Written and Illustrated by Giulia Sagramola
Translated by Brahm Revel
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Giulia Sagramola writes, illustrates, and letters this delightfully meditative coming-of-age tale about two sisters, Rachel and Sabrina.
Translated by Brahm Revel for its first printing in English, Summer Fires, takes place–when else–over the Summer, as the two young women deal with family drama, dating, and fires that keep popping up in the Italian countryside. Sagramola does a fantastic job making us feel for Rachel and Sabrina and seeing a bit of ourselves in them–who hasn’t made a chunk of mistakes as a teenager?
The artwork is superb as well, with Sagramola’s detailed drawings making the fires look stark and dramatic while the city is quite vibrant and bustling.
The story itself doesn’t have a huge focus beyond showing us some months in the lives of the sisters as they have assorted life experiences and grow from them.
It’s a relaxed and beautiful graphic novel that I quite enjoyed. I’d recommend, Summer Fires, to anyone who wants to remember the highs and lows of being an older teenager/young adult and all the emotions such a time in life brought.
5 out of 5 Stars.
