The Property

A couple of months after her father’s death, Mica accompanies her grandmother, Regina, to Warsaw to recover the property her great-grandparents owned before the Holocaust. This is Regina’s first visit to Warsaw since she emigrated to Israel as a young woman before the war. Once they arrive in Warsaw, Regina doesn’t seem to want to accompany Mica anywhere or to do anything about the lost property. Mica is attracted to a tour guide she meets on the first day of their visit, and Regina reconnects with someone from her past. And why is the cantor from her father’s funeral following Mica everywhere after they ran into him on the plane? This lovely graphic novel explores relationships, loss, and memory. Despite the underlying sadness show more and loss, the novel ends on a hopeful note as both Mica and Regina seem to have found what they sought from their journey. show less

This was such a beautiful, understated book, and I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

Modan's artwork is clean and beautiful, and kind of reminded me of a cross between Tintin and infographics. It truly shines when depicting wide views of scenery or commotion like large public spaces, plane cabins or mountain views.

The story unfolds at a steady pace, weaving together personal relationships and history, and though the twists are not sudden or very surprising per se, they were earned and interesting. You don't end up feeling like you know the characters any more than at the beginning of the book, but more like you've just been dropped into their lives to observe a small window of their lives and then pop out again, which is a style of show more narrative that I really enjoy. Modan also is quite inventive in the way she communicates story elements, like the flashbacks and the speech bubbles full of scribbles when the pov character doesn't understand the language being spoken.

It's hard to describe the way that the book delivers its emotional punches. The same subject matter in another medium or a different author might have had my eyes watering and my chin quivering, but Modan handles things with restraint in a very understated, pragmatic way. While it may not have elicited as many outward reactions from me, it was no less affecting or satisfying as a more tear-jerking avenue might have. I was absorbed into the story and characters from beginning to end, and my reaction built up little by little, until it had me hugging the book tightly when I finished it.

If I had to muster up some criticisms, there were two characters in particular that felt a little tonally off from the rest of them, but they served a purpose, and weren't too distracting, and one or two of the subplot resolutions were a little pat, but while they could have been fleshed out more, they didn't feel like cheap wrap-ups.

I borrowed this from the library but I will definitely be buying a copy of my own to keep. show less

When her grandmother returns to Poland to get some property returned, Mica insists on coming with her, but the trip reveals the grandmother has a deep secret and an unenviable task to complete. Such a great story with numerous layers of human fate in so few pages. I'm already a huge fan of Modan's and her ability to describe deep feelings in her very simple drawing style. She outdid herself in this one, though, the mix of humor and severity makes for a combustible combination - I shed actual tears when the true reason for the grandmother's trip became clear. Modan is an unmissable gem - couldn't possibly recommend her work more than I already do.

This wonderful book by Rutu Modan is the first graphic novel I've read that equals the quality of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. This time the family involved is a woman and her grandmother who travel from their home in Israel to Poland to claim the grandmother's property which was lost to the family in WWII. Modan manages to combine stereotypes for Jews, Poles and old people with both romance and practicality to make a story that appeals to anyone trying to understand family dynamics, politics and interpersonal relationships. Right from the opening scene in the airport you realize the grandmother is a pistol, and she's going to get what she came for no matter who tries to stop her. I'll be reading more of Modan, I'm sure.

With family, you don't have to tell the whole truth and it's not considered lying.
-Michaela Modan, epigraph

Mica accompanies her grandmother to Warsaw from Israel, purportedly to recover a family apartment that was confiscated during the Holocaust. Once there, however, Mica begins to suspect that her grandmother has a different motive for the trip. The Property features strong women, humor with a touch of sarcasm, and understated motifs that are more powerful for the lack of heavy-handedness.

The illustrations in this graphic novel are at times blocky and at times finely detailed, with wonderful expressiveness. The colors are muted with lots of maroon, black, and mustard. The text is translated into block letters for Hebrew, italics for show more Polish, and mixed case for English. When Mica doesn't understand what people are saying, the text is just squiggles. The artwork complements the story well. show less

54. The Property by Rutu Modan (2013, 222 pages, read Oct 30 - Nov 1)
translated from Hebrew by Jessica Cohen

I think I expected something droll and disturbing in this story of young woman joining her grandmother in traveling from Israel to Poland to reclaim a property lost during the Holocaust. Not sure, but, regardless, I wanted to try it because I really enjoyed Rutu Modan's Exit Wounds. Well, this was terrific. Touching, yet charming and complicated in the clash of cultures, generations and histories. Much going on here, including a somehow entertaining cynicism at the Holocaust tourist industry. Recommended.

posted on my 2013 LT thread here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/160515#4393475

A very well crafted graphic novel, about a woman and her granddaughter travelling from Israel to Poland to investigate the woman's claim to a property there. The story, naturally, delves into the past of the woman, revealing secrets and surprises. It's touching, funny and feels very believable - it's kinda got the feel of a quality indie film. The characterisations were particularly well done, I thought - well rounded and believable.

While I really like Modan's art generally, I sometimes find her colours a little muddy, and in the night scenes a bit over-saturated. Maybe it's just me.

It's not a life-changing book, and on a grumpier day my 4.5* would get rounded down, not up. But the story is of a quality that is not as common in comics show more as it should be, and has has a general excellence of execution, that it deserves the benefit of the doubt. show less