Squire
By Nadia Shammas with illustrations by Sara Alfageeh
I’m sharing a link to a GoFundMe for Hala and her family. If you’re able to, please consider donating and sharing.
Squire is a graphic novel by Nadia Shammas with illustrations by Sara Alfageeh.
Aiza is a teenager striving to become a knight of the land while hiding her heritage from everyone. As a member of the Ornu people, who were colonized by the empire, it’s her only way to become a full citizen and fulfill her dreams of adventure. But once there, not all is as she thought, and what the military promises might not be good.
I’m blown away by both the art and the story. Let’s begin the latter first. The story feels like a fable; more complex than a children’s story but still imparting a lesson. In the beginning, we root for Aiza to follow her dreams no matter what happens, and when those dreams come at a cost, we cheer her on as she follows the right path even if it’s ultimately a harder one.
The way this navigates truth and history is nuanced and seeing it through these enlisted kids’ eyes highlights how the truth is often bent for others. People in power use the ‘truth’ or the way they spin it like a weapon and cut anyone who stands in their way. “I have a really big interest in the way that histories are told. I think the biggest turning point in my life was realizing that all the histories I knew are simply narratives and are no more necessarily factual or honest in their intent than any novel or a book or essay that I've read. I think that especially also is my experience as a Palestinian. I watched the way in which history is shaped to reform, restructured in order to give credence to whatever awful thing is happening, in order to justify it, and the way that that misinformation is used to get people on the side of a colonizing empire,” Shammas said in an interview with The Comics Journal.
I grew to love the characters in this. Their strengths and weaknesses, heart, and passion all showed through so beautifully. At the end of the book, there’s a letter Shammas wrote. She ends it like this: “No more orcs. No magical chosen ones. Just people learning how to unlearn the justifications of colonialism and finding their way. Each of us must find our own way there: It’s my hope that you found something in this book to help you on your journey.”
Next, the art. The character designs are amazing, the action translates well (sometimes I have trouble following action pages in manga and graphic novels), and the panel structure keeps the flow going. There’s such detail in the clothing and the world - buildings, the settlements, and room design all work as vibrant, visual cues.
As you can tell, I loved this graphic novel! I will be reading other things by this author. I also suggest reading the end where they go through the decisions of character designs, story, and how to create panels in the comic.
Further reading:
In an interview on Diverse Books, both Shammas and Alfageeh said to read the manga, Fullmetal Alchemist.
Quotes:
“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.”
“They dangle the prize of status, mobility, a better life. They use your bodies and train you and their sweet rewards stay in the future while you toil here, now… Most of you will die on a field you've never seen before, surrounded by strangers. What will all this talk of history and empire mean to you then? Is your life worth more than platitudes?”