Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword

Barry Deutsch

I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into when I picked this graphic novel up.  I saw in a review that it featured a strong female lead, so you all know that I HAD to read it.  Very simply: it’s about a girl from an Orthodox Jewish community named Mirka.

The graphic novel does a great job of weaving fantasy into the average day and faith of members of this community.  I know almost nothing about this specific faith, so those parts of the story were just as interesting for me as the fantasy bits.

I loved the characters–especially Mirka and her ability to be strong and independent without betraying her family or her faith.  I also loved that the traditionally feminine chores like knitting ended up being much more important than we would ever imagine.

I recommend you read this one.  It’s a great read and it’s short enough for you to finish it in an hour.  Go for it!