Review Detail

In Landing in Place, Anisa is going to begin college at her sister, Reem’s, alma mater. She will even be on the same premed track that Reem was on but Anisa would rather be studying art. Her parents are set on Anisa going to medical school though as they are certain this would land a more lucrative career. Anisa struggles to keep up in her first semester at college and suggests going to Cairo with her sister and staying with her grandfather. While Anisa is there she begins to find out things about herself as she questions societal, familial, and religious expectations. Will Anisa be able to stand up to her family when she comes back to the United States so she can pursue her own interest? Will she be able to be at peace with who she is rather than trying to fit into what others want of her?

What I Liked: This book starts by introducing us to Anisa and her family. It’s fascinating to learn about things through Anisa’s perspective because everything is analyzed through a young adult’s lens. We don’t really get a chance to see her parent’s explanations as they refuse to have political or uncomfortable conversations with others.

This book is separated into three separate parts that correlate to what part of Anisa’s journey we are witnessing. The first part takes you through her experience in the United States and her relationship with her parents. The second part shows us Anisa’s journey in Egypt as she learns more about herself, and her family. The final part shows us after Anisa comes back to the United States and starts to stand up for herself and figure out what it means to be an Egyptian American.

The black and white illustrations make this graphic novel feel like a comic which is interesting given Anisa’s interests. It was fascinating to see Anisa’s various drawings and how she got involved with an art internship while in Egypt. It was also intriguing to see how Anisa comes to certain conclusions regarding different aspects of her life. There is a tragic event that occurs in part three of the book which forces Anisa and her family to start having important conversations that had been delayed and this is a moving part of the story.

Final Verdict: Landing In Place: A Graphic Novel is an interesting coming of age story about a young adult who is dealing with college, her family, and the political world as an Egyptian American. Young adults 12 and up will enjoy the various struggles that Anisa finds herself in and enjoy the relatability of this story.