Aya of Yop City, 
Graphic Novel by Marguerite Abouet 
& Clément Oubrerie, 106pp, Jonathan Cape

Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie’s “Aya of Yopougon”, about life in 1970s Abidjan, illustrated the fun of a night at the maquis. This second in the series to be translated into English deals with the consequences of over-indulgence. Abouet’s nostalgic optimism about the way the city partied through Houphouët-Boigny’s ‘Ivorian miracle’ may be at odds with how it has been scarred by economic problems and civil war, but the daily woes of Aya and her friends are vividly current. Hervé struggles to read and write; Bintou falls in love with a flashy Parisian, and Adjouna sells fritters to support her baby. With the bonus of a recipe for Chicken Kedjenou and instructions on how to carry a baby on your back, Oubrerie’s cartoon tales will bring a smile to adults and children alike.