What do you think?
Rate this book
Aya #1
Aya
"That's what I wanted to show in Aya: an Africa without the ... war and famine, an Africa that endures despite everything because, as we say back home, life goes on." --Marguerite Abouet
Ivory Coast, 1978. Family and friends gather at Aya's house every evening to watch the country's first television ad campaign promoting the fortifying effects of Solibra, "the strong man's beer." It's a golden time, and the nation, too--an oasis of affluence and stability in West Africa--seems fueled by something wondrous.
Who's to know that the Ivorian miracle is nearing its end? In the sun-warmed streets of working-class Yopougon, aka Yop City, holidays are around the corner, the open-air bars and discos are starting to fill up, and trouble of a different kind is about to raise eyebrows. At night, an empty table in the market square under the stars is all the privacy young lovers can hope for, and what happens there is soon everybody's business.
Aya tells the story of its nineteen-year-old heroine, the studious and clear-sighted Aya, her easygoing friends Adjoua and Bintou, and their meddling relatives and neighbors. It's a breezy and wryly funny account of the desire for joy and freedom, and of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City. An unpretentious and gently humorous story of an Africa we rarely see-spirited, hopeful, and resilient--Aya won the 2006 award for Best First Album at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Clément Oubrerie's warm colors and energetic, playful lines connect expressively with Marguerite Abouet's vibrant writing.
Ivory Coast, 1978. Family and friends gather at Aya's house every evening to watch the country's first television ad campaign promoting the fortifying effects of Solibra, "the strong man's beer." It's a golden time, and the nation, too--an oasis of affluence and stability in West Africa--seems fueled by something wondrous.
Who's to know that the Ivorian miracle is nearing its end? In the sun-warmed streets of working-class Yopougon, aka Yop City, holidays are around the corner, the open-air bars and discos are starting to fill up, and trouble of a different kind is about to raise eyebrows. At night, an empty table in the market square under the stars is all the privacy young lovers can hope for, and what happens there is soon everybody's business.
Aya tells the story of its nineteen-year-old heroine, the studious and clear-sighted Aya, her easygoing friends Adjoua and Bintou, and their meddling relatives and neighbors. It's a breezy and wryly funny account of the desire for joy and freedom, and of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City. An unpretentious and gently humorous story of an Africa we rarely see-spirited, hopeful, and resilient--Aya won the 2006 award for Best First Album at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Clément Oubrerie's warm colors and energetic, playful lines connect expressively with Marguerite Abouet's vibrant writing.
106 pages, Hardcover
First published November 17, 2005
58 people are currently reading
8635 people want to read
About the author
Marguerite Abouet
46 books295 followersMarguerite Abouet was born in 1971 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in Western Africa. She grew up during a time of great prosperity in the Ivory Coast. At the age of twelve, she and her old brother went to stay with a great-uncle in Paris, where they further pursued their education. Years later, after becoming a novelist for young adults, Abouet was drawn to telling the story of the world she remembered from her youth. The result was the graphic novel Aya de Yopougon, published in North America as Aya, illustrated by Clemént Oubrerie, that recalls Abouet's Ivory Coast childhood in the 1970s, and tells the humorous, engaging stories of her friends and family as they navigate a happy and prosperous time in that country's history.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 738 reviews
August 19, 2019
A coming of age graphic novel, with added interest as it's set in the Ivory Coast. It shows that no matter what the culture, teenagers are still teenagers.
February 6, 2024
There's no point in my shouting out about folks taking comics more seriously--sure there's Persepolis, Maus, etc.--but look! A comedy of manners! From AFRICA!!! Who needs Jane Austen? To hell with Britain!
There's a comment by the author where she wants to show Africa without the war and suffering. To be honest, I can't help but think (and worry) about the characters' fates in the troubles that would be coming down the pipe in Ivory Coast in a few years.
This book is for the doubters. If you want more ammunition to prove the value of comics as literature, add Aya and its sequels to your belt.
There's a comment by the author where she wants to show Africa without the war and suffering. To be honest, I can't help but think (and worry) about the characters' fates in the troubles that would be coming down the pipe in Ivory Coast in a few years.
This book is for the doubters. If you want more ammunition to prove the value of comics as literature, add Aya and its sequels to your belt.
