"But the world is only how we make it. How will you make it?" - Squire, page 247.

Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas is a coming of age graphic novel set in the fictional empire of Bayt-Sajji.

It follows Aiza, an Ornu refugee - one of the groups colonised by Bayt-Sajji, who sees a procession of knights in the street one day proclaiming the opportunity to become a squire. This comes with an array of benefits; citizenship, free pass at checkpoints, wealth and most importantly - becoming a hero! Who wouldn’t want that? To be accepted into society, live a more comfortable life and be revered as a hero?

So Aiza wraps away her Ornu identity and signs up to train as a squire. She trains alongside Husni, a rich Al-Baharyi boy who wants adventure, Sahar from Gihre who has siblings counting on her success, and Basem, a proud son of a Senator who’s been training all his life for this. She also meets General Hende and Doruk, the groundskeeper. This is where she learns about what really makes heroes and the ghosts of empire.

Sara’s illustrations run across the pages, making it a seamless read. The rich hues, sweeping lines take you away to Bayt-Sajji. They’re simply beautiful, simple and intricate.

This is such a heart-warming and awe-inspiring book. In the frenzy of fables and folklore of empire this story really brought home the point that no matter how you dress it up, empires and colonialism don’t have anything heroic about them.

"Is it giving, if it isn’t you bearing the burden? If the only one standing in the ashes is you?" - Squire, page 277.

How this isn’t already in the display section at Foyles I don’t know. But you can google it and purchase it from one of the options there. Thank you for reading my thoughts on Squire.

Now, I’ll continue my re-read of it…

16/9/2022

"This city is too full of monsters, too enchanting, too bewitching. A paradise for artists and wanderers."- Strange Beasts of China.

Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge, translated by Jeremy Tiang, explores a parallel mythic world and its inhabitants. The fictional city of Yong'an is seen through the eyes of a novelist and amateur cryptozoologist who inadvertently grapples with the question: what really is a monster?

Each chapter starts with the protagonist’s knowledge about different beast species that live in Yong’an. What they look like, how they came to the city, their reception by the Yongan city government and human populace, as well as their current state. As the protagonist meets these fabled beasts, her fate unravels as she writes about them for her newspaper column and novels.

This book feels so bizarre and so normal at the same time. The line between fiction and reality feels non-existent as our own world is reflected in this fictional one. It almost felt cathartic reading this. The interactions between the individual characters and groups of people felt all too real. The bewitching city of Yong’an mirrors many of the world's cities and despite all their flaws, just like the species of beasts and humans in the novel, we are drawn to them.

How the beast species are treated, as having special enviable qualities, strange or different physical features, but isolated from society unless they are forced to be more like human citizens of Yong'an parallels somewhat with how ethnic minorities are treated by authorities and the majority population in many societies around the world. They are treated as a spectacle, even when they are suffering.

The authorities and group-minded public also painfully reflect societies in the real world. From following irrational advice to chew garlic in order to avoid becoming prone to dissent, to accepting euthanisation of parts of the population, Yong'an residents accept everything, just trudging along their day. Our world is reflected in this, more than we would like to admit. After all, reality is stranger than fiction.

It has been two weeks since I first read Strange Beasts of China and the characters still linger in my mind, making me want to get a paperback copy as well as look for the original Chinese version. I wish there was more, a sequel perhaps, but the end did feel right. I just can’t help but want to read more.

10/02/2021