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chibiloki's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
jaydiebug's review against another edition
5.0
Filled with magical realism and breathtaking illustrations, this is in contention for the best graphic novel I've read this year (yes it's early to tell, but it was THAT good!).
Tien is struggling to tell his parents that he is gay. The language barrier between them makes it difficult to express how he feels, and fairytales a good solace for the family. Blending past and present, and the lives of Tien and his mother through different colorful illustrations, Trung has created a masterpiece.
The story is emotionally intense, although I wouldn't say it's overly sad. The author has done a wonderful job of telling Tien's story in a feel-good way.
Tien is struggling to tell his parents that he is gay. The language barrier between them makes it difficult to express how he feels, and fairytales a good solace for the family. Blending past and present, and the lives of Tien and his mother through different colorful illustrations, Trung has created a masterpiece.
The story is emotionally intense, although I wouldn't say it's overly sad. The author has done a wonderful job of telling Tien's story in a feel-good way.
marker_yippee's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
thereadingwren's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
tinysierra's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Beautiful storytelling.
I loved the use of color!
Past = yellow
Present = red
Fairytale = blue
If you like The Magic Fish, you might also like Lunar New Year Love Story which features Vietnamese characters and also uses color in an interesting way.
I loved the use of color!
Past = yellow
Present = red
Fairytale = blue
If you like The Magic Fish, you might also like Lunar New Year Love Story which features Vietnamese characters and also uses color in an interesting way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Murder, and Grief
Minor: Religious bigotry
bibliogeekgirl's review against another edition
4.0
Such a beautiful story of a boy who doesn't know how to tell his mother one of the most important things about himself. They are connected by fairy tales and she uses a final story to let him know how much she loves him. The art in this title is muted but stunning. The fact that Tien has supportive people in his life is a refreshing view of the coming out story.
lunaliz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0