A captivating tale of family secrets and wartime bravery
Exploring Maria van Lieshout’s Song of a Blackbird and its poignant themes.
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| Illustration by Iveta Vaicule |
By Hayu Andini and Adila Ghina
Song of a Blackbird, by Maria van Lieshout
Maria van Lieshout’s Song of a Blackbird is a compelling graphic novel that intertwines family secrets, historical drama, and artistic expression. Designed for readers aged 14 to 18, this richly illustrated story unfolds across two timelines: modern-day Amsterdam and the tumultuous backdrop of World War II. At its heart, the novel explores how art and courage intersect in the face of life’s greatest challenges.
The story begins with Annick, a teenage girl grappling with her beloved grandmother’s cancer diagnosis. When a search for a bone-marrow donor uncovers a startling revelation—that her grandmother, affectionately called Oma, was adopted—Annick embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about her family’s past. Her only clues are five art prints, depicting buildings around Amsterdam, signed by a mysterious "Emma B." These fragments of Oma’s childhood lead Annick into a deeper exploration of her heritage and a race against time to save her grandmother’s life.
Annick’s quest is interwoven with the story of Emma Bergsma, a young woman living in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam in 1943. As Emma witnesses the horrors of Jewish families being detained and deported to concentration camps, she resolves to join the Dutch Resistance. Using her artistic skills, Emma helps forge identity cards, counterfeit treasury bills, and other tools to aid the movement in smuggling Jewish children to safety.
Van Lieshout masterfully bridges the two narratives, highlighting the enduring power of art to provide solace, preserve memories, and inspire resistance during even the darkest times. Emma’s artwork becomes a central link between her story and Annick’s, as Annick deciphers the prints’ hidden messages to uncover her family’s history.
A core theme of Song of a Blackbird is the role of art in navigating pain and uncertainty. Both Annick and Emma use creative expression as a way to cope with their respective struggles. For Annick, art provides a connection to her grandmother’s past and a means of understanding her own identity. For Emma, it becomes a tool for survival and defiance.
Van Lieshout, a Dutch-American illustrator, enriches the novel’s visual narrative by incorporating black-and-white photographs of wartime Amsterdam. These photographs, many taken clandestinely by members of the Resistance, add an authentic layer of detail to Emma’s world. They also serve as a poignant reminder of the real-life individuals who risked everything to document life under Nazi occupation.
Van Lieshout’s depiction of the Dutch Resistance is both a celebration of bravery and a tribute to the ordinary individuals who stood against tyranny. Emma’s local Resistance network includes sculptors, dancers, and printers—people who used their artistic talents in extraordinary ways. From forging documents to distributing underground newspapers, these acts of defiance highlight the ingenuity and courage of those who resisted Nazi oppression.
The characters in Song of a Blackbird are inspired by real members of the Dutch Resistance, making their stories all the more impactful. Van Lieshout’s novel shines a light on their sacrifices, reminding readers of the enduring importance of standing up for justice, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
As Annick unravels the secrets of her grandmother’s past, Song of a Blackbird delves into themes of legacy, memory, and the ways history shapes our present. The novel underscores the importance of preserving family stories and honoring the resilience of previous generations. Through Annick’s journey, readers are invited to reflect on their own connections to history and the ways in which courage and creativity can ripple across time.
While Song of a Blackbird is set against the backdrop of World War II, its themes of resilience, family, and the transformative power of art remain deeply relevant. The novel invites readers to consider how they might find strength in creativity and community, even in challenging circumstances.
In an era where historical memory is increasingly vital, Van Lieshout’s work serves as a reminder of the lessons we can draw from the past. The bravery of the Dutch Resistance and the enduring impact of their actions resonate as a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for hope and defiance.
Maria van Lieshout’s Song of a Blackbird is more than just a graphic novel; it’s a poignant exploration of how art and courage intersect in times of crisis. By weaving together Annick’s modern-day search for her family’s history with Emma’s wartime acts of resistance, Van Lieshout creates a story that is both deeply personal and historically significant.
Through its vivid illustrations and compelling narrative, Song of a Blackbird invites readers to reflect on the ways in which the past shapes our present and the enduring power of creativity and bravery. It’s a powerful reminder that even in the face of unimaginable hardship, ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.
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