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SQUIRE

Sara Alfageeh Nadia Shammas

From two incredible rising talents comes the fantasy graphic novel Molly Knox Ostertag calls "instantly compelling."
Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It's the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program. It's not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the "greater good" that Bayt-Sajji's military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined. In this breathtaking and timely story, Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire. Sara Alfageeh is a Jordanian American illustrator and creative director from Boston. She's passionate about history, nuances in visual storytelling, and the spaces where art and identity intersect. She's known for her work with Marvel comics, Star Wars, and in children's publishing. And while that's cool and all - she really just wants to draw girls with swords. Visit her online at www.sara-alfa.com. Nadia Shammas is a Palestinian American writer from Brooklyn, New York. She's best known for creating CORPUS: A Comic Anthology of Bodily Ailments as well as being the writer of Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin. Her work often focuses on identity, memory, and decolonizing genre tropes. When she's not writing, she's trying to perfect her cold brew recipe and win the love of her cats, Lilith and Dash. Visit her online at www.nadiashammas.com.
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Published 2022-03-08 by HarperCollins / Quill Tree Books

Comments

Alfageeh also uses the white space of the gutters to represent tension... She uses this to great effect in action scenes, but then she also uses it in conversations too, which gives these moments the intensity of battle. When it takes over a page, it makes the panels look like fragments of broken glass... she uses it consistently throughout the comic, so that its effect becomes more pronounced and precise, and by the ending it can break your heart. Read more...

Though she is small in stature, Aiza's theatrical gestures make her stand out, and her training takes her to gorgeous pink-and--orange-tinged landscapes and monuments, such as a lovely rendition of al-Khazneh. This alternative history of the Middle East and North Africa deftly tackles complex subjects such as war, loyalty, and imperialism, all made humane and relatable through a young, compelling protagonist. Read more...

Loving families, conflicted loyalties and fierce hope animate this warm, tender exploration of friendship and belonging within the devouring bounds of empire, by two wonderfully talented creators.

Dynamite art, dynamic storytelling, and a driven heroine await you in this graphic novel... Read more...

Instantly compelling. I want to live in this story forever.

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. The characters' expressions are another visual highlight, used to great effect for both comic and dramatic impact. An engaging graphic novel that examines the nature of prejudice and the cost of imperial expansion. Read more...

SQUIRE is a GoodReads Choice Awards - Nominee, Best Graphic Novel Read more...

In SQUIRE, a riveting, timely alternate history of the Middle East, Arab-American Nadia Shammas and Jordanian-American Sara Alfageeh layer complicated power dynamics with a refreshing visual and cultural setting, which stands out in a graphic novel field long dominated by white authors and protagonists. Read more...

An utterlygorgeous and heartfelt adventure that examines the roots of empire and the fables invented to maintain it.

SQUIRE is one of the Most Anticipated 2022 YA Releases with Book Riot, Comics Beat and Bookstacked!

SQUIRE, a fantasy graphic novel, follows a young woman named Aiza. She's a member of the Ornu people, a subjugated group in the crumbling Bayt-Saiji Empire. With war on the horizon, Aiza enlists to train as a Squire in hopes it will lead her to Knighthood - and full citizenship. But as Aiza navigates the social and physical rigours of military training, she realizes the Empire's plans for "the greater good" may not be what's best for her people. Read more...

Two of the internet's favorite creators, Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas, have teamed up for this stunning YA graphic novel... a gorgeous and heart-wrenching tale brought to life by Alfageeh's incredible art. Read more...

This heart-pounding fantasy graphic novel is filled with silly banter and fast-paced battles. Read more...

Dynamite art, dynamic storytelling, and a driven heroine await you in this graphic novel. Read more...

This sweeping graphic novel begins as a thrilling quest for glory and becomes an artful revelation of the destructive cost of imperialist power.

A sweeping, gorgeous tale of tenacity and friendship, SQUIRE makes you want to fight for a better world.