California Dreamer
Distinguished Member
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- Nov 6, 2006
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32. Habibi, by Craig Thompson (2011)
A graphic novel, so I suppose this doesn't count (although it is 650pp). Habibi is the tale of two runaway children who shelter together in an abandoned boat in the desert, doing whatever it takes to survive. Dodona, a 12 year old girl, tries to shield the three year old Zam from the world and protect him. Eventually they are forced apart and, after many years of suffering, are finally reunited.
The book is a graphical feast, intricate and inventive. There is a lot of myth, ancient history and alchemy interspersed with images of people struggling to live in a modern third-world country. It's a heady mix, and a riveting read - I read it in a sitting, unable to put it down.
Not all graphic novels are twaddle about superheroes; this one is an exceptional example of what can be achieved in this form.
A graphic novel, so I suppose this doesn't count (although it is 650pp). Habibi is the tale of two runaway children who shelter together in an abandoned boat in the desert, doing whatever it takes to survive. Dodona, a 12 year old girl, tries to shield the three year old Zam from the world and protect him. Eventually they are forced apart and, after many years of suffering, are finally reunited.
The book is a graphical feast, intricate and inventive. There is a lot of myth, ancient history and alchemy interspersed with images of people struggling to live in a modern third-world country. It's a heady mix, and a riveting read - I read it in a sitting, unable to put it down.
Not all graphic novels are twaddle about superheroes; this one is an exceptional example of what can be achieved in this form.
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