My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/sSz6Xs9AC0g

Enjoy! ( )

Heartbreaking. And a bit gory. ( )

A short, beautiful, compelling story about the horrors of war told from the perspective of a pride of lions ( )

A pride of lions did actually escape from the Baghdad zoo during attacks by the U.S. military. Sadly though, this story did not grab me nor did the lion characters either. I kept hoping for some allegorical meaning, but if there was one, it eluded me. Hated the ending, and would have given a 2 rating, but for the excellent artwork. ( )

gorgeous art. ( )

I saw this at my local thrift store and broke a fingernail in my haste to grab it off the shelf.

It's a brilliantly tragic look at how wars destroy more than just human lives. I'm surprised that so many people dislike the anthropomorphism of the lion characters. I mean, it's a historical fantasy about talking lions in a warzone. ( )

Not terribly deep or moving, but still a nice small dose of Brian K. Vaughan, which I always find pleasant. ( )

** spoiler alert ** 2 stars for the art since it was good, 1 Star for the story. So basically 1.5 . Regardless if this is based on a true story, I did not like it. The rape wasn’t necessary, there are other ways to show how hard Safa’s life was in the wild. I didn’t care to see animals blown up, that was the only art panels I didn’t care for and that ending pissed me off. The male lion was shot unjustly from behind unprovoked and of course the rest would get frantic. Just no. ( )

Gorgeous art and a moving story

I first read this book almost thirteen years ago. It has been on my mind since I came across it while rearranging my library a couple of weeks ago so I sat down with it this afternoon.

Still an amazing story, based on the escape of four lions from a zoo in Baghdad during a bombing raid in 2003. The lions here are imagined with human-like personalities (think Disney's "The Lion King", only much darker) and the art is fantastic.

I'm pleased this story has never been animated as I'd hate to see it done "on the cheap". I do however wish more people got so read books like this, to see how well a story can be presented in this format.

Very highly recommended. ( )

Very quick read, but very disturbing. ( )

I'll give it two stars for it's originality but despite the rich landscape the writer didn't do very much with the story. I even found much of the brutality (that rape scene was out of nowhere am I right?) too disconnected to provide more than it distracted. Was it worth the half hour it took to read? Maybe. Maaaybe. ( )

I'll give it two stars for it's originality but despite the rich landscape the writer didn't do very much with the story. I even found much of the brutality (that rape scene was out of nowhere am I right?) too disconnected to provide more than it distracted. Was it worth the half hour it took to read? Maybe. Maaaybe. ( )

Based on a true incident, Pride of Baghdad tells the fictionalized story of four lions that escape the Baghdad Zoo as the American military takes over in 2003. Told from the lions' perspective, the story addresses questions about freedom and survival. Beautifully illustrated, Niko Henrichon's use of color enhances the telling of this solemn, thought-provoking story. ( )

Neatly done. Gets in and gets out without doing any damage and, though tonally inconsistent, there's enough there to land the dismount with a punch to the gut. ( )

A war story seen through the perspective of a pride of lions, two females , a male and a cub, freed from the Baghdad zoo along with most of the animals after a bombing. They make their way through the city looking for food and meet various adventures along the way. Based on true events, the lions were eventually shot by American soldiers. Sad, but a nice meditation on freedom. Beautifully illustrated in full colour. ( )

Tomando como punto de partida un hecho real (el bombardeo de Bagdad y la huída de varios animales del zoológico) la obra de Vaughan dota de rasgos humanos e inteligencia a los animales para hacernos cómplices de sus emociones, de sus relaciones como manada y su estupor a todo lo que sucede a su alrededor. Porque pese a ser un grupo no demasiado bien avenido, en la adversidad deben cooperar entre ellos.
Que los leones hablen no convierte esta obra en algo infantil, al contrario: comprender sus sentimientos hace que todavía sea más desgarrador para el lector comprobar como en el fondo, el cómic es una crítica a la guerra de Irak desde el punto de vista de estos leones, que ven bombardeado su habitat y se ven libres, pero, ¿a qué precio?
'Los leones de Bagdad' nos muestra la guerra desde el punto de vista de los que han tenido simplemente la mala suerte de haber nacido en un territorio que se convierte en hostil a causa de unos dirigentes que no calculan el impacto sobre la población que puede tener un conflicto armado. Muy recomendable. ( )

