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I escaped a Chinese internment Camp
This graphic novella recounts the true story of Zumrat Dawut, as originally published in the independent online news organization, Insider, through interviews conducted by Anthony Del Col and testimony given to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Zumrat Dawut is a mother of three in the Xinjiang autonomous region in China, who was arrested and sent to a detention facility for simply being a Muslim. There she endured brutal living conditions, torture, interrogations, anti-Muslim propaganda, and sterilization. But that was just the beginning of Zumrat's troubles, who with her husband would soon hatch a plan to escape to America.
This story, featuring art by Golden Kit Award-Winner Fahmida Azim (Samira Surfs), and adapted by best-selling writer Anthony Del Col (Kill Shakespeare), was originally published online by Insider.
I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp is a harrowing, evocative and important story that will enthrall and enlighten readers worldwide.
Zumrat Dawut is a mother of three in the Xinjiang autonomous region in China, who was arrested and sent to a detention facility for simply being a Muslim. There she endured brutal living conditions, torture, interrogations, anti-Muslim propaganda, and sterilization. But that was just the beginning of Zumrat's troubles, who with her husband would soon hatch a plan to escape to America.
This story, featuring art by Golden Kit Award-Winner Fahmida Azim (Samira Surfs), and adapted by best-selling writer Anthony Del Col (Kill Shakespeare), was originally published online by Insider.
I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp is a harrowing, evocative and important story that will enthrall and enlighten readers worldwide.
30 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2023
2 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
April 1, 2023
4.5★ I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp is a true story of Zumrat Dawut, a woman from Xinjiang, an autonomous region in China, a wife, and a mother of three children. One day she is taken to a facility for Uyghur women without knowing what she did wrong.
This nonfiction graphic novel is a quick read. The illustrations are very good, and the style is a bit different. Panels contain only graphics. Text is usually outside and not in bubbles. This graphic novel won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022 for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.
Thanks to Lev Gleason for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.
This nonfiction graphic novel is a quick read. The illustrations are very good, and the style is a bit different. Panels contain only graphics. Text is usually outside and not in bubbles. This graphic novel won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022 for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.
Thanks to Lev Gleason for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.
December 18, 2024
This is a haunting graphic novel about the persecution of Muslims in China. It tells the story of Zumrat Dawut, a Chinese national who back in 2018 was imprisoned during a state crackdown on Muslims.
Zumrat said the persecution had started several years earlier, and Chinese citizens were "seized if the authorities found anything representing Islam in their homes. So people threw out their stuff. The sewers were lined with their copies of the Quran and other objects."
During her detention Zumrat was interrogated and beaten, and eventually the authorities subjected her to forced sterilization.
"What kept me going through all of this ... was vowing to not let them win. Not let the Uyghurs become extinct."
During her detention, Zumrat's husband was doing everything he could to get his wife released. After several months of imprisonment, Zumrat was forced to sign a form stating she had "religious extremist ideas," and then she was allowed to return to her family. But the state monitoring continued, along with forced attendance at ceremonies that praised Xi Jinping.
Zumrat and her family wanted to leave China, and finally in 2019 they were able to buy plane tickets to Pakistan. Still afraid they would be arrested, they flew to the United States as soon as they could. In the book, Zumrat is shown crying with joy and relief when the U.S. Customs agent says, "Welcome to America."
Since immigrating to the United States, Zumrat has spoken out about her ordeal and the Chinese persecution of Muslims. She says she has still been threatened by Chinese officials to stop talking: "But I won't be silent. I need to tell people what's happening to the Uyghurs."
The illustrations in the book are primarily black and white, with the color red being used for emphasis. I liked the spare drawings, which helped emphasize the power of the text. The style reminded me of the impressive graphic memoir "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi, which told of a young woman's experience growing up during the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
The end of the book includes the estimate that between 1 million and 3 million Uyghurs have been placed in "reeducation centers" in China, and it has a follow-up interview with Zumrat, in addition to conversations with the creators of the comic and a human rights group.
I love a good graphic memoir and I highly recommend Zumrat's story if you also appreciate them.*
*Note: Besides "Persepolis," some of my other favorite graphic memoirs are the "March" series by John Lewis, "Maus" by Art Spiegelman, and Guy Delisle's travelogues.
Zumrat said the persecution had started several years earlier, and Chinese citizens were "seized if the authorities found anything representing Islam in their homes. So people threw out their stuff. The sewers were lined with their copies of the Quran and other objects."
During her detention Zumrat was interrogated and beaten, and eventually the authorities subjected her to forced sterilization.
"What kept me going through all of this ... was vowing to not let them win. Not let the Uyghurs become extinct."
