“Remember, remember!
    The fifth of November,
    The Gunpowder treason and plot;
    I know of no reason
    Why the Gunpowder treason
    Should ever be forgot!”

“Anarchy…has taught me more as a mistress than Justice ever did! She has taught me that Justice is meaningless without freedom.” – V

Happy Guy Fawkes day, everyone! In celebration of the Houses of Parliament NOT getting blown up on November 5, 1605, I give to you a book review of V for Vendetta—a gripping story about a masked vigilante who, with Fawkes-like zeal, stands for freedom for the oppressed.

First, historical context: Guy Fawkes was an English conspirator who, though not the ringleader, agreed to assist his fellow Roman Catholics in blowing up the Houses of Parliament while King James I consulted with his chief advisors inside. King James had previously refused to give the Roman Catholics more religious freedom in the land, so Robert Catesby decided to rid England of all its leaders in one fell swoop. His explosives man (Fawkes), however, was discovered, and thus the Gunpowder plot was quelled. Fawkes and some of his fellow conspirators were executed. Britain has a party every year to celebrate: effigies of “the guy” are burned, fireworks ensue, and oh yeah…there’s an alternate universe where a freedom fighter in Fawkes regalia blows up the Houses of Parliament on November 5, 1997. This is the world of V for Vendetta, a book chock-full of literature, moral ambiguity, and anarchy.

In totalitarian England, the fascist leaders keep their citizens in a static, gilded cage. Everyone has lost someone to the war that preceded the dictatorship, but no one dares speak of it– except for one vengeful spirit, V: a mysterious man in a Guy Fawkes mask ready to wreak havoc on the authorities and reveal “the bars” on the prison England has made for itself. This story is fascinating for both its characters and plot, and captivates readers through Alan Moore’s soulful dialogue.

V’s compelling character keeps readers on the edge of their seats through the whole story. He’s smart, dramatic, and definitely never misses Knife Day at the gym. We know very little about what V’s life was like—but the parts that reveal themselves are tragic. He remembers life in England before the Labour Party took over, and makes it his personal quest to bring anarchical chaos to England so the populace might rise and take up freedom once again. All of the beauty that is missing in the country is bound up in this one man: the philosophy of literary figures, the calculation of prominent scientists, and the heart of the greatest musicians. He treats certain ideals as personified versions of themselves– which is an interesting parallel, as the dictator of England does the same thing. Yet V never brings glory to himself other than his role as an ideal. V does not try to stand out as an individual—he never reveals his name. And in this total ambiguity the message is clear: anyone can be behind the mask.

Anyone can be V.

Anyone can stand for the freedom of England’s prisoners.

Moore’s other characters are not mere support cast in light of such a prominent figure, however. Every individual carries his or her own burdens, even the Leader, and I appreciate the care Moore takes with the completion of every character ark. Each character’s ending is a consequence of both fate and choice, and therefore bitter or sweet in their own way. Every Hammond, a significant young protagonist, experiences her own trials by fire, and how she reacts to the world around her is increasingly fascinating as the end approaches.

All in all, V for Vendetta explores both the impact of freedom for both the oppressors and the oppressed, and asks universal questions in every calculated move V takes in his chess game-like vendetta.

The movie adaptation, though a major deviant from the book, is also good. It brings the same “light in the midst of darkness” that the book does.

So this November 5, remember the Gunpowder plots, and thank our Lord for the freedoms we ourselves hold—not just the freedoms of our country, but those prisons of sin He’s saved us from.