Petar & Liza
A disaffected army veteran seeks happiness in the poignant graphic novel Petar & Liza.
After serving a term in the former Yugoslavian army, Petar returns to civilian life but feels unmoored. He meets Liza, a dancer who sparks positive feelings in him. They move in together. But over time, Petar is sabotaged by his melancholic side. Petar and Liza part ways, only to be reunited years later with hope that their romantic bond has not been broken.
Narrated by Petar, an ex-girlfriend, a friend, and Liza in turn, the story is sometimes disorienting but always intimate. In addition to its beautiful, colorful, and detailed folk art images that invite lingering, it is full of memorable lines, as with a description of Petar hiding his inner unrest: “In the supermarkets no one thought he was choosing things at random.”
In this story of love and mental illness, told over decades, Petar himself is unforgettable: an aspiring poet, he’s weighed down by hopelessness and ennui. His malaise is depicted with devastating humor, as when his apartment is taken over by strangers, though he shows no great concern. Elsewhere, he’s gifted a life-sized cardboard cutout of himself and carries it around with him; it flies off in the wind, reflecting his rudderless lifestyle.
Reviewed by
Peter Dabbene
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
