In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends. (character sketches, historical notes, creators' notes) The characters’ expressions are another visual highlight, used to great effect for both comic and dramatic impact.Īn engaging graphic novel that examines the nature of prejudice and the cost of imperial expansion. The setting, which reads as a fantasy version of Jordan, is beautifully and luminously colored, with artwork that emphasizes the interplay of light and shadow.

History as a purposefully crafted narrative is a dominant theme throughout the story, underscored by calls for unity. After Aiza fails the first set of Squire tests, she finds an unexpected mentor in groundskeeper Doruk, who helps Aiza improve her sword work but warns her about the violent realities of war he lost his right arm in battle. Hende, the woman who oversees the recruits’ training. Altering her identification papers and covering up her tattoo, she sets off and joins an ethnically diverse cohort that reflects the vast reach of the Bayt-Sajji Empire and the vision of unification held by Gen. As an Ornu person, easily recognized by the tattoo on her right arm, Aiza faces discrimination from those who resent her people’s hesitation about integrating. Teenage Aiza hungers for adventure and hopes to become a Squire in the Bayt-Sajji army, which would set her on the path to knighthood.īeing a Knight means heroism, glory, and-for those like Aiza who reside in conquered territories-the possibility of full citizenship.

Squire by Sara Alfageeh