Read
August 4, 2016In the introduction to this graphic novel set on Africa’s Ivory Coast in the 1970s, the author notes that it’s not common to read a story about Africans that is lighthearted, and some readers might go so far as to question whether Africans could really live the way the characters are portrayed. The answer is yes. Aya focuses on three teen girls, two of which are bound up in frivolous romances, and as one might expect, there is humorous fallout. Aya herself is the exception to the teen angst and dreams of becoming a doctor, even though most of the people in her life try to dissuade her. It’s a fun, melodramatic story reminiscent of so many teen stories and lacking most of the African stereotypes experienced across the media. It was a breath of fresh air, a new reading experience, and there is more to discover in this series.
–Andi Miller
from The Best Books We Read In July 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/riot-r...
–Andi Miller
from The Best Books We Read In July 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/riot-r...
March 19, 2009
Aya is a book about a teen-aged African girl living in the Ivory Coast during the seventies (a relative boom time). It's billed as being a graphic novel that shows that teens in Africa aren't so dissimilar to those in the U.S. (or teens in general, for that matter) and attempts to break the stereotype of Africa as an impoverished nation where all the kids are starving and/or in the midst of constant warfare.
It focuses on Aya and her two friends, Adjoua and Bintou, as they live their lives in "Yop City", a working-class neighborhood of (at the time) prosperous Abidjan. Aya has aspirations of going to school to become a doctor, while her two friends are more interested in dancing and boys. They secretly hook up with lovers on "reserved" tables in the market square at night (aka the "Thousand Star Hotel") and dream about marrying someone who can set them up with a nice house or even a business (I believe a beauty parlor was high on the list). But all their hijinks (yes, I just used the word "hijinks") don't turn out as planned.
It's almost as much fun seeing them get into trouble as seeing how they then try to get out of it. In fact, it's strangely fun while considering that some of the topics covered definitely border on the melancholy (mainly: needing a man to fulfill your dreams). But this is where Aya comes into play, providing a stark contrast to her partying friends. She doesn't judge them, but her character shows a more modern viewpoint which contrasts against traditional gender roles.
The glossary at the back isn't to be missed, explaining much of the slang used in the book (Tassaba - Ta-Sa-Ba: slang, behind. "Move your tassaba!") as well as how to roll your tassaba in a way that makes men fall at your feet.
The illustrations really bring life to the narrative. The beautiful colors and expressive lines were so seamlessly interwoven with the text that I was surprised to realize that the writer and illustrator weren't one and the same.
An interesting glimpse into one writer's perception of teen life in West Africa in the late 70s.
It focuses on Aya and her two friends, Adjoua and Bintou, as they live their lives in "Yop City", a working-class neighborhood of (at the time) prosperous Abidjan. Aya has aspirations of going to school to become a doctor, while her two friends are more interested in dancing and boys. They secretly hook up with lovers on "reserved" tables in the market square at night (aka the "Thousand Star Hotel") and dream about marrying someone who can set them up with a nice house or even a business (I believe a beauty parlor was high on the list). But all their hijinks (yes, I just used the word "hijinks") don't turn out as planned.
It's almost as much fun seeing them get into trouble as seeing how they then try to get out of it. In fact, it's strangely fun while considering that some of the topics covered definitely border on the melancholy (mainly: needing a man to fulfill your dreams). But this is where Aya comes into play, providing a stark contrast to her partying friends. She doesn't judge them, but her character shows a more modern viewpoint which contrasts against traditional gender roles.
The glossary at the back isn't to be missed, explaining much of the slang used in the book (Tassaba - Ta-Sa-Ba: slang, behind. "Move your tassaba!") as well as how to roll your tassaba in a way that makes men fall at your feet.
The illustrations really bring life to the narrative. The beautiful colors and expressive lines were so seamlessly interwoven with the text that I was surprised to realize that the writer and illustrator weren't one and the same.
An interesting glimpse into one writer's perception of teen life in West Africa in the late 70s.
February 6, 2017
Update: Here's the full review:http://www.bookishrealmreviews.com/20...
Loved loved loved!! It is a different perspective of Africa and a great one at that! Ahhh just go pick it up. I already requested the rest of the series from my library!
Loved loved loved!! It is a different perspective of Africa and a great one at that! Ahhh just go pick it up. I already requested the rest of the series from my library!
December 22, 2014
The standard narrative of any story set in Africa includes an empathy numbing array of horrors: Child Soldiers wielding machetes and AK-47's, famine, rape, AIDS, corruption, slavery. The desire to call attention to this awfulness is understandable, important even. Yet by having tragedy so omnipresent, it dehumanizes those dealing with that as a part of their life. Marguerite Abouet's series Aya consciously bucks this trend. The charming stories of family and community are startling in their lack of the tragic conventions inherent in most "African stories."
