Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Jonathan Cape (2007), Hardcover, 172 pages
Description
Set in modern-day Tel Aviv, a young man, Koby Franco, receives an urgent phone call from a female soldier. Learning that his estranged father may have been a victim of a suicide bombing in Hadera, Koby reluctantly joins the soldier in searching for clues. His death would certainly explain his empty apartment and disconnected phone line. As Koby tries to unravel the mystery of his father's death, he finds himself piecing together not only the last few months of his father's life but his entire identity.
Media reviews
This astoundingly thought-provoking book is one of the best of the year, demonstrating the full power of the comic medium.
A heart-piercing, tough-minded love story.
User reviews
LibraryThing member verenka
A graphic novel set in Israel, about a young taxi driver who is suddenly approached by a young woman, claiming to be his estranged father’s girlfriend and wanting to find him. She believes he was killed in an attack on a train station and his body remained unidentified. Against his will the main
Nice, clear art and a very interesting story with an end that might not be satisfying but realistic.
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character is drawn into the search for the missing father.Nice, clear art and a very interesting story with an end that might not be satisfying but realistic.
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LibraryThing member dr_zirk
I picked up Exit Wounds based on a bookstore recommendation, without having any previous familiarity with Rutu Modan and her work. Drawn & Quarterly has done such a fantastic job of packaging this book that is was hard to resist as an impulse purchase!
The good news is that Exit Wounds is very
Another aspect of this book that deserves mention is the animation-like quality of Modan's artwork, as she often highlights her principal characters with darker lines and bolder colors than she assigns to backgrounds or secondary characters. Combined with the unadorned line work, this gives Modan's panels a feeling of fluidity and movement that is quite an accomplishment for the necessarily "still" world of a the graphic novel.
The good news is that Exit Wounds is very
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worthwhile, and features an intriguing mix of deceptively simple line work joined with rich colors and well-designed page and panel layouts. Modan is sure enough of her skills to avoid introducing unnecessary visual complexity into her tale, and the resulting emphasis on character development is the real reward of reading Exit Wounds.Another aspect of this book that deserves mention is the animation-like quality of Modan's artwork, as she often highlights her principal characters with darker lines and bolder colors than she assigns to backgrounds or secondary characters. Combined with the unadorned line work, this gives Modan's panels a feeling of fluidity and movement that is quite an accomplishment for the necessarily "still" world of a the graphic novel.
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LibraryThing member blueslibrarian
Exit Wounds is a graphic novel about Koby, a taxicab driver in Tel Aviv, Israel who is searching for his missing father in the wake of a suicide bombing. Koby is contacted by Numi, a former army officer who was having a relationship with Koby's father. She hasn't been able to contact Koby's father,
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and wonders if a blood test could determine the identity of a body at the scene thought to be Koby's father. Together Koby and Numi travel throughout Israel gathering information for witnesses and try to piece the final days of Koby's father together to find closure. This is a very interesting portrayal of contemporary Israel, split along working class and upper class lines and dealing with fractured families and the ever present fear of terrorism. The narrative has its most direct impact as the story of the difficult relationship between Koby and his father is unveiled. The artistic style is direct and unadorned and the story itself is lyrical and pithy. Show Less
LibraryThing member MeriJenBen
Set in modern-day Tel Aviv, a young man, Koby Franco, receives an urgent phone call from a female soldier. Learning that his estranged father may have been a victim of a suicide bombing in Hadera, Koby reluctantly joins the soldier, a young woman who was intimate with themissing man, in searching
In this quietly moving piece of graphic fiction, Modan makes the savvy choice not to introduce the reader to Gabriel, Kody's father. In doing so, she puts the focus squarely on Kody, and on the different strata of Israeli society. Clean, spare artwork nicely complements the still story, where no great revelations are made, and some questions go unanswered.
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for clues. His death would certainly explain his empty apartment and disconnected phone line. As Koby tries to unravel the mystery of his father's death, he finds himself piecing together not only the last few months of his father's life but his entire identity.In this quietly moving piece of graphic fiction, Modan makes the savvy choice not to introduce the reader to Gabriel, Kody's father. In doing so, she puts the focus squarely on Kody, and on the different strata of Israeli society. Clean, spare artwork nicely complements the still story, where no great revelations are made, and some questions go unanswered.
