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yogomagpie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Minor: Blood and Cannibalism
bookscoffeehayley's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen was one of the best graphic novels I’ve read! Both the illustrations and the writing were wonderful! I would definitely recommend it!
I loved how Nguyen used various versions of fairytales to help the story move. I was so captured by them! The relationship between Tien and Helen, and also Tien and his two best friends, was so wonderful and supportive! I read this graphic novel on my dinner break at work and was definitely crying by the end!
I also want to mention the last few pages of this book when Nguyen goes into detail about his writing and illustration process! It was such a lovely addition to learn more about the history and meaning of the clothing he chose to illustrate!
All around a great debut graphic novel that I will absolutely need to add to my shelves!
Graphic: Homophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
just_one_more_paige's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Grief
baponthecob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Homophobia, Blood, Cannibalism, and Religious bigotry
literarypenguin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
13 year old Tien has a crush on his best friend Julien. A son of two Vietnamese immigrants, Tien finds himself struggling how to tell his mother and father that he is gay. At school, he goes to dances, socializes with his friends & deals with homophobia from his teachers. When he goes home one of his favorite things is reading fairy tales with his parents. His mother, a Vietnamese woman who grew up in post war Vietnam, went through many sacrifices to come to America and live the life she wanted. She deals with missing her home & returning a decade later & seeing how it grew and changed.
The writing and illustrating were beautiful to see. It flowed so beautifully & I loved seeing how the fairytales were interwoven with what was going on in the story. I thought that was a great way to tell the story. I really liked the use of the fairytales and how they were retold. Learning about a culture through stories was great & showing the history of a country & how it changes and adapts.
I really liked this graphic novel & can not wait to see more amazing works from Trung Le Nguyen in the future.
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Blood
pucksandpaperbacks's review
5.0
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief
housesparrow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
The book handles these issues with dignity, respect, and care for the audience.alouette's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Blood, and Religious bigotry
sydneyj's review against another edition
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Grief, and Death of parent
abbiesdigitallibrary's review
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder