Reviews with content warning for Racism - Squire

[🇬🇧] A beautiful graphic novel tackling timely subjects. The colors are gorgeous and the detail in the clothing and architecture is amazing. I also loved the afterword, a heartfelt few paragraphs that add context to the GN: “History, altogether, is a tool, and tools are neutral until they're wielded.”

This GN touches on many themes like the cost of glory, one’s relationship to one’s culture, friendship, and unlearning colonial propaganda. I loved the journey Aiza and her newfound training mates go through and how it made them grow.

I’m not the target audience so I thought some moments (especially the ending) were rushed, but it’s a great way to introduce the themes to the intended audience, especially because they’re so relevant.

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[🇫🇷] Une belle BD abordant des sujets actuels. Les couleurs sont magnifiques et les détails des vêtements et de l'architecture sont saisissants. J'ai adoré la postface, quelques paragraphes pleins de sincérité qui ajoutent du contexte:

« L'Histoire, dans son ensemble, est un outil, et les outils sont neutres jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient brandis. »

De nombreux thèmes sont abordés tels que le coût de la gloire, le rapport à sa culture, l'amitié et le déconstruction de la propagande coloniale. J'ai adoré le parcours d'Aiza et de ses nouveaux compagnons et la façon dont ils ont grandi.

Je ne suis pas le public cible, donc j'ai trouvé que certains moments (surtout la fin) étaient précipités, mais c'est une excellente façon d'introduire ces thèmes si pertinents aux plus jeunes.

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spicycronereads's review

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adventurous hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

This was a fun read but it felt *really* rushed. So much happens and the story and characters don’t ever get the chance to breathe. It could have easily been 2-3 times longer to show relationships evolving, the plot developing, and so forth.

Aiza the FMC is from a disempowered ethnic group and dreams of becoming a Squire. When she goes to training she hides her identity. And hijinks ensue.

The book deals with such important themes and lovable characters . I just wish they were given the time it would take to really tell the story with nuance.

So definitely read it. But be prepared for things to move really quickly and for it to be pretty heavy handed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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sophiesometimesreads's review

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adventurous challenging fast-paced

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

4.25

The art style of this graphic novel was nice and I liked the action scenes, particulalry. I felt like some of the early parts of the novel were a little wordy and the panels didn't have a lot going on, despite the actual drawings being done well technically, which made some parts drag a little for me. I liked the premise of the story though, and the ideas it presents on colonisation, racism/classism, military and revisionist history.

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abarnakwn_ourcolourfulpages's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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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aslteric's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

4.25

The metaphor in this story is surprising and truly effective.

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kaylurzz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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evilplants's review against another edition

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hopeful medium-paced

4.5

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dragongirl271's review

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adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective 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

4.5

“Characters are a tool. 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.”
Nadia Shammas in her author's note for Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh

If you've even remotely been in the same corner of booktok or bookstagram as I have, you've probably seen this book hyped up a lot. Let me spare you the dramatic reveal: it's worth the hype and it was worth the long wait on the Libby holds list (seriously I started to wonder if I would ever finally get to the front of the line for this book). It's a beautifully drawn story about a scrappy young girl with a sword. What could go wrong?

Seriously though, this is a really well-told story about the importance of accurate history, resisting colonization, rejecting the idea of finding glory in war, and embracing your true identity. The author and illustrator put so much love into this story that it's palpable. I think Aiza’s story is beautiful and I almost wish there was a sequel (if the ending wasn't already perfectly done). The level of nuance the authors depicted was also impressive for a YA book. Aiza and her friends all come to realize the truth of empire in different ways, and it doesn't mean the same thing for all of them. There's a real messiness to that process that can be hard to show, and I really applaud how it was executed.

“‘We saw what happened.’

‘No. We saw what we were told to see.’”

I'm not sure how many fiction YA books out there are so painfully relevant to navigating such a bleak moment in history, but this is definitely one of them.

“In many ways, fantasy and history walk hand in hand, but there’s an important thing about the way we view history in comparison: history is, above all else, neutral. If you are on the outskirts of the empire’s convenient history, however, you know it’s anything but.”

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