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LibraryThing member shawnr
Rutu Modan’s Exit Wounds has been getting a lot of notice this year, and with good cause. Based in Tel-Aviv, she draws in a clean line style about life in Israel. The somewhat foreign quality of the illustration combines nicely with her subject matter to create a novel that is easy to read yet
The story revolves around Koby, a young man who drives a taxi in Tel-Aviv, and Numi, a woman his age who happens to have had a relationship with his father, a deadbeat dad named Gabriel. Numi fears Gabriel has been killed in a suicide bombing and involved Koby in her search for answers.
Although the setting and circumstances are not very well explored in contemporary comics, the plot remains steadfastly conventional. A romance blooms between Numi and Koby, destined to be a tortured romance due to their previous relationships with Gabriel.
Modan is clearly a great artist and working with some compelling material. Exit Wounds is an indication that we should be keeping an eye out for her future work, although I will be hoping for her to escape the confines of conventionality.
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somewhat exotic (for readers outside Israel, at least).The story revolves around Koby, a young man who drives a taxi in Tel-Aviv, and Numi, a woman his age who happens to have had a relationship with his father, a deadbeat dad named Gabriel. Numi fears Gabriel has been killed in a suicide bombing and involved Koby in her search for answers.
Although the setting and circumstances are not very well explored in contemporary comics, the plot remains steadfastly conventional. A romance blooms between Numi and Koby, destined to be a tortured romance due to their previous relationships with Gabriel.
Modan is clearly a great artist and working with some compelling material. Exit Wounds is an indication that we should be keeping an eye out for her future work, although I will be hoping for her to escape the confines of conventionality.
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LibraryThing member duck2ducks
"Do you think that every time we meet a person we should treat it like it was the last time we were ever going to see them?"
This Israeli author tells the story of Koby, a self-involved taxi driver in Tel Aviv who is approached by a female soldier regarding his father - a man she has reason to
This Israeli author tells the story of Koby, a self-involved taxi driver in Tel Aviv who is approached by a female soldier regarding his father - a man she has reason to
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believe was one of the unidentified victims of a suicide bombing a few weeks back. Their journey of discovery and their ever-changing relationship is handled with impressive subtlety, and Modan's art is at once elegantly simple and extremely detailed. Show Less
LibraryThing member knielsen83
Not the most thrilling graphic novel I've read in a while. Basically, this guy never keeps contact with his father - for some fairly good reasons. This girl seeks him out, thinking that he was killed in a bombing, and she is involved with the father. A journey takes them to find out some more not
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so great things about the dad and the ending kind of stunk. I think I just may not have been in the mood for this type of a story. Show Less
LibraryThing member eshchory
It took me a while to get into this book but once I sat down to it the story zipped along. It was nice to finally read a book set in my home country. The language and the story had a genuine Israeli flavour unlike so many stories set here written by visitors with a personal agenda who think they
Although Exit Wounds was a pleasant read it left me a little unsatisfied.
In hindsight the story seemed a little thin and I missed the depth of emotional development that I enjoy in plain prose. This is probably a characteristic of graphic novels in general rather than a failing of this book in particular but as this is my first graphic novel I'm unable to judge.
However my lack of satisfaction was also due in part to the fact that at least one of the main story lines was left unresolved. This is not a totally unknown tactic with Israeli screen writers so I was not completely surprised.
And one of my personal peeves was the constant bad humour of all the protagonists. Hardly a single moment of joy encroached on the storyline and almost every dialog was a curt exchange resulting in hurt feelings.
All in all I'm glad I made the effort to read this book and I would recommend it both to Israelis and those who want to know a little bit more about the real Israel.
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know Israel but see only the 'big themes' and miss the real life. (it was a problem I encountered with some reviews of this book)Although Exit Wounds was a pleasant read it left me a little unsatisfied.
In hindsight the story seemed a little thin and I missed the depth of emotional development that I enjoy in plain prose. This is probably a characteristic of graphic novels in general rather than a failing of this book in particular but as this is my first graphic novel I'm unable to judge.
However my lack of satisfaction was also due in part to the fact that at least one of the main story lines was left unresolved. This is not a totally unknown tactic with Israeli screen writers so I was not completely surprised.
And one of my personal peeves was the constant bad humour of all the protagonists. Hardly a single moment of joy encroached on the storyline and almost every dialog was a curt exchange resulting in hurt feelings.
All in all I'm glad I made the effort to read this book and I would recommend it both to Israelis and those who want to know a little bit more about the real Israel.
