I Was Their American Dream - Malaka Gharib

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⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Magdalene)

This is a graphic novel/memoir about Malaka's experience growing up biracial (Filipina/Egyptian) and in an interfaith family (Catholic/Muslim), as the daughter of immigrants who ultimately divorce. An experience VERY different from my own, obviously.

It's a quick read, as graphic novels usually are, and she made the interesting choice of giving herself a limited colour palette - red, white, blue, and black. She also used very interesting page layouts, without the typical squares and rectangles. I still don't know much about the graphic novel medium, but I thought this was a cool one.

There are lots of themes, but my favourite was when she discussed her obsession with whiteness, and living in a non-white city compared with living in a very white one.


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