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Pigeons!: A Fable For Our Times
192 pages, Hardcover
Published December 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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December 14, 2025A political allegory for the rise of dictatorship all framed through the anxious lives of… some pigeons?
Full review at: https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/202...
Full review at: https://noflyingnotights.com/blog/202...
April 4, 2026
A political fable with zero subtlety or nuance--which in this age, is a necessity and thus is a positive asset of this book. The messaging and content is repetitive, which is again, a net-positive. Pigeons live under an authoritarian crow while a seagull tries to encourage elections and democracy.
Democracy takes work and participation. It's not easy, but it's ultimately better. This is the crux of the story. You read it nodding along and thinking, Duh, these pigeons are dummies. Then you keep reading and realize, Wait, lots of people think just like these pigeons do, crap. Then you get to the very end and think, uneasily, shit... would I be a pigeon? Or a crow? Or would I always, without a doubt, be the seagull?
It made me think about the countries my parents came from, which were both ruled by dictators. It made me think about the country they came to, where I've always lived, and whether it's that different.
I would have liked to see more depth to the content, but such is the nature of fables. I absolutely loved the simple, deceptively charming charcoal drawings.
Democracy takes work and participation. It's not easy, but it's ultimately better. This is the crux of the story. You read it nodding along and thinking, Duh, these pigeons are dummies. Then you keep reading and realize, Wait, lots of people think just like these pigeons do, crap. Then you get to the very end and think, uneasily, shit... would I be a pigeon? Or a crow? Or would I always, without a doubt, be the seagull?
It made me think about the countries my parents came from, which were both ruled by dictators. It made me think about the country they came to, where I've always lived, and whether it's that different.
I would have liked to see more depth to the content, but such is the nature of fables. I absolutely loved the simple, deceptively charming charcoal drawings.
April 4, 2026
A bit on the nose, but we’ve lost the privilege of subtlety at this point. Really dig the simple and spare art style.
January 1, 2026
Well...that was depressing.
December 1, 2025
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: A contemporary political allegory of power, to remind us of the dangers of following a dictator and surrendering your freedom.
Life is simple for the pigeons. They have no desire to contemplate their future or take control of it. Free from responsibility, they are all too willing to submit to a strong authority. This is precisely what a cruel and power-hungry crow was waiting for—a perfect opportunity to wield his natural talents as a tyrant. The crow enforces law and order, but also terror and arbitrary rules. Everyone seems to accept this situation—or maybe, they are too scared to resist. Until an idealistic seagull steps in, determined to challenge the system through debate and free elections.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: I really think everything I could say would be superfluous...if you wonder, like me, WHY people choose authoritarian social orders with such alacrity and frequency, this is your answer. Only told with sequential artwork, featuring pigeons.
Now look at the art.
I could go on, the publisher's been very generous with art for publicity, but I feel my point is made. Wisecracking birds in thrall to an authoritarian bird might make some of this make some sense.
Mostly I think the graphic-novel medium will let some messages slide through your at-risk young male giftee's defenses. It sure as hell can't hurt, it's cheap as a psychic inoculation against authoritarian/fascist bullshit goes.
The Publisher Says: A contemporary political allegory of power, to remind us of the dangers of following a dictator and surrendering your freedom.
Life is simple for the pigeons. They have no desire to contemplate their future or take control of it. Free from responsibility, they are all too willing to submit to a strong authority. This is precisely what a cruel and power-hungry crow was waiting for—a perfect opportunity to wield his natural talents as a tyrant. The crow enforces law and order, but also terror and arbitrary rules. Everyone seems to accept this situation—or maybe, they are too scared to resist. Until an idealistic seagull steps in, determined to challenge the system through debate and free elections.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: I really think everything I could say would be superfluous...if you wonder, like me, WHY people choose authoritarian social orders with such alacrity and frequency, this is your answer. Only told with sequential artwork, featuring pigeons.
Now look at the art.
I could go on, the publisher's been very generous with art for publicity, but I feel my point is made. Wisecracking birds in thrall to an authoritarian bird might make some of this make some sense.
Mostly I think the graphic-novel medium will let some messages slide through your at-risk young male giftee's defenses. It sure as hell can't hurt, it's cheap as a psychic inoculation against authoritarian/fascist bullshit goes.
July 31, 2025
Pigeons! by Marc Chalvin accurately highlights some of the often unspoken reasons authoritarianism can be so appealing to so many.
I was torn between a 4- or 5-star rating. I think the message is definitely made but there were a couple places where it seemed like some focus was lost with unnecessary banter. It wasn't bad but I can see some readers decide that the point(s) have already been made and miss the last sections that really drive it home. So I guess 5 for overall message and 4 for execution.
Many readers will find parallels between this story and where they live. I'm in the US and I certainly did. Unfortunately for the world as a whole, many readers from around the globe will feel that same sense of familiarity.
In addition to the idea that people often don't want to do the work to have what is called freedom I think this book also drives home another important point. Facts don't easily sway people's opinions, even if in the moment they acknowledge them. We must also appeal to their emotions. It doesn't have to be manipulative like some political entities do, but when presenting our position we can't rely on simply talking about how much better things might be. We need to explain how their lives will be better, how making things better for others also makes things better for us. Kinda like the old FAB approach in sales: demonstrate/show the feature, describe the advantage of that feature, then explain/show how it will benefit the customer/voter.
I would highly recommend this with the suggestion that if you feel it lags a little in the middle, keep going, it is a short graphic novel, it isn't hard to finish it and give it a fair shake.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.
I was torn between a 4- or 5-star rating. I think the message is definitely made but there were a couple places where it seemed like some focus was lost with unnecessary banter. It wasn't bad but I can see some readers decide that the point(s) have already been made and miss the last sections that really drive it home. So I guess 5 for overall message and 4 for execution.
Many readers will find parallels between this story and where they live. I'm in the US and I certainly did. Unfortunately for the world as a whole, many readers from around the globe will feel that same sense of familiarity.
In addition to the idea that people often don't want to do the work to have what is called freedom I think this book also drives home another important point. Facts don't easily sway people's opinions, even if in the moment they acknowledge them. We must also appeal to their emotions. It doesn't have to be manipulative like some political entities do, but when presenting our position we can't rely on simply talking about how much better things might be. We need to explain how their lives will be better, how making things better for others also makes things better for us. Kinda like the old FAB approach in sales: demonstrate/show the feature, describe the advantage of that feature, then explain/show how it will benefit the customer/voter.
I would highly recommend this with the suggestion that if you feel it lags a little in the middle, keep going, it is a short graphic novel, it isn't hard to finish it and give it a fair shake.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.
July 22, 2025
I read 50% of this book before giving up. I love politics. You would think I would love this book too, and I really wanted to. But, the metaphor was just a little bit strained, I thought. I had difficulty seeing a direct parallel between these bird brains and the bird brains in real life. I viewed the book early by digital arc.
February 2, 2026
Sátira divertida y entretenida con crítica social y política a partes iguales. Teorías del complot, humor, democracia, dictadura y mucho ingenio. Aunque algo denso. Pedagogía política camuflada de cómic.
June 27, 2025
A spot-on political satire of the world today.
February 14, 2026
It didn't exactly make me feel any better about the state of politics and the world, but it was a pretty spot-on take. Oh, to be able to live with the seagulls.
May 6, 2026
Très drole
May 14, 2026
Political allegory that definitely feels close to reality.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews