Anna Thackray’s debut foray into the graphic novel is certainly a success.

For a woman who has written, sketched, inked and coloured an entire graphic novel alone for the first time the book is beautiful.

It has a wide variety of illustrations, some of which feature Bahraini landmarks, including the Financial Harbour and the Tree of Life.

Quintessential Arab animals, including a horse and a falcon, are also featured heavily.

It’s nice to have our daily surroundings immortalised in fiction, with both Bahraini and expat characters.

There are certain panels where the drawing is weak, or doesn’t mesh perfectly with the rest of the page, but that is only clear when looking at it with quite a critical eye.

The storyline is simple – in some areas, a little too simple – and considering how sparse the book is, there are some conversations that are superfluous and would have been better served furthering the plot.

Nevertheless, the fantastical element to the story is intriguing and the history inserted into the book refreshing.

As illustrated by the panels, it is mostly a high calibre book and I’m looking forward to the second instalment, which is due out later this year.

The book launch will be held at the Kempinski Grand and Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre on Thursday at 7pm.
The Awakening of Shamal: No Time To Waste is available from Jashanmal Books priced at BD3.