I hadn’t heard of Primo Levi before reading this graphic novel. Levi was an Italian Jewish chemist, partisan, Holocaust survivor and writer. The narrative device used to frame Levi’s life story is Levi visiting a class of school children to speak to them about the Holocaust and his time in a concentration camp.

Arranging the story this way cleverly negates the clumsy exposition often found in a history book. It is natural for Levi to explain what happened to him and his family and why. Levi is portrayed as a charming and determined man who is steadfast in his mission that the past not repeat itself. Mastragostino decision to have the children ask questions of Levi as to why he did or did not do certain things is impactful, as are their reactions when Levi recounts the hardships he underwent.

Ranghiasci art is purposeful and fluid, capturing moments of grief and solace with equal adeptness. They have a knack for drawing highly expressive faces. Despite the grimness of the subject matter, it is a smooth graphic novel to read. The text never overshadows the monochrome illustrations. There are sections of the book that feature drawings of dead Holocaust victims that are difficult to look at.

Overall, Primo Levi is a striking written and enthrallingly illustrated biography of a remarkable man that went through so much. It is the sort of book that acts as a perfect jumping-off point for someone looking to learn more about the Jewish experience in Italy during WW2. Levi’s attempt to resist fascist forces by joining the partisans is something that I’ll definitely be doing further reading on.