Review by Frank Plowright

Riad Sattouf’s memoir of his childhood has so far been dominated by the plain bonkers behaviour of his father Abdul-Razak, who may be a university professor, but holds views ranging from unconventional to offensive. This is coupled with a dreamer’s personality, always believing himself a step away from riches, and prepared to work in areas most outsiders would avoid. Time has moved briefly on from The Arab of the Future 3, and Sattouf Snr now works in Saudi Arabia, his wife having refused to accompany him with the children due to the regime’s barbaric practices.

While Sattouf Snr’s behaviour has always been portrayed as questionable and selfish, with this volume a line is crossed and it makes for continually uncomfortable reading as a monster is revealed. The deceit and manipulation bordering on abuse is tough going, but he’s now also openly misogynist and racist, constantly making untrue and bigoted comments about Jews and Black folk. All the while the delusions of his own importance continue to inform decisions about his life, all evidence to the contrary. A constant theme is his wanting to return to his family in Syria with no regard for the way his wife and children are treated there.

If that wasn’t enough for the younger Sattouf to put up with, wherever he attends school there’s an accompaniment of low level bullying, which in Syria escalates to threats on his life. Teachers there and in France are shown as incapable of protecting their students. All that’s before his mother’s health starts to deteriorate. Thankfully, though, she now stands her ground and gives her husband pelters when required.

Every volume has been characterised by Sattouf’s neat and evocative cartooning. He has an eye for detail, and makes good use of colour, continuing to separate scenes in France and Syria by pale blue and pale red spot colours. Events seen on TV or crisis points are supplied in vivid red. He’s also subtle about the cast ageing, family members now looking older than in earlier volumes.

While Sattouf’s upbringing was neglectful and occasionally appalling, it makes for jaw-dropping, car crash reading and this is another dense and compelling volume, now ending on a cliffhanger. Sadly, although Sattouf has published two further volumes of his memoir concluding the series and bringing his story up to 2011, Metropolitan Books haven’t completed the series in English.