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OLDER FICTION
Shammas, Nadia , Alfageeh, Sara

Squire

336 pp. | HarperCollins/Quill Tree | March, 2022 | Trade ISBN 978-0-06-294585-3 $21.99 | Paper ISBN 978-0-06-294584-6 $14.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-0-06-294586-0 $11.99
(2) YA Illustrated by Sara Alfageeh. Set in an alternate-history version of the Middle East/North Africa region, this sweeping graphic novel begins as a thrilling quest for glory and becomes an artful revelation of the destructive cost of imperialist power. In a conquered territory of the fictional Bayt-Sajji empire, Aiza spends her days peddling apricots while weathering taunts and threats because she is Ornu, a non-citizen. When a recruitment announcement tantalizes Aiza with promises of a path to full citizenship and a chance at glorious heroism, she convinces her parents, conceals her Ornu tattoos, and commences her enlistment journey. New friendships with other squire hopefuls make the relentless and intense training bearable, and late-night practice sessions with the combat-savvy cook help her improve after she fails her first squire examination. Everything changes during one climactic excursion on the border of an Ornu village, however, and Aiza must decide whether to pursue her dream of becoming a squire, thus upholding the fabricated histories of the empire, or to make a much greater, and graver, stand for justice. Alfageeh's light line work, desert-hued color palette, and inspired use of Islamic patterns and architecture in her compositions transport readers into the action. With its high stakes and robust characters, Squire feels like a new take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, minus the magic.
Reviewer: Niki Marion | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

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