Exquisitely illustrated, and filled with experiences of misfortune bordering on the farcical, Mr. Sattouf’s book is a disquieting yet essential read.
It is a brutally honest and efficient narrative engine that is fueled, so far at least, almost entirely at the expense of his Arab side, which is comprised of members who come across to varying degrees as violent, superstitious, prejudiced, unhygienic and irredeemably basic.
The climax of this volume is a blackly over-the-top scene...But the book isn't all overstatement, and Sattouf also has an eye for grimly funny details...