During her detention, Zumrat's husband was doing everything he could to get his wife released. After several months of imprisonment, Zumrat was forced to sign a form stating she had "religious extremist ideas," and then she was allowed to return to her family. But the state monitoring continued, along with forced attendance at ceremonies that praised Xi Jinping.
Zumrat and her family wanted to leave China, and finally in 2019 they were able to buy plane tickets to Pakistan. Still afraid they would be arrested, they flew to the United States as soon as they could. In the book, Zumrat is shown crying with joy and relief when the U.S. Customs agent says, "Welcome to America."
Since immigrating to the United States, Zumrat has spoken out about her ordeal and the Chinese persecution of Muslims. She says she has still been threatened by Chinese officials to stop talking: "But I won't be silent. I need to tell people what's happening to the Uyghurs."
The illustrations in the book are primarily black and white, with the color red being used for emphasis. I liked the spare drawings, which helped emphasize the power of the text. The style reminded me of the impressive graphic memoir "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi, which told of a young woman's experience growing up during the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
The end of the book includes the estimate that between 1 million and 3 million Uyghurs have been placed in "reeducation centers" in China, and it has a follow-up interview with Zumrat, in addition to conversations with the creators of the comic and a human rights group.
I love a good graphic memoir and I highly recommend Zumrat's story if you also appreciate them.*
*Note: Besides "Persepolis," some of my other favorite graphic memoirs are the "March" series by John Lewis, "Maus" by Art Spiegelman, and Guy Delisle's travelogues.
October 2, 2023
জুমরাত দাউত, উইঘুর পরিচয়ের জন্য যাকে বন্দীশিবিরে যেতে হয়েছিল। ব্যাস, কাহিনী এতটাই, সব অত্যাচারী শাসকের শাসনে এই কাহিনী-ই ঘুরেফিরে আসে... তাঁর চাক্ষুষ স্বরূপ কেমন ছিল চীনে, তা উঠে এসেছে জুমরাতের জবানবন্দী-তে।
ফাহমিদা আজিম-এর আঁকা এই স্মৃতকথামূলক গ্রাফিক নভেলটা পড়ে দেখুন। আত্মস্মৃতি উপস্থাপনের জন্য গ্রাফিক নভেল একটা পছন্দের মাধ্যম আমার কাছে। এখানে কথক নিজে না আঁকলেও, আর্টিস্টের ব্যবহৃত শৈলী চমৎকার।
-> আঁকার কথাই বলি। অল্প টেক্সট (লেখা), দৃশ্য বেশি, তাতে করে পুরোটা পড়ে যেতে সাকুল্যে দশ মিনিট লাগতে পারে আপনার। ছবির প্যানেলগুলো অনিয়মিত আকৃতির। কখনো অধিক লম্বা প্যানেলের ব্যবহার গল্প বলা-তে অবদান রেখেছে। আর, রঙ। গল্পের অধিকাংশজুড়ে সাদাকালো ছাড়া অন্য রঙ কমই ব্যবহার হয়েছে। লাল রঙের ব্যবহার 'কষ্ট' এবং 'যন্ত্রণা' ফুটিয়ে তুলেছে, ক্ষেত্রবিশেষে সে রঙের তারতম্য আলাদা মাত্রা যোগ করেছে।
-> একটা চমৎকার ব্যাপার কী জানেন, ৮৮ পৃষ্ঠার এই গ্রাফিক নভেল-টা মূলত সংবাদ সংস্থা Insider প্রকাশ করেছিল, দাউত-এর সাক্ষাৎকার থেকে। একটা সংবাদ অথবা নিউজ স্টোরিকে উপস্থাপনের জন্য গ্রাফিক মিডিইয়া ব্যবহার আমাদের কাছে কিছুটা নতুন, তাই না? অথচ আঁকা গল্পের প্রভাব নিঃসন্দেহে লিখে ছাপানোর চাইতে বেশি হয়েছে।
এমনকি এটা ২০২২ সালের পুলিতৎজার পুরষ্কার জিতেছিল যে শ্রেণীতে, তার নাম “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”
The act of an independent country exploiting a part of their people like they're lesser citizen — this often seems unbelievable yet that's the ever-occuring reality. You read it. And I hope, you might see/notice the repeating history, in the past, in the present, around you.
