"A bright, perceptive bildungsroman with a distinctive setting." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"As she recounts her event-filled, danger-filled childhood, Samanci manages to convey centuries of Turkey’s history as well as the political and cultural upheavals that have marked recent decades there . . . But for all its seriousness, the book never seems heavy . . . among [Samanci's] talents is knowing how to make even a harsh story take flight." - The New York Times Book Review

"A compelling graphic novel . . . at once emotionally fragile and strong, poignant and wry, heartfelt and ultimately optimistic." - Los Angeles Review of Books

"[Samanci is] a gifted cartoonist with an innate sense of pacing and a seemingly inexhaustible well of ideas for presenting information--the book bursts with maps, diagrams, pasted-in leaves, doodles, and ink stamps. It’s remarkably energetic on the page, and combined with Samanci’s appealing, reflective voice, offers a perfectly satisfying memoir reading experience: not just the story of someone’s life, but the chance to see the world through someone else’s eyes." - The Slate Book Review