5 stars
An absolute treasure. This is a phenomenal book.
This wordless graphic novel tells the tale of a man immigrating to a strange new place and working to create a life for his family there. The fantastic world Tan creates allows all migrant stories to come together. It isn’t a story about immigrating to America or Australia or any one place. It allows anyone who has ever had to start a new life in an unfamiliar place to relate.
The artwork in this book is so strange and beautiful. Every line is so deliberate and comes together in such a fantastic way. This is the first book I’ve read from Tan and I’m excited for more. His art style is so eerie and wonderful.
One aspect I really enjoyed is that through all the heartbreak, fear, frustration, and worry, there is so much kindness and hope. The main character is helped by many others who have been new to the place, unsure where to go and what to do. It was so lovely to see them helping him out and sharing their stories of their homelands and their own arrivals.
A superb book. It doesn’t need words to tell its story. Its story is universal. And the artwork speaks for itself through all the joy, confusion, and wonder. A fantastic story with artwork that will take your breath away.