ফাহমিদা আজিম-এর আঁকা এই স্মৃতকথামূলক গ্রাফিক নভেলটা পড়ে দেখুন। আত্মস্মৃতি উপস্থাপনের জন্য গ্রাফিক নভেল একটা পছন্দের মাধ্যম আমার কাছে। এখানে কথক নিজে না আঁকলেও, আর্টিস্টের ব্যবহৃত শৈলী চমৎকার।
-> আঁকার কথাই বলি। অল্প টেক্সট (লেখা), দৃশ্য বেশি, তাতে করে পুরোটা পড়ে যেতে সাকুল্যে দশ মিনিট লাগতে পারে আপনার। ছবির প্যানেলগুলো অনিয়মিত আকৃতির। কখনো অধিক লম্বা প্যানেলের ব্যবহার গল্প বলা-তে অবদান রেখেছে। আর, রঙ। গল্পের অধিকাংশজুড়ে সাদাকালো ছাড়া অন্য রঙ কমই ব্যবহার হয়েছে। লাল রঙের ব্যবহার 'কষ্ট' এবং 'যন্ত্রণা' ফুটিয়ে তুলেছে, ক্ষেত্রবিশেষে সে রঙের তারতম্য আলাদা মাত্রা যোগ করেছে।
-> একটা চমৎকার ব্যাপার কী জানেন, ৮৮ পৃষ্ঠার এই গ্রাফিক নভেল-টা মূলত সংবাদ সংস্থা Insider প্রকাশ করেছিল, দাউত-এর সাক্ষাৎকার থেকে। একটা সংবাদ অথবা নিউজ স্টোরিকে উপস্থাপনের জন্য গ্রাফিক মিডিইয়া ব্যবহার আমাদের কাছে কিছুটা নতুন, তাই না? অথচ আঁকা গল্পের প্রভাব নিঃসন্দেহে লিখে ছাপানোর চাইতে বেশি হয়েছে।
এমনকি এটা ২০২২ সালের পুলিতৎজার পুরষ্কার জিতেছিল যে শ্রেণীতে, তার নাম “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”
The act of an independent country exploiting a part of their people like they're lesser citizen — this often seems unbelievable yet that's the ever-occuring reality. You read it. And I hope, you might see/notice the repeating history, in the past, in the present, around you.
January 13, 2026
Zumrat Dawut, Uyghur woman, is imprisoned in China for being Muslim and having three children. Chinese authorities use inhumane conditions and beatings in an attempt to re-educate her about the existence of Allah and even more despicable means to keep her from having more children.
It's a pretty harrowing narrative, but it does have a positive outcome.
While the story is good and informative, I do have some reservations about the overall package.
First, I have a quibble with the title in that there is no actual escape. At a certain point, Dawut is released from imprisonment without explanation. The Chinese government even issues her a passport to leave the country for a trip, and she simply chooses not to return. So the title feels sensationalized, if not misleading.
The extra material around the story also rubbed me the wrong way. The publisher and creative team are proud they won a Pulitzer, and that is an admirable achievement, but they go overboard on the self-congratulations at times. I'd rather the space had been used for additional information and history of this ongoing situation.
Finally, I also question the thought process that decided it was more important to have the art director's name on the cover rather than the subject of the book. I'm sure Josh Adams worked hard on the project, but he didn't draw it, he didn't write it, and he certainly didn't live it. It's not a good look.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents:
• Foreword / Nicholas Carlson
• I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp / Condensed and edited by Anthony Del Col; Based on interviews and testimony with Zumrat Dawut; Art by Fahmida Azim, Colors by Rebecca Good
• "We're free to do whatever we want, so we are very happy." A Follow-Up Interview with Zumrat Dawut, Conducted May 15, 2023 / Tranlsation by Zubayra Shamseden
• "I don't care. I'm doing this. This is important." A Conversation with the Creators of the Comic, From a Talk Held at Insider's Offices on October 19, 2022 (Edited for Space) / Moderated by Nicholas Carlson, including Walt Hickey, Josh Adams, Anthony Del Col, and Fahmida Azim
• "Standing up for truth and justice is a blow against evil." An Interview with Uyghur Human Rights Project's Louisa Greve, Conducted May 2, 2023 / Anthony Del Col and Walter Hickey
• I Escaped a Chinese Interment Camp: Teaching/Discussion Guide
• Process Art / Art by Fahmida Azim, Colors by Rebecca Good
• [About the Creators]
It's a pretty harrowing narrative, but it does have a positive outcome.
While the story is good and informative, I do have some reservations about the overall package.
First, I have a quibble with the title in that there is no actual escape. At a certain point, Dawut is released from imprisonment without explanation. The Chinese government even issues her a passport to leave the country for a trip, and she simply chooses not to return. So the title feels sensationalized, if not misleading.
The extra material around the story also rubbed me the wrong way. The publisher and creative team are proud they won a Pulitzer, and that is an admirable achievement, but they go overboard on the self-congratulations at times. I'd rather the space had been used for additional information and history of this ongoing situation.
