Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* While lyrical fantasy is not Satrapi's usual bailiwick, the elements of childhood figure prominently in her work, including her deservedly revered graphic memoir Persepolis (2003). In this book which has the most in common with Satrapi's single picture book, Monsters Are Afraid of the Moon (2006) themes and archetypal situations from centuries' worth of fairy tales play out in the story of a merchant and his three daughters, one of whom is swept off by Ah the Sigh (pictured as a sort of smudgy, floating teardrop). The daughter, Rose, journeys through joy, sorrow, and longing as she inadvertently kills her beloved and undergoes a period of servitude before achieving redemption through her own perseverance and intelligence. Archetypal though it may be, and adhering only to the logic of fairy tales, Satrapi's narrative paints compelling feelings in broad strokes. While it is distinctly not a graphic novel in the traditional sense, some of the iconography of sequential art is effortlessly and poetically woven into imagery with thick, dark lines and emotionally resonant colors that suggest both the simplicity of a youthful perspective and a more mature emotional complexity. Containing fairy tale-appropriate gruesomeness and cruelty along with its happy ending, the all-ages story never loses touch with the childhood it is looking to illuminate.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Satrapi (Persepolis; Embroideries; Chicken with Plums) departs from her characteristic stark, black-and-white illustrations that often depict human responses to complex circumstances to create this all-ages picture book about beautiful Rose's discovery of the fragility of existence. Upon her father's giftless return from a trip, Rose's sigh of disappointment summons Ah the Sigh, a floating, ghostlike being. Ah is able to produce Rose's desired present and as payment requires that she abscond with him to a faraway castle. Rose adapts quickly to castle life and in time meets a shy prince just as charming as her new accommodations, and the two quickly fall in love. However, a sudden mistake abruptly plucks away her newfound love and happiness, and Rose embarks on a journey of reprieve. Verdict Not employing the comic format, the book showcases simple color illustrations that balance with the text. The story speaks on many levels and is appropriate for all ages. Satrapi will continue to delight fans and possibly convert a few new ones.-Willow Fitzgibbon, Fayetteville P.L., AR (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
