Realistic yet Refresing

“Exit Wounds” is an easy read, similar in many respects to “Aya”.  Rutu Modan takes heavy, realistic situations, yet instead of focusing directly on these issues, the situations serve as the backdrop for a story revolving around relationships.  Modan is thus able to humanize each character utilizing the negative occurrences as a facilitator to do so.

As in “Aya”, the colors in “Exit Wounds” are disarming as opposed to oppressive.  Modan’s use of neutral colors in some pages can be directly juxtaposed with her use of vibrant reds and other colors; rather than startle the reader, this seemingly eclectic grouping of colors serves to create a calming and refreshing feel.

Set in Tel Aviv, Modan is able to accurately depict some of the chaos that grips the region.  Despite the fact that she discusses harrowing affairs (i.e. suicide bombings), the reader does not feel as though the book is too much too bear.  That being said, Modan renders these terrible and real occurrences in a way that allows the reader to simply “read on”, in part due to the fact that the characters do not seem disillusioned by them.  As we are connected with Koby, we share his feelings; thus, as he treats another bombing as simply, “another bombing”, the reader shares this conception of the event.  In creating this sense, Modan effectively alludes to the fact that these travesties have become a part of daily life in many places, and the local population has accepted them as such.  Upon further contemplation, this fact is an awful realization for the reader, an aspect of “Exit Wounds” that makes it all the more compelling.

Modan’s use of the bombing as the facilitator for Koby and Numi’s budding relationship is an interesting, if not telling use of a terrible situation manifesting something worthwhile.  Out of death, Modan creates new life for both Numi and Koby.  Koby, who hates his father with a deep passion, is finally able to admit to himself that he has fallen for Numi.  He portrays his newfound trust in the final frame, as he jumps into “the giraffe’s” arms, believing she will catch him, both literally and metaphorically.  It almost seems as if he is reborn himself through all of these struggles to discover whether his father is truly dead or not.  In doing so, Koby struggles with his own demons, and conquers them.

One aspect of the novel which I found somewhat challenging was the title.  “Exit Wounds” could hold a variety of meanings, and possibly this is what Modan was trying to accomplish.  I felt as though it referred to the fact that ultimately, it was only after great pain that both Koby and Numi were able to obtain a new sense of freedom, or at least clarity of mind.  Numi’s pain caused by Gabriel, and Koby’s pain caused by his father as well, was a limiting element in each of their lives; thus, despite the pain persisting for some time, inevitably, both were able to obtain a happiness in each other that grew out of the pain caused by one person.

Modan’s novel deals with some emotionally draining issues, but does so in a positive manner, a fact that makes the reader all the more willing to contemplate what they have just read.