Finally, I also question the thought process that decided it was more important to have the art director's name on the cover rather than the subject of the book. I'm sure Josh Adams worked hard on the project, but he didn't draw it, he didn't write it, and he certainly didn't live it. It's not a good look.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents:
• Foreword / Nicholas Carlson
• I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp / Condensed and edited by Anthony Del Col; Based on interviews and testimony with Zumrat Dawut; Art by Fahmida Azim, Colors by Rebecca Good
• "We're free to do whatever we want, so we are very happy." A Follow-Up Interview with Zumrat Dawut, Conducted May 15, 2023 / Tranlsation by Zubayra Shamseden
• "I don't care. I'm doing this. This is important." A Conversation with the Creators of the Comic, From a Talk Held at Insider's Offices on October 19, 2022 (Edited for Space) / Moderated by Nicholas Carlson, including Walt Hickey, Josh Adams, Anthony Del Col, and Fahmida Azim
• "Standing up for truth and justice is a blow against evil." An Interview with Uyghur Human Rights Project's Louisa Greve, Conducted May 2, 2023 / Anthony Del Col and Walter Hickey
• I Escaped a Chinese Interment Camp: Teaching/Discussion Guide
• Process Art / Art by Fahmida Azim, Colors by Rebecca Good
• [About the Creators]
November 10, 2023
This Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novella is a short but harrowing read. It's based on interviews and testimony from Zumrat Dawut, a mother of three living in China who is arrested and sent to an internment camp just for being Muslim. While there, she is subjected to and witnessed multiple beatings and other atrocities. At one point after her release, she was even taken to a hospital and forcibly sterilized. Thankfully, she was able to flee China and is now living safely in America.
The novella is very direct in its writing. I would have liked more background and context, however. The artwork fits well with the emotions that Dawut is facing during this time. I would recommend this to everyone.
My appreciation to Diamond Books, Lev Gleason, Zumrat Dawut, et. al., and Edelweiss for gifting me a digital copy of this novella. My opinions are my own.
The novella is very direct in its writing. I would have liked more background and context, however. The artwork fits well with the emotions that Dawut is facing during this time. I would recommend this to everyone.
My appreciation to Diamond Books, Lev Gleason, Zumrat Dawut, et. al., and Edelweiss for gifting me a digital copy of this novella. My opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2025
An excellent memoir. The artwork did a good job of encompassing Zumrat’s story. My only wish was the story to be a little bit longer.
4.5 stars ☆
4.5 stars ☆
August 16, 2023
This is a very graphic, straightforward story told in simple language about the horrors of a Chinese internment camp simply because Zumrat was Muslim, and would not give up her faith. She is tortured, interrogated, and eventually sterilized, before she escapes with her family.
Told in short sentences. The graphics are very stark. Short quick read.
This is based on her interviews with journalists once she was free. The simple, short sentences and bleak illustrations work well together. One almost wishes there were more to the story, but then, do we need to know more about the torture?
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 12th of September 2023.
Told in short sentences. The graphics are very stark. Short quick read.
This is based on her interviews with journalists once she was free. The simple, short sentences and bleak illustrations work well together. One almost wishes there were more to the story, but then, do we need to know more about the torture?
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 12th of September 2023.
March 2, 2024
Powerful use of graphic media to tell story of Uyghur treatment by China. Winner of Pulitzer prize for Illustrated Reporting.
September 4, 2024
Damn powerful personal account, this book is definitely fast paced and doesn't explore much besides the personal account of the survivor. That alone is powerful enough to be read. I do wish there was more to explore here, more accounts to be read here from other Muslims during that situation, but this is more about spreading awareness to something important.
The editor of this novel said that in terms of the art style, it was the eyes of Zumrat that struck him the most. And I have to heavily agree with that. Some of the art depiction is both beautifully tragic and hauntingly dark. The expression on her face after her hair has been cut is one particularly striking image for me.
An important story for all to read. Definitely shouldn't pass this up.
The editor of this novel said that in terms of the art style, it was the eyes of Zumrat that struck him the most. And I have to heavily agree with that. Some of the art depiction is both beautifully tragic and hauntingly dark. The expression on her face after her hair has been cut is one particularly striking image for me.
An important story for all to read. Definitely shouldn't pass this up.
August 26, 2023
This is a fast-paced, straightforward graphic novel which unfolds the story of Zumrat Dawut, a woman who was imprisoned in a Chinese camp due to her Muslim beliefs.
In a few pages we see how the Chinese government took her from her family and forced her to live inside the camp along other women who suffered the same fate. These people re-educated them out of their religion, they beat, questioned and deprived them from basic food and health services.
Zumrat was in there for over 60 days and whilst being inside, her husband tried to speak to authorities, to the Chinese government and somehow, after those agonizing days, she found her way out of the country and got a new chance to live with her family in the US.