Set in the Ivory Coast in the late 70's, "Aya" and its' sequels "Aya of Yop City" and "Aya the Secrets Come Out" play like an African sitcom. Cute little vignettes of a middle class family. Girls sneaking out at night to meet boys, Dads getting drunk and dancing at weddings, the goofy neighbor kid harboring a not so secret crush. Scandals and secrets are revealed for comedic effect, lessons are learned, or not. The title character is a beautiful and honorable teenager who works hard at school in hopes of becoming a doctor. While her friends flutter about crying and delighting over the latest news about their newest boyfriends, Aya is the stalwart friend the whole community admires. The kind of character you'd name your daughter after (I did).
Clement Oubrerie's illustrations are vibrant and warm, evocative. You can hear the chickens squawk, feel the dust on your skin, and hear the music at the nightclubs. His talent is perfect for the book, complementing Abouet as if the two had lived in the Ivory Coast their entire lives.
In the back of each book is the Ivorian bonus section where characters from the story give recipes, explain fashions, and teach you the Ivorian sayings and exclamations liberally used in the dialogue. It's a nice touch that helps the reader feel like a part of this special little community.
Which, ultimately, is what these books are about. By bringing us into her childhood home, Abouet is sharing with us the love, humor, and fun present in African life. And by sharing these treasures with us we get to feel something that's increasingly difficult to obtain in America, a true sense of community.
Read if: you are interested in Africa beyond the headlines; you've lived in the developing world, or would like to.
Buy for: World wise girlfriends who think comics are for teenage boys; teenage girls who have the potential to be really cool.
Set in the Ivory Coast in the late 70's, "Aya" and its' sequels "Aya of Yop City" and "Aya the Secrets Come Out" play like an African sitcom. Cute little vignettes of a middle class family. Girls sneaking out at night to meet boys, Dads getting drunk and dancing at weddings, the goofy neighbor kid harboring a not so secret crush. Scandals and secrets are revealed for comedic effect, lessons are learned, or not. The title character is a beautiful and honorable teenager who works hard at school in hopes of becoming a doctor. While her friends flutter about crying and delighting over the latest news about their newest boyfriends, Aya is the stalwart friend the whole community admires. The kind of character you'd name your daughter after (I did).
Clement Oubrerie's illustrations are vibrant and warm, evocative. You can hear the chickens squawk, feel the dust on your skin, and hear the music at the nightclubs. His talent is perfect for the book, complementing Abouet as if the two had lived in the Ivory Coast their entire lives.
In the back of each book is the Ivorian bonus section where characters from the story give recipes, explain fashions, and teach you the Ivorian sayings and exclamations liberally used in the dialogue. It's a nice touch that helps the reader feel like a part of this special little community.
Which, ultimately, is what these books are about. By bringing us into her childhood home, Abouet is sharing with us the love, humor, and fun present in African life. And by sharing these treasures with us we get to feel something that's increasingly difficult to obtain in America, a true sense of community.
Read if: you are interested in Africa beyond the headlines; you've lived in the developing world, or would like to.
Buy for: World wise girlfriends who think comics are for teenage boys; teenage girls who have the potential to be really cool.
December 18, 2017
I am always trying to read graphic novels, because my students are obsessed with them.
"Ivory Coast, 1978. Family and friends gather at Aya's house every evening to watch the country's first television ad campaign promoting the fortifying effects of Solibra, "the strong man's beer." It's a golden time, and the nation, too--an oasis of affluence and stability in West Africa--seems fueled by something wondrous. Who's to know that the Ivorian miracle is nearing its end? In the sun-warmed streets of working-class Yopougon, aka Yop City, holidays are around the corner, the open-air bars and discos are starting to fill up, and trouble of a different kind is about to raise eyebrows. At night, an empty table in the market square under the stars is all the privacy young lovers can hope for, and what happens there is soon everybody's business."
"Ivory Coast, 1978. Family and friends gather at Aya's house every evening to watch the country's first television ad campaign promoting the fortifying effects of Solibra, "the strong man's beer." It's a golden time, and the nation, too--an oasis of affluence and stability in West Africa--seems fueled by something wondrous. Who's to know that the Ivorian miracle is nearing its end? In the sun-warmed streets of working-class Yopougon, aka Yop City, holidays are around the corner, the open-air bars and discos are starting to fill up, and trouble of a different kind is about to raise eyebrows. At night, an empty table in the market square under the stars is all the privacy young lovers can hope for, and what happens there is soon everybody's business."
