Poland is born anew within the late Eighties. Like most births, it’s messy. Put up-Soviet Poland has transitioned to a capitalist economic system, leaving deep trenches of flux and discord in its wake. Inflation is sky excessive, complete neighborhoods are left jobless, and there isn’t sufficient meals to go round.

Breadcrumbs is the memoir of Kasia Babis, who was born in and grew up throughout this time of huge change. Her dedication goes out to her closest buddies, as they “survived being women collectively.” It’s a hard-hitting assertion. To an American reader (like myself), that is already a tough factor. To somebody who needed to survive being a lady and in a rustic in political and cultural disarray, properly, that simply builds higher character, proper?

Babis fights her means by means of adolescence, forges her private beliefs towards the backdrop of a fiercely Catholic nation, and wades by means of the misinformation, nationalism, financial upheaval, and arduous truths about her life and buddies in a post-Soviet world. This story is about rising up in a rapidly-changing world and the way some folks select to manage. Some get swept alongside, others self-medicate, and Babis chooses to develop into energetic in protests. It’s a compelling story, and has a considerably harrowing ending.

I’m a giant fan of minimalist shade palettes and Babis retains it quite simple with washed out grays and splotches of pink right here and there – typically to indicate significance, typically not. It’s a shade mixture I’ve seen generate concern and stark distinction, however the guide continues to be filled with pleasant faces. There’s a good hand-drawn high quality to the uneven, thick traces that border every panel and determine. The drawings depicting Babis and her story are a bit evocative of the work of Kate Beaton (largely sensible with some cartoonish components), which I solely point out due to the sections that element historical past. These panels are achieved with cautious consideration to the bodily particulars of the historic figures they describe and end in a colder, extra indifferent model.

Breadcrumbs’ narrative touches on quite a lot of topics and matters that youthful readers may not perceive or be prepared for; advanced concepts like communism vs. capitalism vs. democratic socialism, separation of presidency powers, generational trauma, home violence, abortion, girls’s rights, and males’s points. The writer, twenty third St. (an imprint of Roaring Guide Press) states particularly its works are “for grown-ups.” I believe this narrative casts a barely wider web than that – I guess highschool readers would discover lots to chew on. In any other case, maintain this one on the tall cabinets for different grownup readers. It’s a gripping memoir within the vein of Persepolis and The Greatest We May Do.

Breadcrumbs
By Kasia Babis
twenty third Avenue, 2025
ISBN: 9781250877871
Writer Age Advice: Grownup
NFNT Age Advice: Grownup, Highschool
Character Illustration: Polish

Breadcrumbs Coming of Age in Put up-Soviet Poland
By Kasia Babis
twenty third St., 2025
ISBN: 9781250877871

Firm Age Ranking: 18+ 

NFNT Age Advice: Grownup (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Creator Illustration:  Polish,
Character Illustration: Polish,