Sons of Chaos
From 1821 to 1830, the Greek states shook off four centuries of brutal Ottoman rule. This oversized book recounts part of that important struggle through cartoon-style graphics. Many bold drawings don’t shy away from the violence and brutality suffered by the vulnerable.
Marcos Botsaris, real-life hero to Greeks, narrates the spare text in first person. As a shy young boy, Marcos is captured by Ali Pasha, ruler of the Ioannina region, and raised in the dungeons of Ali Pasha’s castle. The main story juxtaposes Marcos and Ali Pasha’s own son, psychopathic Muhktar. Marcos’s and Muhktar’s fathers are portrayed as complex but ruthless characters, each trying to manipulate and control everything and everyone around them.
Marcos escapes, falls in love, and slowly learns how to fight. Ten years after his capture, Marcos becomes the leader of Greek armies in the first stages of the full-scale revolution. Meanwhile, Muhktar brutalizes women and feels rejected by his father. Intrigue among regional rulers, secret messages, and divided loyalties, even within the same family, raise additional complications. The upbringing and lives of both sons are indeed in constant chaos.
Sons of Chaos is not just an interesting story of the early years of the Greek revolution. From the striking cover to the chapter separators and every illustration (all in color), the artistry draws the reader back again and again.
