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A Game for Swallows
A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return | Zeina Abirached
20 posts | 27 read | 26 to read
When Zeina was born, the civil war in Lebanon had been going on for six years, so it's just a normal part of life for her and her parents and her little brother. The city of Beirut is cut in two, separated by bricks and sandbags and threatened by snipers and shelling. East Beirut is for Christians, and West Beirut is for Muslims. When Zeina's parents don't return one afternoon from a visit to the other half of the city, and the bombing grows ever closer, the neighbors in her apartment house create a world indoors for Zeina and her brother where it's comfy and safe, where they can share cooking lessons and games and gossip. Together they try to make it through a dramatic day in the one place they hoped they would always be safehome. Zeina Abirached, born into a Lebanese Christian family in 1981, has collected her childhood recollections of Beirut in a warm story about the strength of family and community.
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Adventures-of-a-French-Reader
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Pickpick

3/5
During Lebanon civil war, Zeina and her brother wait for her parents to come back from visiting their grandmother. As the bombing grows in intensity, we are waiting with them & their neighbors. Tension is palpable, past events are shared, allowing us to get a little more acquainted with the neighbors.
Some illustrations worked well to express the tension. But the book shortness makes it harder to create a deep connection with the characters.

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Twocougs
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Pickpick

Wonderfully done graphic novel about Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War and it‘s impact on a family and their neighbors.

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IndoorDame
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Pickpick

This was a soft pick for me. It‘s very reminiscent of Persepolis in that it‘s a graphic memoir told from the perspective of a child set in wartime in the Middle East (Lebanon) with black & white illustrations heavy on the blacks & very 2d. I didn‘t find that the story had the power of Persepolis, or that I learned something new about Lebanon or about wartime, but I did really enjoy the cast of characters & appreciated the atmosphere of the story.

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mhillis
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Pickpick

I liked this graphic novel, but was a little surprised how short it was. A Game for Swallows is about ordinary people living through conflict. The characters share food and stories as they spend the evening in one small part of the apartment.
#ReadingAsia2021 #Lebanon
#Booked2021 #UNPeacekeepers

mhillis Book four finished for #JoysOfJune @Andrew65 3y
BarbaraBB I read another short book by her about Lebanon 3y
Librarybelle I will have to look for this author…so many great things said about her graphic novels! 3y
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Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y
mhillis @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle Yes I‘ll look for her other book too! It looks interesting 3y
mhillis @Andrew65 Thanks 🤩 3y
50 likes6 comments
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UrsulaMonarch
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Pickpick

An interesting and beautiful portrayal of a conflict I had little knowledge of. The child's perspective was effective in conveying a mix of banality, sudden fear, and creeping dread, while also showing small pleasures. I loved the illustration style.

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GatheringBooks
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Pickpick

#ReadingResolutions Day 17: Back in 2014, we featured #War as our reading theme over at GatheringBooks and we shared quite a number of picturebooks, graphic novels, adult fiction, poetry that touched on the theme. Here is our archive of reviews featuring quite a number of titles - https://gatheringbooks.org/category/reading-themes/war-poetry-refuge-peace/

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BookInMyHands
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Pickpick

Zeina is growing up in the middle of the civil war in Lebanon. This story takes place during one night as she and her brother gather with their neighbors in the safest place in their building.

This was a beautifully crafted story. Juxtaposing the love and warmth of caring neighbors with a city at war creates a powerful narrative reminiscent of Persepolis. I loved this one.

12/100 #crossculturalstories
#Letsgetgraphicweeklongmarathon

Tamra An arresting cover! 6y
Christine11 Sounds fascinating! 😊 6y
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Readingnomad1
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Pickpick

4 ⭐️ rating on my blog! This graphic novel shows that life goes on regardless of war and could be placed in any modern setting of civil war.