Now, despite being so short, we clearly see how much she had to endure, how much the Chinese government mistreated her only for her religion. They even sterilized her without her consent and threaten her ‘cause she was brave enough to speaking her truth to the media.
To be honest, I don’t know much about this topic since I live in Mexico, but I believe no one should be persecuted for their religion or the lack thereof. We’ve seen countless of lives taken due to misunderstandings and radical opinions on how one should act, think and say.
I praise Zumrat’s courage to keep going despite her imprisonment and how she never stopped believing she would see her family one day. I fully recommend this graphic novel so we’re at least aware of the problem even if we’re from different countries.
I received an e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review via Diamond Comics Distributors.
In a few pages we see how the Chinese government took her from her family and forced her to live inside the camp along other women who suffered the same fate. These people re-educated them out of their religion, they beat, questioned and deprived them from basic food and health services.
Zumrat was in there for over 60 days and whilst being inside, her husband tried to speak to authorities, to the Chinese government and somehow, after those agonizing days, she found her way out of the country and got a new chance to live with her family in the US.
Now, despite being so short, we clearly see how much she had to endure, how much the Chinese government mistreated her only for her religion. They even sterilized her without her consent and threaten her ‘cause she was brave enough to speaking her truth to the media.
To be honest, I don’t know much about this topic since I live in Mexico, but I believe no one should be persecuted for their religion or the lack thereof. We’ve seen countless of lives taken due to misunderstandings and radical opinions on how one should act, think and say.
I praise Zumrat’s courage to keep going despite her imprisonment and how she never stopped believing she would see her family one day. I fully recommend this graphic novel so we’re at least aware of the problem even if we’re from different countries.
I received an e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review via Diamond Comics Distributors.
April 14, 2024
Very powerful and makes me so angry (and scared, quite frankly) that this is still going on in this day and age. People need to be aware of what these women are going through and end the hatred toward refugees. What they have endured is hell. They deserve a safe place in our world.
March 17, 2025
A Pulitzer Prize winner, seriously??
I would think a Pulitzer-winning "graphic novel" would have a bit more substance than this. The editor basically says in the foreword that they're dumbing down the story to get low-information people to read it, soooo maybe you should include some context and, ya know, information? This could have been really good, but unfortunately it's about an eight minute read and contains less information than you could fit in an Instagram caption.
I would think a Pulitzer-winning "graphic novel" would have a bit more substance than this. The editor basically says in the foreword that they're dumbing down the story to get low-information people to read it, soooo maybe you should include some context and, ya know, information? This could have been really good, but unfortunately it's about an eight minute read and contains less information than you could fit in an Instagram caption.
May 7, 2024
Moving and heartbreaking and a must-read for everyone. The only reason this wasn’t 5 stars is because the publication quality of the supplemental interviews was poor. It needed another pass through with edits.
December 15, 2022
This short but evocative graphic novella tells the story of a Uyghur woman who is sent away to a reeducation camp and who is also sterilized against her will. It shows the brutality of China’s totalitarianism at its most oppressive. It’s easy to see China as a fairly benign - if autocratic - regime until one learns about the Orwellian nightmare that exists for some minorities deep within the country.
FYI – This book won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”
I’d highly recommend reading this work as it shines a light deep down the rabbit hole of Chinese governance.
FYI – This book won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”
I’d highly recommend reading this work as it shines a light deep down the rabbit hole of Chinese governance.
July 29, 2024
A short, but immensely powerful work. Zumrat Dawut recounts the horrific persecution and torment that she experienced under the Chinese government.
This graphic novel preserves her story and offers readers not just insight, but actions they can take to help end genocide. In particular, calling on politicians to stand up for human rights.
This graphic novel preserves her story and offers readers not just insight, but actions they can take to help end genocide. In particular, calling on politicians to stand up for human rights.
February 27, 2024
If you read only one book this year, read this one. Don't skip the interviews in the back.
January 2, 2025
Graphic novels are a great vehicle got non-fiction stories and testimonies.
August 27, 2025
Very brief but powerful comic on the CCP's Han-colonization of East Turkestan and oppression against the Uighur that needs to be known. Useful as teaching material for many ages.
January 9, 2025
Heartbreaking that this is happening in 2024. A powerful and educating read for everyone.
April 25, 2023
Quite important. And real facts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2024
This is a short and sobering graphic memoir that, through the story of one woman's harrowing experience, teaches readers about the human rights abuses being visited upon the Uyghur people by authorities in China.
July 17, 2025
A heartbreaking and terrifying exposé of one of the world’s most prosperous, tyrannical regimes. And also a hopeful, realistic look at the positives of the American immigration/refugee acceptance system. Read this and be moved.
July 4, 2024
3.5 stars
Ngl, I did not know what to expect but I definitely expected this to be a longer and more detailed graphic novel!!!