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LibraryThing member Stbalbach
Graphic novella for Young Adults set in Israel by an Israeli author. In this story, a working class taxi-driver and a rich but odd-ball Girl (Cinderella) go on a hunt for the mystery of what happened to the boys missing father. The setting in contemporary Israel, with suicide bombings forming the
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backdrop, is unique and topical enough to hold interest. It's essentially a relationship story (I suppose one could call it a love story). However given how much the two characters fight and misunderstand one another, one wonders what kind of relationship they have, what is the basis of their love. Other than sharing some extreme events together, like how scary movies make good date films, I'd actually say this is not a relationship of substance. It ends with a hint of a continued relationship, good luck to them! :) Show Less
LibraryThing member nocto
One of Darren's graphic novels, picked up to read while I was ill - there's something about lying on the sofa barely able to move that makes comics appealing. Though describing modern graphic novels as comics will probably get me into trouble!
This as a slice of the life of a young Israeli man
This as a slice of the life of a young Israeli man
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looking for his father who may have been the victim of a bus station bombing. Definitely not very amusing but it's a good story, a bit surreal in places but much of that could also be because the setting is so foreign to me. Show Less
LibraryThing member allison.sivak
A mystery story of a son searching for his father, after he meets a young woman who suggests he was killed in a cafe bombing. Koby has a distant relationship with his father. Gabriel left the family after Koby's mother died, and has a history of changing his life radically every few years. Koby's
Koby eventually discovers that the Numi, the young woman, was his father's lover. Koby struggles with her affection for Gabriel as they search for answers. What starts as a prickly relationship between Numi and Koby somewhat predictably develops into sexual tension. What is unpredictable is the course of the search; as they continue to hit dead ends, the story becomes much more about these two characters, with the mystery of Gabriel taking a backseat.
The characters' faces are simply drawn--and the characters are physically almost interchangeable--although the perspectives, scenes, and plot are complex. Beautifully and solidly coloured.
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extended family doesn't trust Gabriel, believing him to be dishonest, insincere, and unreliable. Koby eventually discovers that the Numi, the young woman, was his father's lover. Koby struggles with her affection for Gabriel as they search for answers. What starts as a prickly relationship between Numi and Koby somewhat predictably develops into sexual tension. What is unpredictable is the course of the search; as they continue to hit dead ends, the story becomes much more about these two characters, with the mystery of Gabriel taking a backseat.
The characters' faces are simply drawn--and the characters are physically almost interchangeable--although the perspectives, scenes, and plot are complex. Beautifully and solidly coloured.
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LibraryThing member rores28
I will admit to putting this book down on several occasions after being bored by the first several pages. Give this book a chance though, the subdued nonchalant dialog is mirrored perfectly in the artwork and goes a long way in developing and expressing a lot of the themes of the book. At times
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slow, this one will grow on you as the depth and gravity of the books events set in. Show Less
LibraryThing member -Eva-
Although Modan doesn't have the most refined of drawing styles, I still enjoyed the art in the book. There is so much human drama in the story that it's really calming that the drawings are so uncomplicated. The "mystery" of Koby's father is solved little by little through the book, and although I
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have a logistics (or maybe just - dare I admit it? - moral) problem with Koby and Numi's relationship, it's still quite heartfelt. I honestly didn't think much of the book while I read it, but the story has really stayed with me and, with the amount of books I read, I have to give it a lot of credit for that - this is a book I will re-read more than once. Show Less
LibraryThing member kirstiecat
When most random people think of graphic novels, the typically still think of the superheros with fantastical powers battling an arch nemesis or saving the world. They usually don't think of very personal or political novels (or novels that accomplish both). What Modan does well here is use the
The story itself that Modan is telling is a really complex one. It presents both the day in the life of modern day religiously segregated Israel with all of its fears and struggles as well as that of a specific tragic incident when it is not known whether a father and a lover survived a recent blast. There is the essence of a search here and a strange sort of love story emerges. From the standpoint of an American, I felt I learned a great deal from just observing these people and imagining these lives truly existing in many ways throughout Israel.
The hard part is that perpetual elephant in the room...which is that this book really isn't all that interested in representing the viewpoint of Palestine. However, it isn't Zionist in the same way that many pro-Israelites are. It's just presenting one side of the story take it or leave it...in other words, it's not as much of a pushy perspective as "this is the everyday reality..."
In any case, Modan's voice is a unique one and I enjoyed the many facets of this work, even when it felt a little odd to me. She also gets some extra points for both writing the story and doing the art work, which I wish was even more common for female graphic novelists in some ways. Given the importance of this topic, hers is a perspective that needs to be heard and represented to help those of us in America understand the complexities of what is happening.