May 26, 2021
No es espectacular, pero es interesante al estar ambientado en un país tan distinto. Sin profundizar y de forma ligera y amena permite entrever el carácter, las inquietudes y el día a día de sus habitantes.
December 4, 2018
Aya de Yopougon let's me kill two birds with one stone: my goal of reading African writers and my goal of reading more in French. Oh, and getting back into graphic novels, of course, so technically: three birds with one book. Muahaha. ;) Aya is a series of six bande dessinée albums written by Marguerite Abouet and drawn by Clément Oubrerie. Although not entirely autobiographical, the story is based on the author's life in Côte d'Ivoire.
In the sun-warmed streets of working-class Yopougon, aka Yop City, holidays are around the corner, the open-air bars and discos are starting to fill up, and trouble of a different kind is about to raise eyebrows. At night, an empty table in the market square under the stars is all the privacy young lovers can hope for, and what happens there is soon everybody’s business.
Aya tells the story of its nineteen-year-old heroine, the studious and clear-sighted Aya, her easygoing friends Adjoua and Bintou, and their meddling relatives and neighbors. It’s a breezy and wryly funny account of the desire for joy and freedom, and of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City. An unpretentious and gently humorous story of an Africa we rarely see.
The first volume of Aya read like a fun soap opera. Abouet's voice isn't serious at all. She doesn't cave into the perception that Westerners often have of Africa, one of starved children, poverty all around and miserable people. Instead, Abouet tells it how it is (or more specifically: how it was, for her growing up in a town similar to Yop City). She shows us how silly, whimsical, full of life, love and laughter its people are. Her husbands illustrations help bringing the story to life. His play of warm and nurturing colors brings energy to the story and makes the reader buzz with excitement and anticipation.
Aya is such an endearing character, partly because she is somewhat sidelined in a story that bears her own name. The first volume is pretty preoccupied with her two best friends Adjoua and Bintou, two girls on the verge of womanhood who relish in going out and hooking up with guys. Aya, the always dutiful, stays at home to do her homework. (a whole mood tbh) I'm curious to see if (and how) Aya will break out of her shell, if she will be allowed to study medicine like she wants.
I would highly recommend checking out this series if you're looking for a super light-hearted read that, albeit it's full of tropes, is full of charm and silliness. (the good kind) If you're looking for something serious and more in-depth (in regards to the social and political situation in the Ivory Coast), this comic book is not for you.
In the sun-warmed streets of working-class Yopougon, aka Yop City, holidays are around the corner, the open-air bars and discos are starting to fill up, and trouble of a different kind is about to raise eyebrows. At night, an empty table in the market square under the stars is all the privacy young lovers can hope for, and what happens there is soon everybody’s business.
Aya tells the story of its nineteen-year-old heroine, the studious and clear-sighted Aya, her easygoing friends Adjoua and Bintou, and their meddling relatives and neighbors. It’s a breezy and wryly funny account of the desire for joy and freedom, and of the simple pleasures and private troubles of everyday life in Yop City. An unpretentious and gently humorous story of an Africa we rarely see.
The first volume of Aya read like a fun soap opera. Abouet's voice isn't serious at all. She doesn't cave into the perception that Westerners often have of Africa, one of starved children, poverty all around and miserable people. Instead, Abouet tells it how it is (or more specifically: how it was, for her growing up in a town similar to Yop City). She shows us how silly, whimsical, full of life, love and laughter its people are. Her husbands illustrations help bringing the story to life. His play of warm and nurturing colors brings energy to the story and makes the reader buzz with excitement and anticipation.
Aya is such an endearing character, partly because she is somewhat sidelined in a story that bears her own name. The first volume is pretty preoccupied with her two best friends Adjoua and Bintou, two girls on the verge of womanhood who relish in going out and hooking up with guys. Aya, the always dutiful, stays at home to do her homework. (a whole mood tbh) I'm curious to see if (and how) Aya will break out of her shell, if she will be allowed to study medicine like she wants.
I would highly recommend checking out this series if you're looking for a super light-hearted read that, albeit it's full of tropes, is full of charm and silliness. (the good kind) If you're looking for something serious and more in-depth (in regards to the social and political situation in the Ivory Coast), this comic book is not for you.
