Customer Reviews

Exit Wounds

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Critics from Time to Entertainment Weekly to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch have lauded Rutu Modan's Exit Wounds as one of the best (if not THE best) graphic novels of 2007, and had I read it a few weeks earlier, it would surely have ended up on my list of best comics of the year as well. As it is, I can only add my voice to the chorus of those who sing the praises of this book.

Set in present-day Israel, the book's central character is Koby, a young man who lives with his aunt and uncle while trying to scrape by on the meager wages he earns as a cab driver. One day his life takes a strange turn when he meets Numi, a girl who has been dating Koby's estranged father Gabriel. Gabriel has recently disappeared, and Numi believes he might have been a victim of a recent bombing in a bus station. Her request for Koby's help in identifying the body turns into a quest of sorts, as the two work to piece together the clues of what happened to Gabriel.

That description might lead you to believe Modan emphasizes mystery and intrigue, when that couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, Exit Wounds is less about finding out what happened to Gabriel than it is a character piece about two complete strangers linked by their relationships to the same man. From their first meeting, Koby and Numi are at odds, clashing over their different ideas of how to handle the situation, and this conflict between them is a direct result of how they connected, or failed to connect, with Gabriel himself.

Comics such as Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis or the works of Joe Sacco have been designed to give readers an insight into another culture, and from that summary you might be fooled into thinking that this book's purpose is similarly informative. But Exit Wounds is about people in general, not just Israelis. The book is more universal because it doesn't emphasize the details of the plot or setting and instead focuses on the strained relationship between Gabriel and Koby, between a father and son, which anyone can relate to no matter their nationality.

Yet in a way, the book does subtly show the Israeli experience; it treats the setting as a background element that not only drives the plot but also impacts the behavior of the characters. Koby meets Numi while she's serving her mandatory service in the army, and her indecision about what to do next with her life is a driving force for her character. Gabriel's behavior at Koby's bar mitzvah is mentioned as an example of the trouble in their relationship. From the location of the unidentified victim's burial plot to the nonchalance with which several characters treat the news of the bombing itself, every aspect of this story is affected by Israeli life in some way, like Israel is the elephant in the room. No one discusses Israel directly but everyone feels the influence of this country in every aspect of their lives.

Like many other aspects of Exit Wounds, the art too is deceptive. Modan's drawing style is very European, at times reminiscent of Herge's Tintin, and at first glance she tricks the reader into thinking there is very little to the art. People's faces are the simplest arrangements of dots and lines you can imagine, but the beauty of Modan's artwork is how expressive she makes those lines become. The emotions they show are palpable, especially the varied shades of anger that Koby expresses. In one panel he might merely be feeling mild annoyance and in the next outrage, yet the nuances of Modan's art illustrate the differences in his moods perfectly.

Exit Wounds has all the technical elements an excellent comic should contain: art that is minimalist yet incredibly expressive, colors which seem to adjust from muted to vibrant with the tone of the scenes, and panel layouts that guide the reader through the story at a perfect pace without ever feeling the need to overly spell things out. Beyond all that is a great story, a gripping read that holds your interest through a twisting plot, an intriguing setting, and subtle character development. All of those details add up to a truly brilliant graphic novel that deserves all the praise it has received.

This book was a real surprise for me. I had passed it a number of times on the shelf and didn't really know what to do with it. I thought the artwork was 'eh' and the story seemed a little dull. BUT, I started seeing some interesting press on the book, and picked it up after all.
I had to force myself to quit at the end of each chapter because I didn't want the book to be over too quickly! The work and writing are really amazing... the kind of thing where you can tell the artist was truly intent on recognizing a vision. And I think she does so perfectly. Look out for the ocean scene, that's definitely my favorite.
The story is kind of quiet, but still packs a huge punch.

This meandering novel starts when Numi, an Israeli soldier, contacts Koby. She suspects that Koby's estranged father had been killed in a terrorist bombing. For reasons of her own, she wants the closure of knowing for sure that Koby's father is dead - or, if not, where he has vanished to. Koby reluctantly agrees, even though his father has been effectively dead to him for a very long time.

The search takes on new meaning as Koby and Numi follow the father's trail. Each new finding seems to change the man they're looking for, and to change him differently for Numi than for Koby. The search changes Koby and Numi as well. This isn't a bam-pow adventure story. Instead, it follows the personalities of the Koby and Numi, and of the father as he is known through the traces he left behind.

Although I found the artwork engaging, somewhat like the style of Herge's Tintin, the story didn't grab me. It seems well written, but wouldn't really hold me if it were a novel or movie, either. If the reluctant romance and family mystery appeal to you: have a blast. It's just not my thing.