I don’t think I did enough research tbh I just saw OMG A GRAPHIC NOVEL ABOUT THE UYGHURS LET ME GET THIS FOR THE LIBRARY!
While I get this is one person’s harrowing experience…I really think they should have given more context about the situation especially since many people do not know about the plight of the Uyghurs and their ongoing genocide.
It would have been nice to have more of a backstory and about Zumrat and the Uyghur culture and of course about their faith since that’s the main thing being targeted!
I would have liked to have seen how people felt having to throw away Qurans which is the most important book for Muslims!!! That scene was heartbreaking as were the rest especially the sterilising scene 💔💔💔
But I really think they could have done a more in depth graphic novel with more context and also explains WHY the Chinese are doing this especially since teenagers will be reading this.
As someone said before it feels like it’s a draft and I get they did this in 2 weeks but I think it would have been better to have maybe done different people’s stories as short stories or just a more detailed graphic novel as I definitely expected more.
I did like the interviews at the back but I know most students won’t read them.
I have read many incredible and detailed graphic memoirs and despite the harrowing subject matter…it could have been better. I was expecting more of a Maus/Hey Kiddo kind of thing tbh…
Anyhew, I would still recommend this but I think the students will feel like they didn’t get enough from this as it is way too short.
Ngl, I did not know what to expect but I definitely expected this to be a longer and more detailed graphic novel!!!
I don’t think I did enough research tbh I just saw OMG A GRAPHIC NOVEL ABOUT THE UYGHURS LET ME GET THIS FOR THE LIBRARY!
While I get this is one person’s harrowing experience…I really think they should have given more context about the situation especially since many people do not know about the plight of the Uyghurs and their ongoing genocide.
It would have been nice to have more of a backstory and about Zumrat and the Uyghur culture and of course about their faith since that’s the main thing being targeted!
I would have liked to have seen how people felt having to throw away Qurans which is the most important book for Muslims!!! That scene was heartbreaking as were the rest especially the sterilising scene 💔💔💔
But I really think they could have done a more in depth graphic novel with more context and also explains WHY the Chinese are doing this especially since teenagers will be reading this.
As someone said before it feels like it’s a draft and I get they did this in 2 weeks but I think it would have been better to have maybe done different people’s stories as short stories or just a more detailed graphic novel as I definitely expected more.
I did like the interviews at the back but I know most students won’t read them.
I have read many incredible and detailed graphic memoirs and despite the harrowing subject matter…it could have been better. I was expecting more of a Maus/Hey Kiddo kind of thing tbh…
Anyhew, I would still recommend this but I think the students will feel like they didn’t get enough from this as it is way too short.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2024
a quick but enlightening read about one uyghur woman's experience in a chinese detention camp. i would have loved to use this in my english classroom.
the first person narration in translation is simple but highly effective, especially paired with the evocative art depicting the narrator's experiences in a limited color palette. one spread showing uyghurs' discarded qurans in a drainage ditch reminded me of the photos from the holocaust of massive piles of personal belongings - shoes, wedding rings, etc. - that were seized from the victims upon arrival to the concentration camps.
there are supplemental interviews after the story itself, but i would have liked to see a lot more background and context embedded within the story. this won the pulitzer prize for illustrated journalism, so i guess i expected something more along the lines of the kind of comprehensive multimedia reporting you see on major news sites. bearing in mind the authors' intention in bringing the general public's attention to a major newsworthy event like they said their illustrated reporting on the mueller report aimed to do, this feels like a solid first draft, but a draft nonetheless.
the first person narration in translation is simple but highly effective, especially paired with the evocative art depicting the narrator's experiences in a limited color palette. one spread showing uyghurs' discarded qurans in a drainage ditch reminded me of the photos from the holocaust of massive piles of personal belongings - shoes, wedding rings, etc. - that were seized from the victims upon arrival to the concentration camps.
there are supplemental interviews after the story itself, but i would have liked to see a lot more background and context embedded within the story. this won the pulitzer prize for illustrated journalism, so i guess i expected something more along the lines of the kind of comprehensive multimedia reporting you see on major news sites. bearing in mind the authors' intention in bringing the general public's attention to a major newsworthy event like they said their illustrated reporting on the mueller report aimed to do, this feels like a solid first draft, but a draft nonetheless.
December 14, 2022
It kind of feels that such an important book should not be this short. It's also a relief that in a way we get so little of the bad, and that the subject got to feel the good afterwards, balancing out and reducing the horrors she went through. On this evidence, Zumrat Dawut is a beautiful woman, of larger build, and a Uyghur Muslim – the very kind of mass-breeding and non-Chinese Chinese the Chinese are trying to get rid of. Indeed they're trying to get rid of them so intently they're, er, putting them in camps and keeping them captive. Go figure.