September 9, 2013
I liked Aya. It was Africa without the stereotypes of famine and poverty. It's full of life and in Yopougon there is never a dull moment. I'm anxious to read part 2 to follow the stories of Aya, her friends and family. I read this graphic novel in French but it is apparently available in English too. I now own two versions of part 1 - The movie book which I showed in my You Tube video and the smaller hardcover version which should look nice on a shelf when I have acquired all the volumes. The artwork is well done and is alive with colour, with a lot of personality. You'll laugh a little and if not it will definitely make you smile. I was disappointed that I missed the movie here in France. It came out on the 17th July and somehow I didn't here a thing about it. Weird! I guess I'll have to rent it. Check it out because it is a change from most graphic novels that I'm used to seeing and reading.
July 22, 2022
I picked this one mainly for one of my Popsugar reading challenge 2022 prompts- A book with a palindromic title. And I felt like picking a short and easy read for this one.
Being a graphic novel, it was a super quick read. I loved the illustrations and the whole setting. This book is set in the late 70s in the Yop City, Ivory Coast, during which, the country was going through one of the biggest golden phases in history.
Apart from the illustrations, and the whole setting, everything else was pretty much meh. It is okay for casual reading, I suppose. Every single male character was despicable. Aya was the only sensible character in this comic, her friends were absolutely annoying, vain women, and all they ever talked about was getting some dude's attention, hooking up and marrying rich. Initially, the jokes were still funny, but when the entire story became about that, I was so done with it. Then again, the characters are only 19, and the story is about the lives of these teenagers living a glamorous city life.
Being a graphic novel, it was a super quick read. I loved the illustrations and the whole setting. This book is set in the late 70s in the Yop City, Ivory Coast, during which, the country was going through one of the biggest golden phases in history.
Apart from the illustrations, and the whole setting, everything else was pretty much meh. It is okay for casual reading, I suppose. Every single male character was despicable. Aya was the only sensible character in this comic, her friends were absolutely annoying, vain women, and all they ever talked about was getting some dude's attention, hooking up and marrying rich. Initially, the jokes were still funny, but when the entire story became about that, I was so done with it. Then again, the characters are only 19, and the story is about the lives of these teenagers living a glamorous city life.
August 31, 2018
A book about middle class living in Africa, written by Marguerite Abouet from the Ivory Coast. The history lesson about the Ivory Coast and its economic development was much more interesting than the insipid plot. Aya is an independent young woman with dreams of a career, who does not want to become someone's wife or even worse, an unwed mother. Sadly, with the exceptions of studying hard and telling her father, she does not really do much to achieve her goals; instead, she watches her girlfriends (and others) living the wildlife, with one getting pregnant, not being sure of the father. Unfortunately, it's really a comic book (i.e., slight, brainless), not a graphic novel.
March 5, 2023
Don’t judge me for reading a graphic novel. And liking it! Books set in Côte d’Ivoire were hard to come by…
A full set production of characters were in this story, introduced like the characters on a soap opera. At first I thought it was like an episode of Jerry Springer but it quickly fine-tuned into a teen drama with hip characters and individuals representing many types of people.
Aya was the main character. The strong, independent woman who values education, the community, and helping people in need or who need a hand fulfilling their potential. I make her sound like a boring dweeb, but she’s not. She gets involved in other people’s drama.
The story also reminded me of the original De Grassi Junior High in that each character was associated with a common or usual problem such as: teen pregnancy without the support of the father, telling the rich guy he’s the father when he’s not, arranged marriages, men with a hidden second family, naive people who think certain encounters will get them to France/away from their hellhole (ok I’m getting a bit specific here..), and my favourite theme…the gay couple. I haven’t read much on African gay couples so it was pretty cool. The danger was there but I appreciated the confidant.
The artistry was impressive. The facial detail wasn’t huge but the expressions were clear. Many cliffhanger scenes. I was able to foresee most of them. I got a fairly full picture of what city outskirt life was like (if it was influenced by life there).
I’ve read one other graphic novel before (in 2015), Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, which I gave five stars to. So by sole comparison, this was also funny, engaging, and hip girl, but it was less concise or more detailed than necessary.
A full set production of characters were in this story, introduced like the characters on a soap opera. At first I thought it was like an episode of Jerry Springer but it quickly fine-tuned into a teen drama with hip characters and individuals representing many types of people.
Aya was the main character. The strong, independent woman who values education, the community, and helping people in need or who need a hand fulfilling their potential. I make her sound like a boring dweeb, but she’s not. She gets involved in other people’s drama.
