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Friday, 24 June 2016

PALESTINE by Joe Sacco: Thoughts and Review

PALESTINE was my first graphic novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think I will not be skeptical about this subgenre any longer.
This was such a powerful book. It explores the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during the second intifada in the early nineties. The author clearly doesn't take sides and tries to show both sides in his book. He has mentioned in an interview that he tries to be transparent in his works and as honest as he can be, so don't think he is being mean with any side. Nevertheless, even as a person who lives in Palestine and is a first hand witness to the conflict, I didn't know how intricate and discreet the nature of the intifada was. I was born in 1993, a short while after it ended and I have witnessed the third one in 2004, which was an experience of its own. However, PALESTINE is written for the whole world to understand and try to comprehend the conflict a little more and gives the reader an insight to the second intifada and how it started.
Moreover, Joe Sacco does say that he didn't go to Palestine and snap photos out of his own will, his company sent him there and expected him to come back with a good selling story, especially since back then in the early nineties Palestine was swarming in the news. So, in the first chapter he does sound very negative and acts like he is doing Palestinians a favour with his comic. It may seem like he changes throughout the book till the last chapter but the way I see it, he does not change. I don't know if he ever came back but he gives the impression that he really hated it. That's how I see it.
In this comic, Sacco was very detailed with his drawings, there was a lot to look at, as well as his exhaustive, detailing of people's expressions. Most of the comic consists of interviewing families who came in collision with Israeli army or the government in one way or the other. Sacco also interviews nurses, doctors and teachers that were victimised.
I feel like this graphic novel gives enough discernment for a person to get more interested in the Palestinian conflict. He does mention the absurdity of some decisions taken by Israel as well as giving some background information when needed.
All in all, while reading I noticed that I could not put it down. I would get really caught up with the reading and was so captivated with the stories. It is such a page turner.
I feel like this a book everyone should read, Palestinian or not. This would teach the reader to always know both sides of a story before deciding and judging what is right or wrong.
There are lots of narratives in the book, lots to look at and see. I hope more people read this graphic novel.
Anyways, this was a great introduction to the graphic novel subgenre and I will be reading more in the future. Thank you for reading, let me know in the comments if you have read this book what you think about or leave me some recommendations of more amazing graphic novels.
Happy reading :)

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