There's no escaping the hard facts here, that Zumrat was forced away from her family, and driven to an internment camp where the dorm had half the beds needed, so it was a rota of three hours on, three hours off, and the days were centred around shite food and five hour Chinese propaganda lectures. Oh, and beating. Oh, and worse. But it also has to be said the book has a perfect bell curve, starting with freedom and international travel, and ending with roughly the same.
It's the presentation that is the key here, which is why I think this won a Pulitzer – surely the first graphic I've read to do so since "Maus". This is very sparse. Margins are wide, images are one or two a page and very, very seldom more, and seldom of more than two colours alongside the black and white, and the text is honed to such a level it could be read in well under fifteen minutes. I think, however, this is to the book's credit, meaning this has the simplified approach that means – with very, very careful adult guidance, at least – this could be read by most age groups.
That does open this up to the charge that this is weak journalism, and that the thousands of lives affected – it's thought you can pick any number between one million and three and that's the amount of Uyghurs with camp experience �� deserve more detail, more intimacy, more forensic evidence. But there is definitely a relief that Zumrat does not have to sit and give us more testimony, both for our sakes and of course for hers. That is purely the result of strong editing and not the reality of it all, I am sure, but the balance is that this book is a definite success.
There's no escaping the hard facts here, that Zumrat was forced away from her family, and driven to an internment camp where the dorm had half the beds needed, so it was a rota of three hours on, three hours off, and the days were centred around shite food and five hour Chinese propaganda lectures. Oh, and beating. Oh, and worse. But it also has to be said the book has a perfect bell curve, starting with freedom and international travel, and ending with roughly the same.
It's the presentation that is the key here, which is why I think this won a Pulitzer – surely the first graphic I've read to do so since "Maus". This is very sparse. Margins are wide, images are one or two a page and very, very seldom more, and seldom of more than two colours alongside the black and white, and the text is honed to such a level it could be read in well under fifteen minutes. I think, however, this is to the book's credit, meaning this has the simplified approach that means – with very, very careful adult guidance, at least – this could be read by most age groups.
That does open this up to the charge that this is weak journalism, and that the thousands of lives affected – it's thought you can pick any number between one million and three and that's the amount of Uyghurs with camp experience �� deserve more detail, more intimacy, more forensic evidence. But there is definitely a relief that Zumrat does not have to sit and give us more testimony, both for our sakes and of course for hers. That is purely the result of strong editing and not the reality of it all, I am sure, but the balance is that this book is a definite success.
March 31, 2024
Many thanks to Publisher Spotlight for sending me a review copy of this book.
First published online, this graphic novel that is based on interviews and testimony with Zumrat Dawut was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary in 2022. It is now available in print form...
Born in 1982 in East Turkistan, a part of China, Dawut and her family were content until November 2016, when life began to become under the micromanaging control of the Chinese government. Uyghurs were persecuted for their Muslim possessions and beliefs. In 2018, Dawut was taken by force to a reeducation center where she was abused in every way possible until she was finally sterilized so she would bear no more children. After she is finally released, she and her husband scheme to leave Chinese influence behind. In a real-life escape, the family finally make it to the U.S., where they have gained asylum. Dawut's heart-wrenching tale is but one example of the humanitarian horrors being perpetrated by the Chinese on the Uyghurs today.
The graphic novella is brief, at 79 pages, but direct and to the point. Del Col's script is riviting. Fahmida Azim's artwork is expressive - particularly notable is the fact readers can look her in the eye and see what she is feeling. Limited use of color and allowing the image to also tell the story help give this a one-two punch.
Backmatter includes an interview with Dawut, a conversation with the comic's creators, an interview with an activist for the Uyghur Human Rights Project, a teacher discussion guide, a few frames showing the art process, and bios about the creators.
Include this quick read in discussions of human rights violations, for grades 8-adult.
First published online, this graphic novel that is based on interviews and testimony with Zumrat Dawut was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Illustrated Reporting and Commentary in 2022. It is now available in print form...
Born in 1982 in East Turkistan, a part of China, Dawut and her family were content until November 2016, when life began to become under the micromanaging control of the Chinese government. Uyghurs were persecuted for their Muslim possessions and beliefs. In 2018, Dawut was taken by force to a reeducation center where she was abused in every way possible until she was finally sterilized so she would bear no more children. After she is finally released, she and her husband scheme to leave Chinese influence behind. In a real-life escape, the family finally make it to the U.S., where they have gained asylum. Dawut's heart-wrenching tale is but one example of the humanitarian horrors being perpetrated by the Chinese on the Uyghurs today.