The story also reminded me of the original De Grassi Junior High in that each character was associated with a common or usual problem such as: teen pregnancy without the support of the father, telling the rich guy he’s the father when he’s not, arranged marriages, men with a hidden second family, naive people who think certain encounters will get them to France/away from their hellhole (ok I’m getting a bit specific here..), and my favourite theme…the gay couple. I haven’t read much on African gay couples so it was pretty cool. The danger was there but I appreciated the confidant.
The artistry was impressive. The facial detail wasn’t huge but the expressions were clear. Many cliffhanger scenes. I was able to foresee most of them. I got a fairly full picture of what city outskirt life was like (if it was influenced by life there).
I’ve read one other graphic novel before (in 2015), Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, which I gave five stars to. So by sole comparison, this was also funny, engaging, and hip girl, but it was less concise or more detailed than necessary.
September 17, 2021
Marguerite Abouetin ja Clément Oubrerien mainio sarjakuva Aya - elämää Yop Cityssä vie 1970-luvun Norsunluurannikolle ja ihmissuhdesopan pyörteisiin. Mukavaa vaihteeksi törmätä afrikkalaisesta elämänmenosta kertovaan kirjaan, jossa ei puida sotia, vallankumouksia ja sen semmoisia vaan ihan vain tavallista parikymppisten naisten elämää: biletetään, tapaillaan poikia, opiskellaan ja tehdään urasuunnitelmia, yritetään tulla toimeen perheenjäsenten kanssa.
Vuoden 2021 Helmet-haasteessa tällä voi kuitata vaikkapa kohdan 7 (kirjassa on kaveriporukka) tai 44 (kirjassa on reseptejä).
Vuoden 2021 Helmet-haasteessa tällä voi kuitata vaikkapa kohdan 7 (kirjassa on kaveriporukka) tai 44 (kirjassa on reseptejä).
February 10, 2017
Abbiamo ancora questa stupida e datata idea dell'Africa come continente povero ed arretrato, spesso veicolata dalle pubblicità di onlus volenterose che sperano di arrivare al nostro portafogli grazie alle lacrime di qualche bambino.
Grazie al cielo abbiamo questa nuova letteratura che ci presenta invece un continente vivace, giovane, volenteroso, dove cambia certo l'ambientazione ma non le vicende di questi adolescenti. I ragazzi sono ragazzi ovunque: vogliono divertirsi, fare l'amore, sfuggire al controllo dei genitori che si contraddicono e alle restrizioni di tradizioni un po' datate.
Aya è diversa, è la ragazza matura. Vuole diventare medico, nonostante il padre ritenga che l'educazione superiore sia destinata solo ai maschi. All'opposto sta l'amica Adjoua, che ama i ragazzi e l'amore e rimane incinta, fortunatamente di un buon partito.
Belle anche le ultime pagine con un piccolo ricettario e alcuni dettagli della vita delle ragazze ivoriane.
Grazie al cielo abbiamo questa nuova letteratura che ci presenta invece un continente vivace, giovane, volenteroso, dove cambia certo l'ambientazione ma non le vicende di questi adolescenti. I ragazzi sono ragazzi ovunque: vogliono divertirsi, fare l'amore, sfuggire al controllo dei genitori che si contraddicono e alle restrizioni di tradizioni un po' datate.
Aya è diversa, è la ragazza matura. Vuole diventare medico, nonostante il padre ritenga che l'educazione superiore sia destinata solo ai maschi. All'opposto sta l'amica Adjoua, che ama i ragazzi e l'amore e rimane incinta, fortunatamente di un buon partito.
Belle anche le ultime pagine con un piccolo ricettario e alcuni dettagli della vita delle ragazze ivoriane.
October 26, 2016
Discovered this book purely by chance among books for French classes at Ashesi. I did struggle a bit with the French (mine is rather rusty, plus it is rather colloquially Ivoirian), but it was definitely entertaining and at times pretty funny.
March 9, 2012
I loved this. I want to read the whole series.
August 18, 2017
This was okay. It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad either. I was a bit confused about who was who though for the most part.
March 15, 2019
3.5 stars
The story revolves around Aya, 19 years old ambitious girl, whose dream is to be a doctor, and her friends Adjoua & Bintou, who are more interested in boys than anything else. It's an introduction to a series about the three friends. This is an attempt by the author to show the other side of Africa, or more specifically Ivory Coast, other than war & the sort. The main point is that, like in other place in the world, parents still want their daughter to marry "money" and not to be so ambitious in respect of education. It's the 1970s so it's kind of normal.
I like the opportunity to look into other culture and finding how similar our life is despite the difference in culture.
