Growing up on the Aegean Coast, Ozge loved the sea and imagined a life of adventure while her parents and society demanded predictability. Her dad expected Ozge, like her sister, to become an engineer. She tried to hear her own voice over his and the religious and militaristic tensions of Turkey and the conflicts between secularism and fundamentalism. Could she be a scuba diver like Jacques Cousteau? A stage actress? Would it be possible to please everyone including herself? In her unpredictable and funny graphic memoir, Ozge recounts her story using inventive collages, weaving together images of the sea, politics, science, and friendship.
REVIEWS in ENGLISH
2017, 23 May, Canan Marasligil, Bookwitty In the Graphic Memoir, Dare to Disappoint, Özge Samanci Talks about Growing up in Turkey
2016, 20 November, Patricia Hruby Powell, The News Gazette, Inspirational Graphic Novel A Great Gift
2016, 12 October, William Armstrong, Hurriyet Daily News, INTERVIEW: Özge Samanci on ‘Dare to Disappoint: Growing up in Turkey
2016, 5 October, Ceyda Nurthsch, Qantara.de, Pressure on artists in Turkey is Increasing
2016, 09 June, William Armstrong, Hurriyet Daily News, ‘Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up In Turkey’ by Ozge Samanci
2016, Summer, Elizabeth Canning Blackwell, Northwestern Magazine, Drawing Outside the Box
2016, 20 April, Julie Hakim Azzam, Status Hour, Why a Turkish Woman Artist Must Dare to Disappoint
2016, 27 March, Grand Forks Herald, Book Notes
2016, 08 March, Ozge Samanci, Huffington Post, How I Became and Artist: Tips to Changing Careers
2016, 29 February, David Lepeska, The National, Book review: Dare to Disappoint, A Bold Tale about Coming of Age in Turkey
2016, 28 February, Kori Kunz, The Register-Guard, Memoir from Turkey, “Dare to Disappoint,” Delivers
2016, 10 February, Kathryn Bromwich, The Guardian, On my radar: China Miéville’s cultural highlights The writer on a moving comic about life in 80s Turkey, disquieting composer Carolyn O’Brien and poet Caitlin Doherty’s tribute to the first dog in space
2016, 19 February, Terry Hong, Smithsonian APA / Book Dragon, Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samanci
2016, 10 February, Charlotte Mcpherson, Today's Zaman, Cultural Transitions and Foreign Devils
2016, 8 February, Gwen Tarbox and Andy Kunka, The Comics Alternative, Podcast Review
2016, 31 January, Ozge Samanci, The Daily Beast, Being an Immigrant Is Now Even Harder
2016, 29 January, Susan Faust, San Francisco Chronicle, Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey
2016, 19 January, Michael Berry, Sun-Sentinel, Book review: Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey
2016, 08 January, Dan Kois, Slate, Dare to Disappoint
2016, 04 January, Phil Ponce, Chicago Tonight, WTTW (Chicago PBS), Northwestern Professor Tells Turkish Coming-of-Age Story
2015, 29 December, Karin Snelson, Shelf Awareness, Dare to Disappoint
2015, 22 December, Tim O'Neil, A.V. Club, Dare to Disappoint
2015, 17 December, Kaya Genc, New Republic, The Graphic Memoir Comes to Turkey,
2015, 9 December, Maria Russo, The New York Times, A Different World
2015, 10 December, Julie Danielson, Kirkus, Reliving Childhood with Özge Samanci
2015, 9 December, Charles Whitney, Los Angeles Review of Books, Coming of Age in Turkey
2015, 6 December, Jean Westmoore, The Buffalo News, Books in Brief: Dare to Disappoint: Growing up in Turkey
2015, 3 December, Jeremy Mikula, The Chicago Tribune Chicago Book News
2015, 1 December, Cal Cleary, The Beat, Interview: Özge Samanci on Art, Family, and a Love of Learning
2015, 1 December, Tracy Mumford, MPRNews, Best books to give (and get): Young adult picks
2015, 26 November, Handan Kazanci, Anadolu Agency, Artist’s comic book revives ‘80s Turkey
2015, 16 November, Boing Boing, At least Turkey's tragic politics gives material to comics artists
2015, 16 November, Sean Edgar, The Paste Magazine, Exclusive Preview: Ozge Samanci Grows Alongside Her Country in Dare to Disappoint
2015, 16 November, Kyle Pinion, The Beat, Exclusive Preview: ‘Dare to Disappoint’ paints a vivid portrait of growing up in Turkey
