Don’t be misled by what at first seems like naivety, even cuteness. These funny, well-observed comics are fantastically daring ... Sattouf has drawn a portrait of a generation: their hopes, dreams and cultural references; the way that their personalities, backgrounds – many of the children portrayed have parents who are immigrants – and preconceived ideas about sexuality begin to play out even before they’ve begun secondary school.
Sattouf's cheery illustrations capture Esther's verve and innocence, and they gracefully change as she grows from child to preteen. The stories are wonderful — exuberant, funny, poignant and tender. They ring with the wonder of youth.
The cartoon seems loose and light-hearted at first glance, but the ugly underbelly of growing up in the French political landscape appears beneath the ink ... Readers seeking to experience a strange, yet at its core, familiar slice of life in a country steeped in multiple cultures will enjoy the perspective provided in this collection.
Sattouf... captures the unsentimental, wickedly funny realities of childhood in this collection of his inspired weekly comic ... The comic is, above all, ruthlessly honest about childhood ... Readers will laugh through tears as they follow her eye-opening exploits.
Sattouf is a superb cartoonist, and each strip is a master class in the form. The serialized nature of the original makes some information repetitive, and the plot meanders with the seasons and discoveries of adolescent life. But the overall effect is a treat. Insightful, amusing, and elegant.
