Kimble Bent Malcontent is a graphic novel written/drawn by
Chris Grosz. It is jam packed with interesting facts about traditional Maori diet, culture and warfare as well as snippets about various military leaders in New Zealand in the 1860s. The story centres around a runaway soldier, Kimble Bent who sought refuge with the Hauhau people near Mt Taranaki during the time of the Taranaki War.
I admit to knowing zilch about New Zealand history so this book filled me in on some of the battles and the atrocities committed by both sides. I was particularly fascinated by the way the Maori made ammunition and fortified their stockades, ready for attack.
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Kimble Bent Malcontent
(Random House, 2011)
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The illustrations are all in black and white and some are pretty frightening. I found the sequence of pictures hard to follow on some pages, but it didn't detract too much from the story. There is a glossary at the front and on many pages there is detailed information about various facts such as how to make tattoo ink or who Major Von Tempsky was. There are also maps and plans of various stockades.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in battles and history. The graphic novel is certainly a good way to present this historical material which often students find dry and uninteresting.
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