Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Squire

This graphic novel is visually stunning, and the commentary on colonialism is quite nuanced because of the range of character perspectives we get to know. The ending was very satisfying.

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whatisjordyreading's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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btwnprintedpgs's review

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adventurous challenging inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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electricute's review

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adventurous funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

A beautiful and thoughtful graphic novel.

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bookiecharm's review against another edition

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4.5

“History, altogether, is a tool, and tools are neutral until they’re wielded. When you listen to a story, think about who is telling it. When you listen to a history, think about who it serves.”

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shaipanda's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This has an incredibly important storyline and message and I thought it was incredibly well done. The art and scenery was absolutely gorgeous and I loved the Jordan (and general Arab) cultural inspiration :) I liked the characters and overall liked the plot line and relationships though I do wish we got more character/relationship development for a lot of the side characters specifically

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wraith_demjin's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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ashylibrarian's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas is a strong graphic novel that exposes readers to clear social class divisions, intense war training, and expansive imperial coverage. Readers join Ornu teen Aiza as she begins training to become a Squire and, hopefully, a Knight. This distinguished honor would grant Aiza citizenship (and heroism) into Bayt-Sajji, the empire that has colonized a majority of its surrounding territories.

The story of Aiza’s journey is accompanied by a beautiful set of illustrations that use earthy tones as well as light and shadows to create depth and movement throughout each image. All of this helps immerse readers into the rich, detailed, and impressive world Alfageeh and Shammas have created. The inspiration for this fantasy world comes from Middle Eastern landscapes and is filled with beautifully elaborate architecture that is meticulous and complex.

The cast of characters is something to be admired, as well. Each character holds vast complexity and individualism. Aiza, Husni, and Sahar all come from different territories, leaving them with greatly different backgrounds and experiences. This character uniqueness is clearly intentional and is shown through the visual diversity as well as the personalities of each character.

The weakness I want to point out is that the story is that some parts, like the beginning, felt a bit on the slower side. Though this slow pace helps with world-building and character introductions, it has the potential to cause some readers to lose investment and interest in where the story is going. However, when readers do stick it out, they will be pleasantly surprised by the moving story they explore.

This fantasy epic is bound to draw in middle-grade and teen readers alike, whether they are looking to expand their knowledge of fantastical history, contemplate the impact of war and colonization, or read a new, fresh adventure. This story feels like something we have not seen before, especially in graphic novels, and it has the potential to appeal to a vast audience of readers.

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