Sita's Ramayana

While most Westerners are familiar with Greek epics such as Homer's The Odyssey and The Iliad, the epic traditions of other countries are unfamiliar territory for many American readers. Written by an Indian author known for her retellings of Indian myths and illustrated by a traditional Indian folk artist, this unusual graphic novel introduces the Hindu epic The Ramayana to a new audience in a bold new format unlike anything else in the world of comics today

Part magical adventure, part treatise on war and gender equality, Sita's Ramayana tells the ancient tale of Prince Rama's journey into exile and eventual triumph over the demon king Ravana. Rather than retelling the story from Rama's perspective, this version draws on little-known variants of the tale to show the story from the perspective of Sita, Rama's wife. Fans of the epic will love this new take on the familiar tale, but prior knowledge is not necessary. New readers will be able to dive in and enjoy the story as it unfolds. There's also a family tree at the beginning to help readers keep track of the many characters and their relationships to each other.

The most interesting part of Sita's Ramayana is the artwork. Based on the Patua folk art tradition of India, the illustrations are done in the traditional Patua style and text is arranged non-traditionally on the page, which reflects the oral tradition (in which a storyteller points to images on the scroll as s/he tells the story aloud). The bright colors and bold brushstrokes create lively illustrations that depict the emotional and cultural landscape of this important piece of Indian culture.