A review by ajsterkel
Cairo by M.K. Perker, G. Willow Wilson, Travis Lanham

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

This is an urban fantasy graphic novel set in Cairo (which you could probably guess from the title). There are a lot of characters, and they're all after one thing: A magical hookah that's home to a jinn. The book is basically a long game of keep-away. The character who has the hookah is trying to keep the others from taking it.

This is the graphic novel version of an action movie. There are plot twists, badass heroes, and one-dimensional villains. Lots of guns. Lots of running. Some magic. It's an entertaining story that probably won't stick with me because there's not much depth. The authors attempt to include discussions of Islam and politics, but there's no time for that when the characters are running for their lives.

I did like the art! It's black and white, but it's very detailed. I like the dark, crowded, grittiness of the Cairo streets. I could always tell the characters apart, which isn't always the case in graphic novels. Sometimes the characters look too similar to me.

I guess I'd recommend this book to people who like action movies. It's not my thing, but I can understand the appeal.