Having to hide her ethnicity, Aiza meets friends along the way in the grueling training camp and we see how complex identity is for each of these various characters in a world full of conquering and an insistence of patriotism and upholding honor. The story follows Aiza, a girl from the recently conquered Ornu people, who enlists to train to become a Squire in order to gain full citizenship in the Bayt-Sajji Empire as well as to become a hero as she seeks adventure and glory. In this way they are able to not only tell and celebrate cultural heritage but also critique politics of war without it being written for the purpose of weaponizing the stories for the sake of Othering Islamic nations, as Said explains the history of literature tends to do. The influence of his work is present here and Shammas and Alfageeh are able to tell their own stories of their own culture-the world of the war-torn Bayt-Sajji Empire in Squire is heavily influenced by Arabic nations and history-instead of being told through the white gaze.

Nadia Shammas dedicated Squire to the great Edward Said, whose books such as Orientalism and Culture and Imperialism are foundational texts critical of Western depictions of ‘The East’ and shows how empires persist through colonizing stories as well as land. Squire tackles a lot of really important and complex issues of colonialism and the propaganda that perpetuates imperialism, as well as the struggles for identity living under a conquering empire, but the excellent storytelling and engaging narrative make this a fast, fun and really rewarding experience. All of this is brought to life through Sara Alfageeh’s really lovely artwork and lush colors. This is an exciting fantasy in an absorbing world detailed through it’s intense political climate and features a lot of women with swords battling for truth and justice. If you are looking for excellent adventure, look no further than Squire from author/illustrator team Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas. ‘ -This isn’t the way the world works, girl.

Squire by Sara Alfageeh