Around The World For a Good Book selection for: Côte d’Ivoire
Author: Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie
Title: Aya
Publication Info: Drawn and Quarterly (2007)https://othemts.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
ISBN: 1894937902
Summary/Review:
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is set in Yop City, a working class neighborhood in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in the 1970′s when the nation was prosperous and chic. Abouet deliberately sets out to tell a story about Africa that is not about poverty and warfare. The story is centered around the daily lives and flirtations of three young women. <SPOILER> Of course there is some heavy stuff here when one of the young women becomes pregnant and is forced into marriage with the son of a wealthy Boss, but Abouet plays if off for comedy with the grown-ups as comic caricatures. </SPOILER>. Oubrerie vibrantly illustrates this book bringing out the beautiful colors of the clothing and the city as well as the humanity of the characters. I learned about this book via The Hieroglyphic Streets, where you can find more reviews, and apparently there are sequels that are worth checking out too.
Recommended Books: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel.
Rating: ***1/2
Recent Comments