Habibi [Hardcover]

From the internationally acclaimed author of Blankets comes a love story of astounding resonance: a parable about our relationship to the natural world, the cultural divide between the first and third worlds, the common heritage of Christianity and Islam, and, most potently, the magic of storytelling.

Sprawling across an epic landscape of deserts, harems, and modern industrial clutter, Habibi tells the tale of Dodola and Zam, refugee child slaves bound to each other by chance, by circumstance, and by the love that grows between them. We follow them as their lives unfold together and apart; as they struggle to make a place for themselves in a world (not unlike our own) fueled by fear, lust, and greed; and as they discover the extraordinary depth—and frailty—of their connection.“Exquisite … HABIBI is a remarkable feat of research, care, and black ink, and a reminder that all People of the book, despite the division of their individual traditions, share a mosaic of stories.” –Zadie Smith, Harper’s Magazine

“The character depth, plot complexity, and storytelling in this lyrical, sexual, and scholarly epic would make any novelist proud…. Thompson strings compositions that are often more tapestry than comics and that balance graphic design, illumination, calligraphy, and cartooning in steady alignment. It is unfair to expect two masterpieces in a row from anyone, but here Thompson sits securely in that rarefied air.” —Booklist, starred review

“A lushly epic love story that's both inspiring and heartbreaking…. In addition to richly detailed story panels, the gorgeous Arabic ornamental calligraphy makes each page an individual work of art. A dense, swirling dervish of a tale … this will be the most tl£E