It begins and ends with the ill-fated romance of Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford. In between, it describes in poignant detail the hopeless rebel action that would lead to Ireland's eventual freedom.

Blood Upon the Rose: Easter 1916, The Rebellion That Set Ireland Free is a graphic novel by Gerry Hunt that details the people and events of that brief uprising. And, while the rebellion would quickly fail -- both in unseating the British authorities and in rousing Irish support for freedom -- its aftermath succeeded in stirring the Irish national spirit. Freedom would not be long in coming.

The story is presented sparingly, hastily, lacking many of the particulars that would render the narrative more complete. But Hunt, in a relatively slim volume, presents the framework of the Easter Rising with sufficient thoroughness to give readers a fair sense of the people involved and what they sacrificed for their country.

It's a valuable history lesson, and a stirring read. Recommended.