2015, 15 November, Snow Wildsmith, Booklist, (Accessible via submission, 112.6 (Nov. 15, 2015): p35.) Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey
2015, 10 November, Chuck Sambuchino, Writer’s Digest, How I Write My Graphic Novels: A Breakdown from Ozge Samanci
2015, 9 November Publishers Weekly, Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey
2015, 6 October Starred Review, Kirkus
REVIEWS in FRENCH
2023, 6 February, Delphine Minoui, Le Figaro, Özge Samanci, artiste à contre-courant, dessine son pays https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/ozge-samanci-artiste-a-contre-courant-dessine-sa-turquie-20230205
2022, 9 December, RFI (Radio French International) Anne Andlauer, Noël en Allemagne: le sapin de la sobriété fait polémique
2022, 25 November, David Medioni, Ernest! Magazine, La Turque du future
2022, 25 November, Jean Michel Morel, OrientXXI, Une enfance en Turquie
2022, 24 November, TV5 Monde Le 64' - L'actualité internationale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaLy9Fl-OWk (interview at 19:30)
2022, 24 November, Didier Pasamonik, ActuaBD, Özge Samancı, une enfance en Turquie
2022, 16 November, Romain Brethes, Le Point, Découvrez « La Vie gourmande », prix Wolinski de la BD du « Point » 2022
2022, 31 October, DBD Magazine, Choisir Sa Case
2022, 14 October, Mr. Natali, BDGest, Nager à contre-courant : une enfance en Turquie
2022, 08 October, Nora Seni, Observatoire Turquie, « Nager à contre-courant » d’Özge Samanci, un nouveau météore dans l’univers de la BD turque
2022, 08 October, Eric Aeschimann, Renaud Février et Amandine Schmitt, L’OBS, « La grosse laide », « Journal inquiet d’Istanbul », « Ténébreuse »… : nos 14 BD préférées de la rentrée
REVIEWS in TURKISH
2017, Haziran, Elvin Vural, BUMED Dergi, Portre
2017, Mart, Merve Damci, Iz TV Dergisi, Merak Et, Gecmise Mektup, Birak Uzulsunler
2017, 23 February, Bahar Cuhadar, Hurriyet, Akintiya karsi yüzme cesareti veren resimli bir macera...
2017, 5 January, Kiraz Akin, Bes Harfliler, A Graphic Novel, Dare to Disappoint
2016, 29 Aralik, CNN Turk, First books of the year at Iletisim
2016, September Issue, Kaya Genc, Milliyet Sanat, Dünyayi Gezip Simdi Ulkesine Dönen bir Kitabin Hikayesi
2016, 29 February, Burkem Cevher, Agos, Growing up in Turkey in the 80s
2016, 24 January, Gulenay Borekci, Haber Turk, To Be Happy Ourselves, Sometimes We must Make People We Love Unhappy
2016, January, Kaya Genc, Milliyet Kitap, Being a Child in the 80s
2016, January, Ekin Sanac, Bant Magazin, Most Important Treasure of Mine: Memory
2016, January, Merve Arkunlar, Vogue Turkey, Black Box of Our Childhood
2015, 29 December, Kiraz Akin, Bes Harfliler, Özge Samanci’s Graphic Novel: Growing up in Turkey
2015, 21 December, Mahir Yavuz, Onur Akmehmet Adaptasyon 04 023, Ozge Samanci
2015, 13 December, Meltem Gurle, BirGun, Chasing the past: Ozge Samanci
2015, 16 November, Isil Oz, T24, Turning Students into Jelly: The Story of the Disfuntional Turkish Education System
REVIEWS in DUTCH
2016, 29 December, Ron Rijghard, NRC Handelsblad, Getekende levensverhalen
2016, 17 June, Jeroen Michiel, Cutting Edge, Özge Samanci, ‘Teleurstellen vergt lef’
2016, 21 June, Koen Driessens, Hebban, Graphic memoir stelt niet teleur
REVIEWS in GERMAN
2016, 06 October, Ceyda Nurthsch, Deutsche Welle, Kunst - zum Trotz! Kultur zwischen Widerstand und Zensur in der Türkei
2016, 05 October, Ceyda Nurthsch, Qantana.de, Der Druck auf türkische Künstler wächst
REVIEWS in GREEK
2016, 14 February, George Lialios Kathimerini, As A Child, I Thought Greece was Blue, Like Its Mountains.
REVIEWS in ITALIAN
2016, 31 January, Elisa Pierandrei, Linkieasta, Dare to Disappoint
REVIEWS in FLEMISH
2016, 12 August, De Standaard, Özge Samanci, Duran Duran en de islam
Review The New York Times
Review The Guardian
Review Slate
Review New Republic
TV Interview Chicago PBS
TV Interview TV5 Monde
Pick of the Week Publishers Weekly
A Sample Chapter The Paste Magazine
Interview Kirkus
TRANSLATIONS
- French Les Éditions du Faubourg
- Dutch Soul Food Comics
- Korean Booknbean
- Turkish Iletisim Yayinlari
- Turkish Kara Karga Yayinlari
- Romanian Editura Art