Kannagi: Her Love Conquers All 

 In Lalitha Raghupati’s graphic novel style retelling of the Tamil classic  Shilappadikaram by Ilango Adigal, readers meet Kannagi, a charming, noble woman who marries Kovalan and lives happily with him, until he sets his sights on a beautiful dancer Madhavi. This classic turned comic book brilliantly shows just how unfair life can be when a dishonest, unfaithful lover, a selfish, conniving goldsmith, and an unmerciful king not only rob Kannagi of her deserved happiness but drive her into a vengeful, fiery rampage. When a woman known for her calm, serene disposition like Kannagi reaches her breaking point, only powerful, divine intervention can put out the flames both in Kannagi’s heart and in the city. Scripted and retold by Raghupati, this 32-page graphic novel reads fluently with occasional unusual sentence structure yet is quick and easy to read. Each page features vivid, multicolored comic strips drawn by Varnam, which bring the story and its characters to life and help contextualize each fast-paced moment.