Aya

Engaging and charming, Aya of Yopougon is a graphic novel set in a working class suburb of Abidjan, the capital city of Côte d'Ivoire, in the late 1970s. Its best attribute is its sense of balance: Abouet's humour is acutely observed but gentle, and her view of her hometown is affectionate but never rose-tinted. This first volume helps counter the prevailing Western view of sub-Saharan Africa as a place of disease, conflict and famine—here is a country which has class and social conflicts, which has discos and restaurants, where teenage girls worry about their future and their boyfriends and reference characters from Dallas. I'll definitely look out for the next volumes in this series.

Aya has been on my to-read list FOREVER, but my local library system didn't have a copy, so it wasn't until I was making this month 's TBR that I got around to placing an interlibrary loan request.

This graphic novel is set in Ivory Coast in the 1970s, and I love Abouet's stated goal here, "to tell an unpretentious and gently humorous story of an Africa we rarely see — spirited, hopeful and resilient." This story centers on three young women, Aya and her two close friends, Adjoua and Bintou. While Aya is busy studying (she wants to become a doctor, a profession her father thinks is only for men) her two friends like to go out dancing and flirting, which is what sparks the conflicts that drive this short tale.

This book with its show more sometimes cartoonist art style can have a bit of a YA feel, but the main characters are all adults. The plot often feels like it is teetering on the edge of real tragedy, but somehow maintains its lighthearted balance. It's a relatively short story with a lot of characters, so you don't ever get to feel like you fully know any of them, but I think you will be plenty invested. And if so, there are several more books about these characters! While it looks like the main Aya books are a series, this is satisfying as a read-alone. show less

Aya and her friends Adjoua and Bintou are 19 and growing up in "Yop City," the working class section of a city in the Ivory Coast in the 1970s. She is serious about her schoolwork and dreams of being a doctor, much to her father's dismay, while Adjoua and Bintou are more interested in going out with boys and dancing. The color illustrations by Clément Oubrerie really bring the place and characters to life.

The introduction to the English translation includes an explanation of how prosperous Cote d'Ivoire was at the time the story was set, and gave me a good starting point in being able to appreciate the story. It starts off with happy-go-lucky teens and a lot of humor, but turns more serious partway through. I did feel a little like I'd show more only started to get into the story before it was rather suddenly cut off, but I'll be interested in reading the next one to see what happens to Aya and the rest. show less

“Aya” is a graphic novel set during the heyday of the Ivory Coast in the 1970s. Aya is a teenage girl, with aspirations to become a doctor and is hyper-focused on school and studying. Meanwhile, her closest friends are living out their youth, getting into trouble and pursuing parties and boys – sometimes with unfortunate results. This was such a refreshing slice-of-life graphic novel with wonderful art that felt earnest and dynamic, as if the characters could dance off the page at any moment.

“Aya” also has a fantastic illustrated appendix that offers explanations and translations for some of the cultural references and slang used throughout the volume.

Aya by Marguerite Abouet is a simple, non-political story of young girls living in the Ivory Coast of the late 1970’s. This was a time of relative prosperity and peace, and the story reflects the carefree and simple life as we follow the three main characters and their families who live in the working class neighbourhood of “Yop City”. These three girls are long time friends and now, at age nineteen they stand on the brink of womanhood and can see their lives changing. Aya, wants to make a difference and become a doctor. She studies hard and tries to avoid the complication of having a boyfriend. Her two friends, Adjoua and Bintou know they are at the peak of their beauty and are interested in dancing, having a good time and, most show more of all boys.

This isn’t a book about war-torn, strife ridden Africa but rather, the author appears to be stressing the similarity of these teen’s live with teens around the world. The author introduces various characters, from studious Aya, her easy-going friends, their interfering families, and the various boys that come and go in their lives. Written in a slightly sardonic, humorous manner Aya is a refreshing look at the private lives of working class Africans.

The author uses lively, slang filled writing which is accompanied by the bright and colourful drawings of Clement Oubrerie, and the two merge to present a joyous and energetic look at this corner of Africa in the 1970’s. show less

This was wonderful, a slice-of-life look at Ivory Coast in 1978, and three friends, young women, two of whom are interested in romantic adventures and one of whom is serious about her studies. I just loved having a glimpse into everyday life in urban Africa during peacetime. (Sad to think about what lay in Ivory Coast's future.) Details I noticed--how the various families in the city have living with them cousins from the villages in the countryside, how the girls do washing in tubs in the courtyard of the house, what the secret rendezvous point for lovers looked like--stuff like that--plus how an unexpected pregnancy is handled. And at the back of the book are some recipes, plus how to tie a pagne (wrap-around skirt, but also used for show more a wrap-around headscarf). show less

This was wonderful, a slice-of-life look at Ivory Coast in 1978, and three friends, young women, two of whom are interested in romantic adventures and one of whom is serious about her studies. I just loved having a glimpse into everyday life in urban Africa during peacetime. (Sad to think about what lay in Ivory Coast's future.) Details I noticed--how the various families in the city have living with them cousins from the villages in the countryside, how the girls do washing in tubs in the courtyard of the house, what the secret rendezvous point for lovers looked like--stuff like that--plus how an unexpected pregnancy is handled. And at the back of the book are some recipes, plus how to tie a pagne (wrap-around skirt, but also used for show more a wrap-around headscarf). show less