Jerusalem

May 15, 2012

Delisle's (Burma Chronicles; Pyongyang) year in Jerusalem stemmed from wife Nadege's assignment with Doctors Without Borders. Yet Jerusalem, he learns, is all about borders. Its exclusively Israeli or Palestinian communities and many religious microcommunities crosscut the city, and the civic, military, and in-group rules about who goes where are constantly shifting. The result is daily disruption for everyone, with more dangerous disruptions from violence like the Gaza War (known in Israel as Operation Cast Lead) that punctuated Delisle's stay. Yet a facade of normalcy fronts this teetering society where finding a convenient cafe or children's playground becomes a personal triumph seemingly as newsworthy as the latest Israeli/Palestinian dust-up. Writing as an uninvolved outsider, Delisle finds himself nonetheless developing a sensibility to the city; at one point he wryly observes, "Thanks, God, for making me an atheist." The simple-seeming art is black/gray wash with moody color enhancements. VERDICT An odd combination of chummy and chilling, Delisle's Angouleme award-winning chronicle of family life in uneasy circumstances brings a new perspective to a distinguished roster of Levant-based graphic novels, e.g., by Joe Sacco, Rutu Modan, and Sarah Glidden. Recommended for adults interested in the geographical or religious issues involved and fine for most teens.--M.C.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2012
Delisle (Burma Chronicles, 2008) delivers a collection of vignettes and anecdotes culled from a year spent in the contentious holy city of Jerusalem with his wifean administrator for Doctors Without Bordersand their two kids, Alice and Louis. He chronicles the broader political and religious tensions in the area (it would be impossible not to) but also focuses on the day-to-day nature of acclimating to a new city and culture, depicting the madcap adventures of getting the kids to and from school, the endless search for a good playground, and the difficulty of keeping the schedule straight of which days Jewish, Muslim, or Christian shops are open. His art is fun and reflects his animation roots, with characters able to convey reaction and emotion with nuance even without dialogue. The subtle use of color, mostly employed as washes or for emphasis, suits Delisle's linework well. Throughout his narrative, Delisle manages the deft trick of delivering humor, history, insight, and information without straying into preachy or reactionary territory. His role as an Everyman observer shines though in such a way that the entire book feels comfortably conversational: we are able to empathize with the expat feeling of being outside a culture, but we also see clearly how the human condition makes us all universally similar. On the whole, this beautiful book works as an unforgettable travelogue that delves deeply into finding connections and humanity in a routinely conflicted area, and is Delisle's best work yet.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

Starred review from February 20, 2012
Delisle returns to his autobiographical travel format (Burma Chronicles; Pyongyang) with this engaging and troubling look at life in Jerusalem in 2008 and 2009 that won a gold medal for Best Graphic Albumat Angoulême. With his wife, who works for Doctors Without Borders (Medecins sans Frontières, MSF), and their two young children, Delisle sees Jerusalem and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict with the eyes of an outsider. His experiences are recorded in vignettes that touch on such topics as the wall that separates Palestinian and Israeli territories, the problems of airport security, and the very different tours visitors receive depending on the perspective of their guides. Like MSF, Delisle’s perspective tends heavily in favor of the Palestinians, particularly those killed in the bombings of Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, which took place during his year there. Delisle is not religious, and his lack of identification with any of the religions of Israel allows him to comment freely on all of them. With a more simplistic style than in Pyongyang, Delisle’s use of less shading and starker line work highlights the very complex lives of Israelis, Palestinians, and foreign residents. Dascher’s translation is fluid, and the colors by Delisle and Lucie Firoud are effective at setting off distinct scenes.