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drawings to her advantage, enhancing her story. The reader sees the images intertwined poetically with the words and it just doesn't seem like it would work if either one was left out.The story itself that Modan is telling is a really complex one. It presents both the day in the life of modern day religiously segregated Israel with all of its fears and struggles as well as that of a specific tragic incident when it is not known whether a father and a lover survived a recent blast. There is the essence of a search here and a strange sort of love story emerges. From the standpoint of an American, I felt I learned a great deal from just observing these people and imagining these lives truly existing in many ways throughout Israel.
The hard part is that perpetual elephant in the room...which is that this book really isn't all that interested in representing the viewpoint of Palestine. However, it isn't Zionist in the same way that many pro-Israelites are. It's just presenting one side of the story take it or leave it...in other words, it's not as much of a pushy perspective as "this is the everyday reality..."
In any case, Modan's voice is a unique one and I enjoyed the many facets of this work, even when it felt a little odd to me. She also gets some extra points for both writing the story and doing the art work, which I wish was even more common for female graphic novelists in some ways. Given the importance of this topic, hers is a perspective that needs to be heard and represented to help those of us in America understand the complexities of what is happening.
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LibraryThing member comixminx
Beautiful drawing, interesting but odd story. Not entirely sure about the ending and how well it works - it leaves things literally up in the air with a feeling of "what next" - probably intentional but a bit dissatisfying.
LibraryThing member mkboylan
Story shaped around an unidentified victim of a bombing in Israel and attempts to identify him. It illustrates the traumatic effects of living in a violent world and the defenses that build up around it, both physical and psychological. Struggles with identity, family relationships, intimacy. I
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found it very touching, and as I often find with graphic novels, reading it was an emotional experience. This novel is based on a true story that was documented in a film by David Ofek entitled No. 17. Four stars. Show Less
LibraryThing member thatotter
I picked this up because I loved Rutu Modan's Mixed Emotions comic/column in the New York Times. But I thought the story in this graphic novel was thin, and I didn't much care for the art.
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
In the graphic novel Exit Wounds nothing is what it seems. Set in modern day Israel it follows Numi as she convinces Koby, a taxi driver, to help her discover if her lover, Koby's father, was the unidentified victim in a recent suicide bombing. The more I think about it, the more interesting it
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becomes. The confusion starts with Numi who looks like a man, plain, even butch though her mother and sister are gorgeous and stylish. The location of the killing confuses everyone who thinks it was in Haifa, the most recent disaster, and has to be reminded of the lesser one in Hadera just before. Numi has delicate and fond feelings about Gabriel, the lost father whom Koby doesn't respect at all seeing him as an unreliable, self-centered lier. Gabriel, the tender lover, seems to have been a total womanizer, and the women he conquers are the dejected ones no one else wants. You can see why no one wanted them, they're old, the most disposable of humans, and Numi, though young is inappropriate in so many ways she was an easy target. Perception is everything. It's a quick and surprisingly stimulating read. Show Less
LibraryThing member msf59
Koby Franco is young cab driver, living in modern day Tel Aviv. Out of the blue, he receives a phone call from a female soldier, claiming his father was killed by a suicide bomber at a nearby train station. Koby has been estranged from his father for several years and at first he shrugs it off but
This is a terrific illustrated novel. It is hard-edged and well-crafted and becomes an unsuspecting love story, as well. The artwork is simple and muted but fits perfectly with the storyline. Highly recommended.
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slowly he is drawn into, finding out what happened and was this dead man really his father. The soldier also has her own mysterious agenda and together they begin a quest.This is a terrific illustrated novel. It is hard-edged and well-crafted and becomes an unsuspecting love story, as well. The artwork is simple and muted but fits perfectly with the storyline. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member emeraldreverie
Fascinating read. Distinct art and coloring style lends a surrealness to this story. Ends unresolved in a satisfying way.
LibraryThing member jennybeast
Both the art and the Israeli setting interested me. I thought the book did a good job if introducing the perspective of people who live in a place where bombings happen every day. That being said, I didn't really care for the story, and I thought the portrayal of the female characters was callous
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and shallow. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original publication date
2007
Physical description
172 p.; 6.42 x 0.79 inches
ISBN
0224081667 / 9780224081665
Local notes
Set in modern-day Tel Aviv, a young man, Koby Franco, receives an urgent phone call from a female soldier. Learning that his estranged father may have been a victim of a suicide bombing in Hadera, Koby reluctantly joins the soldier in searching for clues. As Koby tries to unravel the mystery of his father's death, he finds himself piecing together not only the last few months of his father's life but his entire identity.