- wiredweird

I'm growing more accustomed to reading the graphic novel format. Enjoying this genre tremendously. Instead of imagining characters and geography in my head, I'm seeing this all pop out in front of me. To one who is familiar with the Tel Aviv landscape this book will seem starkly familiar. I can attest to this, having lived in one of the more downtrodded communities in and around this metropolis experiencing growing pains. Author Rutu Modan shows the grittiness of this post modern metropolis, the ridiculousness of the Israeli suburban lifestyle and the beauty of the Mediterranean Sea. Tones of browns, yellows, and gray evoke the grittiness of Israeli society. Against this backdrop are surprising reds and pinks.
Best to call this a coming of age book but at another more defined and sometimes banal level. Koby is one of those men/boys who aren't sure of his life. His employment as a taxi cab driver. It fits his wandering and wondering persona. He's living with his overbearing yet well meaning Aunt and Uncle, his mother's passed away, his pre occupied sister lives in the States and his father is MIA. He is uncertain, hesitant, questioning.
Enter Numi, a rather mysterious young woman (of note, she wears a red jacket, drives in a red car...) , seeking Koby's assistance surreptitiously at first, drawing him in. We discover that Numi's had an intimate relationship with Koby's estranged father Gabriel, and believes him to be a victim of a suicide bomber.
We learn through Koby and Numi's eyes that Gabriel is a man who loves, but who leaves all that he loves. Modan isn't telling Gabriel's story, she's showing instead the repercussions and reverberations of the hurt and loss that Gabriel has brought on.

Yes, this book is a love story as well. But it's not at all what you expect, the subtle ways of loving, who we love (including ourselves) and how we love.
I've learned that this is the North American graphic novel debut from Rutu Modan. I'm looking forward to more.

I have to disagree with the other reviewers on the artwork. The art in Exit Wounds is subtle, quiet, but it's gorgeous. I was first captured by the colors--mostly muted but with very carefully situated splashes of brightness for a beautiful punch. The color combinations are absolutely evocative of the Mediterranean landscape. The story is gritty and realistic; it unfolds slowly at first, but then snowballs into one revelation after another that are pretty shocking, ironic and hilarious at the same time.

Yet it's no rollercoaster. Exit Wounds is something you kind of sink into, or it steeps in you, like tea. After my first reading, I thought it was a slight story, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I reread it and kept thinking about it. This is a comic that defies comic stereotypes of plot, mindless action and noise. Don't expect that! Expect to be very quietly seduced into the life of a boy who discovers the true identity of his father, the underhanded manipulations of family and unexpectedly finds love and integrity, all revealed in a gritty, urban and rural landscape. It is complicated but satisfying in that Modan does not take shortcuts. Life is complex, and she doesn't wrap it up with a bow.

Exit Wounds is a cerebral, somber, and delicate journey set in modern day Israel.
Superbly simple line work with sublime coloring denotes the everyday without ever being boring. Israel is an ancient place rife with violent bombings, but also a place for families to grow, travel, love, and of course grow apart. The characters are identifiable in the most common way, yet the story is set in another country. A taxi driver, a tall gangly giraffe of a lover, a missing father and doting aunts, uncles and mothers set the table of this unforgettable tale of love, loss, family, politics, and the spirit of life. This is one of the best comic stories I have ever read.

This book draws you in and does not let you go until you are finished. I would recommend this to anyone, even if they are not into graphic novels. The artwork and story are both strong enough to stand on their own.

Rutu Modan has received numerous praise for her 2007 graphic novel, "Exit Wounds." Set in present day Israel, the narrative is very easy to follow even while staying firmly anchored to the its Israeli roots. The story in many ways is a slice of life pastiche of the modern Israeli experience while delving off into other sub-narratives of romance, family strife and self loathing. Rutu Modan's art style is simplistic, yet is packed with detail and is all together refreshing to look at with its clean lines and articulation. Even if the story, setting or subject matter does not initially sound appealing I can easily recommend this book to anyone with an affinity for the graphic novel.

Exit Wounds is the story of a young man who is just told by a young woman that his father might have died in a recent terrorist attack. The man and the woman try to find out whether the man died or not and in the process they start having feelings for each other.

The book is very good. I found it very interesting to see how the characters react to tragedy in the book. It was surprising to see how easy everyone talks about terrorist attacks, since it is part of everyday life in Israel, people don't seem scared or angry when they talk about the violence.

The comic focuses on these two characters and I feel like we get to know them very well. I thought Modan did a great job with the artwork and with the writing in this comic.

The other reviewers will already have given you an idea of the setting, characters and plot. I'm sure that will do. I only wanted to add that this is one of those books that is deceptively easy. It's so easy to read and I bought into the characters so entirely that I finished the story in what felt like only a few minutes. I love books like this one! By the way, I tend to avoid overtly political fiction. No matter what side the writer comes down on, I can find a way to be annoyed by it. I didn't find this to be overtly political.