Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me
Lorina Mapa
This book just caught my eye in the graphic novels section of my local library. I’m surprised neither my partner nor I had ever heard of it. But, I’m very glad I found it! Rina Mapa does an excellent job blending personal and national history. Although I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about Filipino history (for a non-Filipino), I learned quite a bit about the 1986 “People Power” revolution from this book–especially regarding the specific course of events, the series of defections that eroded Marcos’s power, etc. Mapa does a deft job of digressing on broader topics (religion, music, politics) from hooks in her own story, in a way that feels natural. The art mostly gets out of the way here–it is fairly simple and personal, without seeming stylized or cartoonish. Also, Mapa is very funny! I read several bits out loud to my partner, even though I want her to read it too. Finally, I found the ending of the book fairly moving–I was glad Mapa didn’t simply end it with returning to Canada after her father’s funeral.