THE ATTACK

When his wife is identified as a terrorist, a surgeon must come to terms with her duplicity.

An Arab living in Israel, Amin Jaafari is a naturalized citizen and a doctor at a Tel Aviv hospital. One fateful day a suicide-bombing suspect is brought to the hospital, and Amin identifies her as his wife, Sihem. Confounded by her violent actions, he begins his own rogue investigation into her motivations for killing herself and 19 others. Amin soon finds himself in the trenches of a war his privilege had previously kept him from and starts to discover the harsh realities of a life permanently engulfed in conflict and desperation. In this emotionally raw and ultimately disturbing graphic adaptation of Khadra’s novel of the same name, Dauvillier captures the somber unrest of the Middle East even as he explores marital deception and fundamentalism. Chapron's realistic and cinematic art spares its readers nothing; the visceral feel coupled with the volume's oversized dimensions creates an immersive and demanding experience. Expect this to resonate with teens interested in current events, but it should also appeal to an adult audience and could find a place on either shelf.

A timely and affecting examination of extremism, marriage, and the sheer hopelessness and brutality of war.