Me and the Comrade: My life in Communist Romania

Me and the Comrade is a satirical graphic memoir set in 1980s Communist Romania, told through the eyes of Lorinel, a curious six-year-old girl growing up in a world shaped by propaganda, poverty, and imagination.

As Lorinel navigates school, family, and neighborhood life, she begins to question the absurdities around her: Why is there no hot water? Why are cartoons so short? Her innocent curiosity draws the attention of Nicolae Ceaușescu himself, who inserts himself into her story as a self-proclaimed father figure and national savior.

Guided by Father Pop-a tiny, floating Orthodox priest-Lorinel explores history, morality, and spiritual identity. From surreal classroom debates with Vlad the Impaler to a final showdown between rival miniature preachers, the book blends humor, philosophy, and emotional depth.

Inspired by the author’s own childhood, Me and the Comrade is a a story about how childhood, with all its imagination and defiance, can flourish even in the shadow of oppression.