April 27, 2018
Habe diesen Band verschlungen und will am liebsten sofort den nächsten lesen. Die Mädchenclique an der Elfenbeinküste ist so herrlich normal und witzig und Aya ist so eine starke, liebenswerte Protagonistin. Der Comic schafft es, sich allen möglichen Afrika-Klischees zu entziehen und dabei doch an der ein oder anderen Stelle nachdenkliche Töne anzustimmen. Ich konnte überhaupt nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen und habe so viel gelacht. Ich brauche undbedingt mehr davon!
June 27, 2008
I agree with other reviewers that the book spent a lot of time on Aya's friends and their promiscuity, but I'm wondering if that's the point. Aya's an aberration in her village. Girls are supposed to graduate from high school (if that) find a man, get married and have 10 or 12 children. She doesn't want to do that. She wants to be a doctor.
I'm wondering if the author's purpose in focusing on Aya's friends is to show how much she deviates from the "proper" role of a young woman. She discourages the advances of men, she doesn't go to the local clubs and she definitely doesn't go out to the market square at night to hook up with men. Often it was hard to keep track of which of Aya's friends were up to what.
I love the illustrations, the color, the people and the atmosphere. It swept me into the story.
I wasn't going to pick this up and read it. I think I bought it for our collection because it received a good review ... looking it up in our catalog ... yup, School Library Journal gave it a good review. They mentioned, "This pleasing volume will make a good addition to graphic-novel collections." I'm glad I picked it up. I'm definitely going to buy the other one for the library. I know that I'm going to have to push this one on my teens, but I think they'll like it onces they get into it.
Addendum: looking at the reviews, I wonder if I got this one because Bob read it and liked it. Quite possibly.
I'm wondering if the author's purpose in focusing on Aya's friends is to show how much she deviates from the "proper" role of a young woman. She discourages the advances of men, she doesn't go to the local clubs and she definitely doesn't go out to the market square at night to hook up with men. Often it was hard to keep track of which of Aya's friends were up to what.
I love the illustrations, the color, the people and the atmosphere. It swept me into the story.
I wasn't going to pick this up and read it. I think I bought it for our collection because it received a good review ... looking it up in our catalog ... yup, School Library Journal gave it a good review. They mentioned, "This pleasing volume will make a good addition to graphic-novel collections." I'm glad I picked it up. I'm definitely going to buy the other one for the library. I know that I'm going to have to push this one on my teens, but I think they'll like it onces they get into it.
Addendum: looking at the reviews, I wonder if I got this one because Bob read it and liked it. Quite possibly.
November 22, 2019
Couldn't resist reading this! Chose it because I have never read anything by an African writer from The Ivory Coast. Wasn't disappointed. There is an informative introduction about The Ivory Coast during the 1970s and how that period was a relative period of peace, prosperity and self-determination, atypical to the usual narrative of colonialism, despair, civil war and poverty.
The story follows fairly typical young adult concerns on working towards their futures or partying on in the moment and the various consequences. The graphics brilliantly enhance the cultural setting in telling an African story.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
The story follows fairly typical young adult concerns on working towards their futures or partying on in the moment and the various consequences. The graphics brilliantly enhance the cultural setting in telling an African story.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 13, 2013
#22 for Jugs & Capes!
Very enjoyable, but very slight. The girls in J&C all gushed over the artwork, especially the coloring, which is apparently quite advanced. (I don't know much about that, but I did think it looked great.)
Sort of a simple quick teenage soap opera, but great characters and excellent subtle reinforcement of the sense of time (late '70s) and place (Ivory Coast). I definitely enjoyed it, but we should have waited another month or so to read it until the deluxe pb edition of all four books was released, because although I'd love to read more, these ain't cheap.
Very enjoyable, but very slight. The girls in J&C all gushed over the artwork, especially the coloring, which is apparently quite advanced. (I don't know much about that, but I did think it looked great.)
Sort of a simple quick teenage soap opera, but great characters and excellent subtle reinforcement of the sense of time (late '70s) and place (Ivory Coast). I definitely enjoyed it, but we should have waited another month or so to read it until the deluxe pb edition of all four books was released, because although I'd love to read more, these ain't cheap.
January 17, 2012
I love graphic novels, especially ones with alternative perspectives. I quite liked this coming of age story set in the Ivory Coast. Growing up in Kenya, I learned all the typical things about the Ivory Coast - history, exports, geography, etc, but nothing about actual people on the ground. So I found this snapshot of a girl and her community interesting. This is the first book I've read by the author and I certainly read more of her work.
