DUEL

Constantly fighting sisters face off in a high-stakes duel.

GiGi has worked hard to be the perfect eighth grader and the best athlete on the fencing team. New sixth grader Lucy is nervous about starting middle school. The only thing they have in common is a love of fencing, and ever since their father died, their bickering has worsened. Everything culminates in a public scene in which GiGi humiliates Lucy in the school cafeteria. Lucy pulls out her foil and challenges GiGi to a duel. As the sisters prepare for their bout, the whole school begins picking sides. GiGi and Lucy must also choose: themselves or each other? The story is told from both sisters’ perspectives, allowing readers to sympathize and understand each of their sides, ensuring that neither one is seen as merely cruel. Each chapter opens with a sepia-toned page resembling an excerpt from an old sporting manual that explains an aspect of fencing. Those not interested in fencing may get bogged down in the technical details, but those who reflect on them retroactively will notice the clever way they relate to the events of the story. The artwork is simple, with flashbacks drawn in light indigo against a white background and contemporary events in full color with an emphasis on the characters’ expressions. The sisters read biracial, with a white-presenting mother and a father who appears Black.

Intense and complex, exploring siblings’ grief, love, and forgiveness.