Review: SQUIRE by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas
A graphic adventure worth reading more than once
SQUIRE, by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas, is a hopeful and inspiring graphic novel with a strong protagonist you’ll cheer for from page one.
From the blurb: Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It’s the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program. It’s not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the “greater good” that Bayt-Sajji’s military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined. Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.
I fell in love with Aiza’s energy and her determination to succeed. Her character design matches her spunky personality. She’s small-framed and lean but her expressions explode with emotion. I always knew what Aiza was feeling, even when she didn’t speak in a frame. The color palette is a delicious blend of blue and orange values that are expertly used to make the focus of each scene vibrate with energy.
The theme of the story was not the straightforward quest I expected. It was complex and unique for each character and universal at the same time. Can’t reveal much more without spoiling things, but I re-read the story to search for story elements I missed on the first pass.
SQUIRE is well worth a slow read.