I loved this graphic novel, especially the illustrations. I'm a sucker for lions - they are so easy to anthropomorphise. But what a sad story. ( )

Goodreads Synopsis:
From one of America’s most critically acclaimed graphic novel writers – inspired by true events, a startlingly original look at life on the streets of Baghdad during the Iraq War.
In his award-winning work on Y THE LAST MAN and EX MACHINA (one of Entertainment Weekly’s 2005 Ten Best Fiction titles), writer Brian K. Vaughan has displayed an understanding of both the cost of survival and the political nuances of the modern world. Now, in this provocative graphic novel, Vaughan examines life on the streets of war-torn Iraq.

In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad zoo during an American bombing raid. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. In documenting the plight of the lions, PRIDE OF BAGHDAD raises questions about the true meaning of liberation – can it be given or is it earned only through self-determination and sacrifice? And in the end, is it truly better to die free than to live life in captivity?

Based on a true story, VAUGHAN and artist NIKO HENRICHON (Barnum!) have created a unique and heartbreaking window into the nature of life during wartime, illuminating this struggle as only the graphic novel can.

My Review:
Let me say first that I really like the cover, and just the art in general. Although not something I would usually pick out for myself, I was recommended this book by my dad and really enjoyed it. It starts off with a crow saying that the sky is falling, and a lion saying that that's not possible, only to see jets fly over them in the Baghdad Zoo moment later. Safa, an old female lion, says that soon everything they know will be gone, while Sill just says that she's being dramatic. Little do they know just how much their lives would change.

Back in the den, the cub Ali's mother Noor is having a dangerous conversation with an antelope through the bars of their cages. She thinks that if they all work together, they can escape the zoo and taste real freedom. Everyone else is completely against the idea, not wanting to sacrifice food and shelter for freedom. The antelope says that they can either live apart or die together, and that those are the only two options. This book is exciting and thrilling in a completely different way that everything else I've read lately. Although the characters aren't actually people, they're lions, I got a little bit attached to them. Usually I'm not a big fan of books where the characters are animals, but this one was refreshing and I'm glad I read it. Definitely check it out if you get the chance.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.ca/Pride-Baghdad-Brian-K-Vaughan/dp/1401203159/ref=sr_1_1?ie=...

Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com) ( )

This was an amazing graphic novel. I didn't know (or had forgotten) how the story played out so I was very surprised by the ending. I would highly recommend this book. ( )

Entertaining graphic novel based on the true occurrence of 4 lions escaping the Baghdad zoo during the bombing of 2003. The novel is indeed graphic as it depicts the gruesome deaths of numerous animals including (spoiler) the 4 lions that the story centers around. A good read for teenagers--has all the language, violence, and references to sex that any teen boy could possibly wish for. ( )

Four lions escape the zoo after it’s bombed in the second US invasion of Iraq. They face mysteries and challenges and the ending is exactly as depressing as I thought it was going to be. Beautiful, but a horrendous downer. ( )

This is based on a true story, which is why it's so heartbreaking.
The sudden ending jarred me a little bit, but the story was compelling and the drawings were spot-on. ( )

I enjoyed the art in this book. It is an intriguing take on the Iraq War and the definition of freedom. ( )

I loved the illustrations in this graphic novel. It is based on a true story of what happened to the lions at the Baghdad Zoo after the U.S. bombing during the Iraq War. ( )

After a patron put this book on hold I was beyond intrigued. At first glance I just thought it was a graphic novel about the war but when I looked inside and saw their were lions, I knew I had to read it! Based on true events, this graphic novel follows four lions who escaped from a Baghdad zoo during an American bombing raid. Prowling through a city in ruins they ponder the true meaning of freedom. Can it be given or must it be earned? Without sacrifice is it as meaningful? Ground breaking and poignant, this is a fantastic read. Quick and concise and will leave readers with many questions and a new appreciation for the king of animals. ( )