamed “Mrs. Livingstone” for the Scottish kilt he wears. Little by little, while the war between Belgian and German colonial powers rages on and the pair hunt down the Graf Von Götzen, the young Belgian pilot learns more about the land around him from Mrs. Livingstone and discovers the irrevocable and tragic effects of colonialism on the local people. A historical fiction story of adventure and friendship against the backdrop of World War I in Africa, Madame Livingstone was originally published in France by Glénat in 2014. The graphic novel is authored by historian and comics specialist Christophe Cassiau-Haurie and Congo's unique beauty is presented in full color illustrations by beloved Congolese artist Barly Baruti.
Trade Review“The complexities of war are explored with a curious what-if twist in this elegantly drawn adventure. […] a well-researched drama of human connections forged in an inhumane period.” —
Publishers Weekly“
Madame Livingstone uses a World War I conflict in the Congo as the backdrop for an exciting adventure, glimpsing into the country’s history of colonial exploitation. […]
Madame Livingstone is a rousing historical tale. Its excellent, authentic art is attentive to details when picturing boats, airplanes, uniforms, and Congolese clothing and landscapes.”—
Foreword Reviews"There have been countless narratives about people who are "torn" between two racial heritages, but for the most part,
Madame Livingstone felt like a fresh and nuanced character study. Livingstone knows exactly who he is; he has an affinity for his famous father and Scottish heritage, but his central motivation is to protect his African family and community and see the European war in Central Africa end as quickly as possible. The result felt like a nuanced meditation on the forms resistance can take within a colonial system. [...] [A] unique and important graphic novel." —2021 VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Committee
“Belgian comics curator Cassiau-Haurie (Le Singe Jaune) and Congolese cartoonist Baruti (Chaos Debout à Kinshasa) team up for a stellar historical graphic novel about another partnership, in the context of European colonialism in Africa during World War I. […] Based on a true incident, this beautifully rendered and rousing graphic novel will give readers naïve about Belgian colonialism an entry point for understanding viewpoints and outcomes.” — Library Journal