The graphic novella is brief, at 79 pages, but direct and to the point. Del Col's script is riviting. Fahmida Azim's artwork is expressive - particularly notable is the fact readers can look her in the eye and see what she is feeling. Limited use of color and allowing the image to also tell the story help give this a one-two punch.
Backmatter includes an interview with Dawut, a conversation with the comic's creators, an interview with an activist for the Uyghur Human Rights Project, a teacher discussion guide, a few frames showing the art process, and bios about the creators.
Include this quick read in discussions of human rights violations, for grades 8-adult.
September 29, 2024
Once again, curiosity won out over this real-life comic strip. I've recently become interested in the situation in China and couldn't pass up this story.
The story tells of an Uyghur woman (of Turkish origin, living in a Chinese region called East Turkestan) whose life was turned upside down, not to say controlled, by the oppressive Chinese Communist Party, which monitored her every move. This woman tells us about her disturbing and horrifying stay in a Chinese internment camp, during which she was beaten, whipped and brainwashed into denying her faith in Islam.
The first 60% of the book deals with the fabulously illustrated story of this courageous woman, who was able to escape the Chinese internment camp to live in the USA with her family. The rest of the book is a series of interviews, notably with the protagonist, but also the entire process that led to the conception and creation of the comic strip. Although I was interested, I have to admit that this part bored me a little.
Nevertheless, the story remains touching and poignant, and allows us to learn a little more about the opressive regime in China.
The story tells of an Uyghur woman (of Turkish origin, living in a Chinese region called East Turkestan) whose life was turned upside down, not to say controlled, by the oppressive Chinese Communist Party, which monitored her every move. This woman tells us about her disturbing and horrifying stay in a Chinese internment camp, during which she was beaten, whipped and brainwashed into denying her faith in Islam.
The first 60% of the book deals with the fabulously illustrated story of this courageous woman, who was able to escape the Chinese internment camp to live in the USA with her family. The rest of the book is a series of interviews, notably with the protagonist, but also the entire process that led to the conception and creation of the comic strip. Although I was interested, I have to admit that this part bored me a little.
Nevertheless, the story remains touching and poignant, and allows us to learn a little more about the opressive regime in China.
April 16, 2024
It’s pretty remarkable that the people who made this comic managed to make it informative and understandable for such a wide age range. I can absolutely see this being used in a 6th grade classroom setting, but it’s not simplified for young readers.
I know very little about the treatment of, and genocide against, Uyghurs. This is an effective starting point, and something I need to read more about. Zumrat Dawut’s story is something that shouldn’t be happening in the modern world, and yet, here we are. This is a good introduction to one woman’s firsthand account of her experiences. It doesn’t go deep into detail, but the visual elements are really effective.
I know a lot of people are reading about Palestine right now, and it’s all intertwined.
The version I read also had some backmatter that was… very poorly written. But there is a book discussion group to help facilitate classroom conversations!
I know very little about the treatment of, and genocide against, Uyghurs. This is an effective starting point, and something I need to read more about. Zumrat Dawut’s story is something that shouldn’t be happening in the modern world, and yet, here we are. This is a good introduction to one woman’s firsthand account of her experiences. It doesn’t go deep into detail, but the visual elements are really effective.
I know a lot of people are reading about Palestine right now, and it’s all intertwined.
The version I read also had some backmatter that was… very poorly written. But there is a book discussion group to help facilitate classroom conversations!
July 8, 2025
This is a very short book, with a large impact as a direct interview was its source. After the brief story follows a lengthy amount of back matter with educational use question sheets, and explaining thereon this book exists, was created, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. It's a form of journalism that makes a very serious and frightening situation more easily relatable, understood, but does not fictionalize to alter the words of the person who was in a Chinese Internment Camp. It does not proceed share any lengthy further investigation. It doesn't answer every question a reader may have. It offers itself simply, straightforwardly with words not spiced up by a novel writer's touch, and which reveals many emotions and acts through artistic methods of symbolic placement, limited color choices, and body, facial expression. There are some photos after of the real person and her family as well.
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January 11, 2025A very short but moving graphic novella/memoir/account that won the Pullitzer Prize for illustrated reporting. And I'm trying to think about it and evaluate it more in that sense, its goal perhaps to inform and educate as much as in its craft, and to try hold the attention of someone with no previous knowledge. The story is kept simple and factual and much detail is left out. I do try to read anything I come across about the Uyghurs. The Chinese government's attempted genocide is so brutal and extensive and so incredibly underreported, and one is left to wonder why everyone in my country has a passionate opinion on certain world conflicts while probably most Canadians haven't heard of and don't care about the Uyghurs. So I wasn't the audience for this book really, but I'm so glad it exists to tell the story of this courageous woman.
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