Graphic Novels Reading List: Your Favourite Classics with a Visual Twist!

A page from the graphic novel of The Handmaid’s Tale

Graphic novels are an exciting way to breathe new life into old stories. Kunzum recommends five graphic novels that will compel you to read the classics again. By Paridhi Badgotri

If you thought graphic novels were only for a certain fandom or two, think again! Kunzum has curated a vibrant set of graphic-novel adaptations of timeless classics in its bookstores. If you have read these stories before, the graphic-novel versions will not only make you nostalgic but also offer a new flavour of art to go with the platter of emotions on offer. For those who skipped literature class and were intimidated by the size and/or language of these books, the graphic-novel adaptions will introduce you to an entirely new world of enthralling fiction in a fun way! 

For your first adventure in the world of colliding classics and graphics, Kunzum suggests you pick one of these five gorgeous graphic novels.

A Graphic Novel Reading List

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, adapted & illustrated by Fred Fordham

Touching on the questions of free will, control, and technology, the classic novel Brave New World is widely recognised as a sneak peek into the future. Depicting a world where humans are genetically bred, Fordham compellingly captures its surreal imagery and futuristic backdrop through his artistic vision.

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, adapted & illustrated by Fred Fordham
Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, adapted & illustrated by Fred Fordham

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, art & adaption by Renée Nault

Margaret Atwood’s dystopian future of a Second American Civil War has been rendered visually by the artist Renée Nault. Nault has beautifully illustrated the terrifying aspects of Atwood’s story of a totalitarian regime that enslaves the few remaining fertile women left after the war and forces them to produce children for the regime’s commanders.

Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale, art & adaption by Renée Nault
Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, art & adaption by Renée Nault

George Orwell’s Animal Farm, illustrated by Odyr

George Orwell’s scalding satire of tyranny has been translated into visuals by Odyr’s masterful brushstrokes. Odyr’s illustrations effortlessly interpret the allegorical fable, making it appeal to all age groups.

George Orwell’s Animal Farm, illustrated by Odyr
George Orwell’s Animal Farm, illustrated by Odyr

Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, illustrated by Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo

Khaled Hosseini’s immortal story has been given a new form by Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo. Set in the Afghanistan of 1970 and full of memorable characters with a tragic tale, the book has made a mark on anyone who’s picked it up. Celoni and Andolfo have done justice to all the aspects of the beloved novel, from the beauty of the kites to the violence inflicted upon the characters.

Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, illustrated by Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo
Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, illustrated by Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo

George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, adapted by Daniel Abraham and art by Tommy Patterson

Winter is coming! And you can spend “the long night” in this illustrated version of Westeros. The first volume of the graphic adaption of A Game of Thrones introduces you to your favourite characters—from Jon Snow to Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister—and the beginning of their epic stories. You might have read the books and watched the series, but the adaptation of Abraham and Patterson will paint an entirely new picture of this modern classic. 

George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, adapted by Daniel Abraham and art by Tommy Patterson
George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, adapted by Daniel Abraham and art by Tommy Patterson

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