Phoolan Devi, Bandit Queen is the powerful story of a young Indian girl who suffers poverty, bigotry and sexual abuse -- the latter of which began when she was married at age 11 to a man three times her age, and which continued through her teen years by police officers and others. Eventually, she ran away and was captured by a gang of bandits; she joined the gang, and eventually she rose to become its leader.

This graphic novel by Claire Fauvel is based on The Bandit Queen of India, an autobiography Phoolan -- although illiterate -- wrote with the help of Marie-Therese Cuny.

The story is powerful, focusing less on the crimes Phoolan and her men committed, more on their acts of charity -- she developed something of a Robin Hood reputation and is credited with sharing her loot with the poor -- and her motivations, which initially include revenge against those who hurt her personally but evolve into vigilante justice against men who harm women in general.

The story here ends with her eventual surrender, 11-year imprisonment and release; in real life, she went on to be elected to two terms in Parliament, ending when she was assassinated by rival gang members in 2001.

Fauvel's book is grim and gritty, taking an unflinching look at the abuses Phoolan suffered over the years. Scenes of her brutal rape, although not exploitive or overly graphic, might make some readers uncomfortable. The violence of her retribution, including a massacre of 22 men in a village where Phoolan had been repeatedly assaulted while held captive, mostly takes place off-panel.

Fauvel tells a potent story, and it's hard to look away. Her artwork is loose and a little cartoony in style, but it conveys the narrative effectively and dramatically.

How true is Phoolan Devi's -- and Fauvel's -- account of the bandit queen's life? It's hard to say. Some aspects of her life were doubtlessly embroidered to bolster her legend; for instance, historical accounts are a little unsure just how much Robin Hood-like generosity she showed to the poor.

But the story remains an inspirational look at a woman who rose up against the violence committed against her and took something back. It's not an easy read, but it's an important one. Perhaps Phoolan Devi deserves the little bit of legend she has become.