Krishna: Defender of Dharma

Gr 4–8—Krishna is born as an avatar of the god Vishnu, fulfilling a prophecy that will ultimately bring down the power-mad King Kansa and help restore dharma and the rightful social order. He battles demons, warring clans, and influences events in order to reestablish order in the land. Those familiar with Western mythology will find many familiar echoes in this ancient Indian tale of a hero who must fulfill a destined role, who seriously espouses justice, but who is still quick to engage in acts of cavalier violence, and who has a range of powers and abilities for every occasion. It feels important to couch the story in such a context, because otherwise readers might find the protagonist's balance of social engineering and rakish behavior as alien as his blue skin and ambisexual allure. The artwork is colorful, with flourishes that help heighten the grandeur of the characters and the scale of the events, and Krishna's legendary charisma is aptly portrayed. The details of his adventures are given particular focus, and the story seems to have been crafted by someone who is invested in the source material, but the overall narrative is discursive and lacking in balance or structure. The last act feels particularly rushed, and the moral variegations of the Kurukshetra battle are difficult to untangle. As a retelling of a legend, this narrative effectively establishes the personality and reputation of a godhead; as a recounting of a story enmeshed in an active faith, it raises more questions than it answers.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH