Kai’s character development focuses quite a bit on the notion that he is not like the rest of the Dao: he wants to forge his own path and find his own place in this new world after deciding to leave his homeland. The friendship between Kaidu and Rat is somewhat of an anomaly, but Kai seems to have convinced the young orphan that he also has a vested interest in the city and that he also cares what happens to its inhabitants. When we first meet Kaidu and Rat, their town is experiencing a definite tension in the wake of 30 years of harmony, not to mention the existing tension between the Named, the Dao, and the other nations that have previously occupied the city. It is an old world that was built up through a cycle of peace and conflicts that is the hallmark in most any genre. Why I finished it: What really drew me into the story was the mythos that Hicks has incorporated into this world. Why I picked it up: This is another book that has been in my ‘To Be Read’ stack for a while. He meets Rat while out wandering the streets alone and though the two come from very different backgrounds, they grow to become friends. Though his people, the Dao, have ruled the city for the last 30 years, there is still tension and unease between themselves and the Named (the residents of the city). Synopsis: Kaidu is an outsider in the Nameless City.

And I look forward to September when books 3 The Divided Heart comes out.The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks, color by Jordie Bellaire

I’ve just started the second in the series, The Stone Heart, which picks up exactly where the first leaves off. This is a perfect book for tweens and early adolescents, though I admit to really immersing myself in the adventure, too. As Kaidu and Rat explore the City, they compete with each other, taunt each other, and challenge each other on the road to becoming allies who teach the adults to look through new lenses. The two become unlikely friends, working to unite all the City’s factions. He meets Rat, a native of the City, living by her wits on the street. The people who have lived there the longest refuse to use any of those names, and consider their home “The Nameless City.” Kaidu is one of the newest outsiders, a member of the latest nation to occupy the Nameless City, the Dao. Each time it is taken over, the new conquerors give it another name. Since that time, the City, which is strategically located in a mountain pass, has been conquered again and again. The City itself is an ancient one, built by a people long long ago and no one remembers who they were. And the characters are simply remarkable. The artwork is stunning, with all kinds of different perspectives to show the city and the characters. What a terrific adventure you embark on when you dive into The Nameless City! If you have readers in your family who are fans of the graphic novel genre (yes, please), you’ll want to get your hands on this new series.

The nameless city graphic novel series