MAJNUN AND LAYLA

Damezin reignites a centuries-old love story.

In his graphic novel, the author draws from an ancient Arabic story about the unconsummated love between 7th-century poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and the beauty Layla al-Aamiriya. First popularized by the poet Nizami Ganjavi, innumerable versions and derivations have emerged; perhaps you’ve heard of Romeo and Juliet? Layla, with her otherworldly face, “would have had to hide her beauty beneath a hundred veils” so as not to eclipse the sun, and Qays “made the stars before him seem ugly” and had “the voice of a prophet.” They have adored each other since childhood, and Qays so fervently declares his ardor through oral verse that he earns the reputation of a madman, a majnun. Layla’s father forbids the marriage, and the duo suffers painfully. As a result, Qays falls ill, nearly perishing in the wild; the rapture of his devotion, however, inspires the animal kingdom to revive and serve him. Layla laments that “becoming mad with love is a man’s privilege,” and her father marries her to an affluent man whom she swears never to accept. Damezin retains the lyrical quality of the original work and spikes it with fierce sensuality (“To celebrate the scarlet wedding and the orgy / to feast on flesh, to frolic in blood…to perforate, lacerate, bite, and pierce”). Here, Layla assumes more agency than in previous versions. The illustrations give this tale a mythical feel, rendering the fever of love in a colorful visual style that evokes ancient Persian art.

An enchanting rendition of a star-crossed romance.