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A brilliantly original debut graphic novel that imagines a fantastical alternate Cairo where wishes really do come true. Shubeik Lubeik—a fairy tale rhyme that means "your wish is my command" in Arabic—is the story of three people who are navigating a world where wishes are literally for sale.
Three wishes that are sold at an unassuming kiosk in Cairo link Aziza, Nour, and Shokry, changing their perspectives as well as their lives. Aziza learned early that life can be hard, but when she loses her husband and manages to procure a wish, she finds herself fighting bureaucracy and inequality for the right to have—and make—that wish. Nour is a privileged college student who secretly struggles with depression and must decide whether or not to use their wish to try to "fix" this depression, and then figure out how to do it. And, finally, Shokry must grapple with his religious convictions as he decides how to help a friend who doesn't want to use their wish. Deena Mohamed brings to life a cast of characters whose struggles and triumphs are heartbreaking, inspiring, and deeply resonant.
Although their stories are fantastical—featuring talking donkeys, dragons, and cars that can magically avoid traffic—each of these people grapples with the very real challenge of trying to make their most deeply held desires come true.
"The book is exceptionally imaginative while also being wonderfully grounded in touching human relationships, existential quandaries, and familiar geopolitical and socio-economic dynamics. Mohamed's art balances perfectly between cartoon and realism, powerfully conveying emotions, and her strong, clean lines gorgeously depict everything from an anguished face to an ornate bottle...Mohamed has a great sense of humor, which comes out in footnotes and casual asides throughout. Immensely enjoyable." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[A] masterpiece...While Mohamed's narratives are memorably entertaining and particularly insightful—exploring haves versus have-nots struggles, gender inequity, police brutality—even more astounding is her fluid, sweeping art...Mohamed's stupendously dynamic visuals will prove addictive, moving all too swiftly toward a rewarding, resonating end." - Booklist (starred review)
Mohamed's bold, expressive illustrations split the difference between cartoon and realism, with brightly colored details... These characters' struggles and successes are equally heartbreaking and uplifting, creating a wholly satisfying reading experience. Our wish is Mohamed's command." - BookPage (starred review)
"Splendid... Lithe, brushy black-and-white art is broken with color pages of infographic-style interludes... This grand fairy tale announces Mohamed as a promising new voice amid a renaissance of contemporary Middle Eastern cartoonists." - Publishers Weekly
"Shubeik Lubeik is easily the most subversive book I've read in decades! Deena Mohamed has much to say about the human condition, but she does so with effortless grace. Superb cartooning, and brimming with intelligence both emotional and intellectual—all while maintaining an incredible sense of humor—Shubeik Lubeik embodies the holy grail of comix-making that few graphic novels have ever managed to achieve. A wonderous accomplishment and important addition to the culture." - Ganzeer, author/artist of The Solar Grid
"In Shubeik Lubeik, Deena Mohamed plays a dangerous game that revives monsters and angels from our secret wishes and dreams. A masterpiece and one of the most iconic graphic novels of North Africa, where the innocence of the past meets the nightmares of the present." - Ahmed Naji, author of Rotten Evidence
"Mohamed builds a rich and harrowing world—and finds every place a fascinating story might be hiding." - Mattie Lubchansky, editor of The Nib
This information about Shubeik Lubeik was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Deena Mohamed is an Egyptian designer, illustrator, and writer. She first began making comics at eighteen, when she created the viral webcomic Qahera, a satirical superhero strip starring a visibly Muslim superheroine. Originally published in Arabic by Dar el Mahrousa in Egypt, Shubeik Lubeik was awarded Best Graphic Novel and the Grand Prize at the 2017 Cairo Comix Festival. She lives, works and is usually asleep in Cairo, Egypt.
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