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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think this might have worked better as a series. But I still loved the spunky main character, the band of young people trying to better themselves, and the tough guy with a heart of gold. But it felt a little... compacted. I would have loved to learn more about this world, and the background of each of these characters.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An adventurous and fast-paced fantasy set in a West Asian-inspired world, the artwork and worldbuilding for Squire drew me in. A clear allegory for the violence and force needed to maintain empires and subjugate those they deem second-class citizens, this graphic novel follows young Aiza who has to hide her identities to train as a knight. Though exciting, the pacing did feel a bit off and the ending felt a little unresolved, and I thought it was a strange choice on the authors’ part that one of the side characters who believe most strongly in upholding the empire, Basem, was Black. Nonetheless, Squire is a good conversation starter on empires and very timely given the misrepresentation and prejudice toward Arabs and West Asians that continues in American and Western society, with parallels between past and present, fantasy and reality.