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wanderlust_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
First and foremost, the illustrations in this graphic novel are incredible: filled with action, detail, and a remarkable ability to communicate a wide array of emotions and landscapes. I was hooked from the very beginning by the dedication page, in which Shammas notes, "To Edward Said, for giving me the language to see myself clearly."
Squire follows Aiza, a teenage girl living in Bayt-Sajji. In the narrative, Bayt-Sajji is an empire seeking to expand its borders through militaristic conquest. While there are several colonized identities outlined in the story, Aiza's Ornu heritage is of particular importance. The Ornu are looked down upon by others in the Bayt-Sajji empire - seen as greedy and uncivilized - and often depicted as cowards within the empire's historical narrative. Being an Ornu is a key aspect of Aiza's identity that she is compelled to hide during her military training.
Themes of militarism, colonization, patriotism, and citizenship are deeply woven into the story. At the beginning, Aiza envisions a future for herself beyond the walls of her family's designated camp and its accompanying agricultural life. There were two aspects that really resonated for me during Aiza's confrontation with her parents regarding her desire to enlist. 1) The parents' initial reaction: "How can you be so ungrateful? How can you not accept all we have given you?" and 2) The parents' eventual conclusion: "We will support you if this is truly the path you envision for yourself." And while Aiza begins her squire training with rose colored glasses, she soon comes to find that not all is as it seems, especially when you come from her particular ethnic identity. And all of this comes full circle as Aiza must grapple with some difficult questions. Did I enlist in squire training for personal glory? Would I be comfortable exacting violence in the name of the empire against my own people? What can one person do to challenge the vast machinations of empire?
This graphic novel is not only thoughtful in its approach to these questions, it is written and illustrated in a manner that appears to a wide audience. I can't wait to read this one with my kiddo.
Squire follows Aiza, a teenage girl living in Bayt-Sajji. In the narrative, Bayt-Sajji is an empire seeking to expand its borders through militaristic conquest. While there are several colonized identities outlined in the story, Aiza's Ornu heritage is of particular importance. The Ornu are looked down upon by others in the Bayt-Sajji empire - seen as greedy and uncivilized - and often depicted as cowards within the empire's historical narrative. Being an Ornu is a key aspect of Aiza's identity that she is compelled to hide during her military training.
Themes of militarism, colonization, patriotism, and citizenship are deeply woven into the story. At the beginning, Aiza envisions a future for herself beyond the walls of her family's designated camp and its accompanying agricultural life. There were two aspects that really resonated for me during Aiza's confrontation with her parents regarding her desire to enlist. 1) The parents' initial reaction: "How can you be so ungrateful? How can you not accept all we have given you?" and 2) The parents' eventual conclusion: "We will support you if this is truly the path you envision for yourself." And while Aiza begins her squire training with rose colored glasses, she soon comes to find that not all is as it seems, especially when you come from her particular ethnic identity. And all of this comes full circle as Aiza must grapple with some difficult questions. Did I enlist in squire training for personal glory? Would I be comfortable exacting violence in the name of the empire against my own people? What can one person do to challenge the vast machinations of empire?
This graphic novel is not only thoughtful in its approach to these questions, it is written and illustrated in a manner that appears to a wide audience. I can't wait to read this one with my kiddo.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishkale's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
I am so glad I picked this graphic novel up for so many reasons. This was a great read to start my reading year off. The art is vibrant with a unique style that I just loved, the color scheme was gorgeous and I loved the use of environment to help weave the story that they were writing/drawing. Very engaging, and same with the writing. I thought the dialogue and written portions were well done, and it felt very realistic and genuine. Aiza’s voice as a main character was dynamic and her journey/coming of age felt fresh with real growth. I can tell the authors put a lot of their hearts and passion into this and it truly makes the book even better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Classism
robinks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Moderate: Racial slurs, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Death
rnbhargava's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really loved this book with its Middle East (Jordan I believe specifically) setting and the protagonist from an ethnicity that’s thought of as “the enemy”. The characters are nuanced and not all are what they seem. The characterizations are all spot on. The main fault with this book is that it kind of wraps up a bit too fast. At least there’s a tease for a potential sequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
This book has all of these themes but does it all in a fairly most ages friendly way. Think of the sensibility of a show like “Avatar: The Last Airbender”
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