Terrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin who Ignited World War I, a graphic historical fiction novel, is an engrossing account of the young Serbian anarchist whose assassination of Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand led to The Great War (World War I). Henrik Rehr, a Dane who lived in Europe during the early 1980’s, and lived in New York City at the time of 9/11 terrorist attacks, is a well-known cartoonist and author of graphic novels. Rehr spent considerable time researching “old, old books” in the New York Public Library trying to figure out how “a small number of people of limited means carried out an act with broad repercussions.”
Terrorist: Gavrilo Princip, the Assassin who Ignited World War I is a 232-page account, in detailed and powerful black and white drawings and text, of what drove Princip and his fellow Serbian anarchists to plan the assassination of Ferdinand. The account is stark, depressing, and disturbing. While thoroughly researched, Rehr notes “Certain liberties had to be taken for the story to work. I put words into the mouths of my characters that I did not necessarily have historical sources for, but I did my best to stay true to my understanding of the people I attempted to bring to like. There is nothing in the book that I know to be historically false, but there is a lot that came from my imagination.”
The historical information in this lengthy graphic novel is vastly more detailed than what is found in the current McGraw-Hill World high school History text used in the Olympia School District. The historical detail makes this work a good addition to the library collection. The graphic novel format will engage many a teen reader who never would plow through volumes of history books to understand the oppression of the Serbian peoples in the early 20th century, their struggles for independence from Austria-Hungary, and the backgrounds of Princip and his accomplices.
Some readers may be sensitive to the significant amount of violence portrayed. Additionally there is course language, and scenes with excessive alcohol use, discussions of sex, prostitution, suicide and murder. Teachers and librarians may want to keep this in mind when recommending this book to students. Should the library receive complaints on the content, it may be noted that the book is a Junior Library Guild Selection.