May 3, 2013
Aya de Youpougon
This book is an african book wrote byMarguerite Abouet.
This book is about many girls. They are friends. They're Bintou , Aya , Adjoua , and they're parents.
I recomend this book ,because it is funny and people who like humoristic book would love this book .
This book is an african book wrote byMarguerite Abouet.
This book is about many girls. They are friends. They're Bintou , Aya , Adjoua , and they're parents.
I recomend this book ,because it is funny and people who like humoristic book would love this book .
July 11, 2021
#BlackHistoryJuly
Me recuerda a la vida en nuestro país no hace tanto tiempo.
Me recuerda a la vida en nuestro país no hace tanto tiempo.
May 10, 2018
Kiinnostavaa uppoutua vieraan maan ja kulttuurin elämään. Aya – elämää Yop Cityssä on kevyt mutta sisällökäs sarjakuvaromaani elämästä Norsunluurannikolla, pääosin nuorten naisten näkökulmasta.
March 4, 2018
The characters and story were light refreshing, a change from the usual depiction of Africa, which is what the author set out to do and achieved.
The illustrations and the colours used in the book are gorgeous!
The illustrations and the colours used in the book are gorgeous!
March 28, 2025
Muito interessante. A arte é incrível. Gostei especialmente da forma como os lugares são desenhados. E as expressões da Aya são ótimas e engraçadas! Fiz várias figurinhas. O final me fez rir bastante e já quero ler o segundo volume.
April 4, 2015
My rating of this one may not be reliable, as I have little experience with graphic novels. I'm calling it 3.5, but giving it the benefit of the doubt and rounding up.
This graphic novel is set in the urban Ivory Coast in the 1970s, following the (mis)adventures of three teenage girls from working-class families. Aya, our protagonist, is the responsible, studious one, with the result that she's often sidelined in favor of her more hedonistic friends.
The book's marketing is a little odd. Yes, it's a story set in Africa without war, famine and so on, but the introduction and blurbs build this period up as a golden age to the point that it starts to sounds like they're saying people living normal lives in Africa is a totally bizarre and fleeting phenomenon. Also, after consistently seeing the book referred to as "charming" and "lighthearted," I was surprised to find how much of the story revolves around promiscuity and sexual harassment. Aya's father tries to pick up a hooker by the side of the road after lying to her mom about it; her best friend goes out dancing (in a very sexual way) with another friend's father, and jumps into the back seat of a car with a boy who bores her the moment she discovers he has money; Aya herself, though uninterested in these shenanigans, is consistently harassed by men on the street and once almost assaulted by a random guy who apparently feels entitled to her attention by virtue of being male. There is certainly humor here, and I laughed out loud at least once, but it isn't all fun and games.
That said, I did enjoy the book. It is entertaining and easy to follow, the sizable cast all have distinct personalities, which seems pretty good for a graphic novel of under 100 pages, and the colorful illustrations do an excellent job of bringing the story and the setting to life. I am not in a rush to read the next in the series, but would be happy to do so at some point.
This graphic novel is set in the urban Ivory Coast in the 1970s, following the (mis)adventures of three teenage girls from working-class families. Aya, our protagonist, is the responsible, studious one, with the result that she's often sidelined in favor of her more hedonistic friends.
The book's marketing is a little odd. Yes, it's a story set in Africa without war, famine and so on, but the introduction and blurbs build this period up as a golden age to the point that it starts to sounds like they're saying people living normal lives in Africa is a totally bizarre and fleeting phenomenon. Also, after consistently seeing the book referred to as "charming" and "lighthearted," I was surprised to find how much of the story revolves around promiscuity and sexual harassment. Aya's father tries to pick up a hooker by the side of the road after lying to her mom about it; her best friend goes out dancing (in a very sexual way) with another friend's father, and jumps into the back seat of a car with a boy who bores her the moment she discovers he has money; Aya herself, though uninterested in these shenanigans, is consistently harassed by men on the street and once almost assaulted by a random guy who apparently feels entitled to her attention by virtue of being male. There is certainly humor here, and I laughed out loud at least once, but it isn't all fun and games.
That said, I did enjoy the book. It is entertaining and easy to follow, the sizable cast all have distinct personalities, which seems pretty good for a graphic novel of under 100 pages, and the colorful illustrations do an excellent job of bringing the story and the setting to life. I am not in a rush to read the next in the series, but would be happy to do so at some point.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 738 reviews