#book #books #read #reads #bookreview #bookblog #bookblogger #graphicnovel #civilwar #lebanon #beirut #librarybook

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Kathrin
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Mehso-so

One night in a foyer in Beirut during a shelling in the civil war. It's a story about community in an unlikely place. Unfortunately the art work left me cold...

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Kathrin
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Boom!

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skyeharmony
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Pickpick

Excellent snapshot of a day in 1980s war-torn Beirut. Abirached's childhood memories mix with her adult perspective for a tale of family, community, and perseverance that's both heartwarming and heartwrenching.

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prowlix
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Pickpick

This graphic memoir covers just one evening in an apartment building during the Lebanese civil war. The artwork is beautiful black and white. And the story of how neighbors band together to make the best of their harsh daily reality is also beautiful. Highly recommend for anyone who is a fan of Persepolis or of An Unnecessary Woman.

britt_brooke That page is stunning! #stacked 7y
Michelle_mck Wow! 7y
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prowlix
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Picked up some comics and a graphic novel from the library for the @DeweysReadathon this weekend! I work a 16 hr shift tomorrow so I'm going to be happy to log 6 hours this time around. Anyone else building their tbr options?

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beccaeve
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Pickpick

This is a unique and fascinating graphic novel about living in Beirut during wartime.

Lindy I love all the intricate patterns in her art, and the way they contrast with blocks of solid black. It's a moving story. (edited) 7y
beccaeve @Lindy Me too! The artwork is what made me pick it up, and I'm glad I did. 7y
27 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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TheWordJar
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A great sentiment in the introduction to A Game for Swallows--"I shall walk two blocks to the supermarket for the flour and spice, and nobody will shoot at me. Doesn't everybody deserve to live like that?" Excited to read this one.

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TheWordJar
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I had such a good reading month in February, I hope to keep it going! A fantastic #libraryhaul also serves as my #MarchTBR. I'll also be rereading the March Trilogy for #MarchinMarch. Onward, readers! #marchintoreading

HippieChickHomeschool I loved Boxers and Saints! 7y
RealLifeReading Love Yang's work! 7y
45 likes2 comments
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alibrarianslibrary
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Pickpick

In the same vein as Persepolis, this book tells a young girl's memory of one night during the Lebanon Civil War when her parents were late coming home. This book explores the power of community and love in times of war and destruction, and it celebrates the times you can find the little moments to cherish. I haven't read much about this period of history but I am definitely interested in reading more!

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alibrarianslibrary
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Learning more history through graphic memoirs. ❤️

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WOCreads
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How are you all holding up? I'm back from the theater and now reading this amazing graphic memoir! Got my preferred companion and strong black tea☕ Rah rah #readathon 🎉📚

Tweet me for cheers @Bina_ReadThis if you need some encouragement!!😃

#comics #memoir #diversebooks

Tanzy13 🐱 7y
Hornsby78 I'm about to watch The Accountant with a friend at the theater and will get right back to reading when I'm done. 7y
WOCreads @Hornsby78 Yay have a great time at the theater!🙌😃 7y
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bookishnerd
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Pickpick

Sunday reading. I have been meaning to read this comic for a while and it is now on Scribd so decided to finally see what I thought. It is really well done considering it technically all takes place in one night, but Abirached does a wonderful job framing the overall events and what I was like in Beirut at that time. I really enjoyed the art, too. It was black and white and done so well! Definitely a comic I am glad I checked out! #dogsoflitsy

WOCreads Yay glad to hear you loved it! I want to read it for readathon📚 Yay for Scribd, it does come in handy sometimes😃 7y
bookishnerd @Ifyoucanreadthis_Bina Sometimes! I liked it way better before the credits. 🙁 7y
WOCreads Yeah me too! But it's still my best option for books since my library is tiny 😖 7y
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TotoroReads I wish I still had Scribd! But my membership expired before the credits and I didn't feel like paying for the new system :p 7y
bookishnerd @TotoroReads I go back and forth on my thoughts on it. I often want to cancel. lol 7y
19 likes1 stack add6 comments