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thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
the magic fish is a heartfelt, gorgeously drawn graphic novel that explores the immigrant experience and uses fairytales to bridge the cultural and language barriers of coming out.
the art is wonderfully detailed (the hair esp, and the dresses) and i like how nguyen uses 3 color palettes to differentiate between the settings. what amazes me the most, however, is the ingenious composition and structure that play off the art and word bubbles, flowing very smoothly.
in terms of story, the internal journeys of tiên and his mom form the crux of it, the former w/ his gay identity and the latter w/ her immigrant experience. there's not a lot going on esp interspersed w/ the fairytales (each of which is variations of a country, which is interesting), but the pace is relaxing and it's great that there's no unnecessary tension aside from the aforementioned characters' struggles. i do wish, however, that the ending - as touching as it is - was longer, as rn it's too abrupt.
all in all, this is a great graphic novel w/ both great art and story, and i certainly hope to read more of nguyen's work.
the art is wonderfully detailed (the hair esp, and the dresses) and i like how nguyen uses 3 color palettes to differentiate between the settings. what amazes me the most, however, is the ingenious composition and structure that play off the art and word bubbles, flowing very smoothly.
in terms of story, the internal journeys of tiên and his mom form the crux of it, the former w/ his gay identity and the latter w/ her immigrant experience. there's not a lot going on esp interspersed w/ the fairytales (each of which is variations of a country, which is interesting), but the pace is relaxing and it's great that there's no unnecessary tension aside from the aforementioned characters' struggles. i do wish, however, that the ending - as touching as it is - was longer, as rn it's too abrupt.
all in all, this is a great graphic novel w/ both great art and story, and i certainly hope to read more of nguyen's work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Outing, Homophobia, and Death of parent
lomahongva's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Murder
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, and Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent, War, and Death
lifeonasofa's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Magic Fish 🐟 Review
Real life isn’t a fairy tale. In fairy tales, the prince falls in love with the princess. But Tien had a different story to tell. His parents are refugees struggling to learn English, and he doesn’t know how to come out to them in Vietnamese. If he doesn’t even have the right words, how can he ever known if his parents will accept him? 💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 Stars
STUNNING STORY! I was mesmerised by the way fairy tales were used in this book to move the story forward. The illustrations were SO beautiful and colours used, so simple and clever! With language being a barrier for Tien, this graphic novel captured the story perfectly. 🎨
The relationships were everything in this story. Tien and his mother, his parents, his friendships and his family across the pond. They were so heartwarmingly powerful and necessary when both Tien and his mother felt lost in this world. 🥰
Heads up, this is a really emotional read, check triggers. Some of the illustrations during fairy tale retellings are a little gory. But the representation in this book *chefs kiss* I can hear all the queer hearts singing around the world. 🌈
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Animal cruelty, Violence, Homophobia, Murder, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Outing, and Suicide
chrisljm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This graphic novel is so beautiful. The illustrations are stunning and I loved the utilization of monochromatic colors. The styling is simple, which made all the details stand out and wow they were gorgeous. I really enjoyed all parts of the artwork but what I loved most were, first, the clothing. Some of the dresses designed in the book took my breath away and I enjoyed seeing how they were inspired from real life pieces. The second thing that left me in awe were the illustrations of nature. Just the way the evening sky was drawn and how they transferred so beautifully onto the dresses, or even the flowers in the garden; it’s realistic but still so magical.
The illustrations and the text complimented each other really well, and the integration of fairytales was done so amazingly. This is one of the most beautiful graphic novels I’ve ever read. The illustrations, details, use of color, modern day storyline, memories, and fairytale retellings blended together so perfectly.
The illustrations and the text complimented each other really well, and the integration of fairytales was done so amazingly. This is one of the most beautiful graphic novels I’ve ever read. The illustrations, details, use of color, modern day storyline, memories, and fairytale retellings blended together so perfectly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Outing, War, Grief, and Homophobia
brnineworms's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
An enchanting story that weaves together narratives of the past, the present, and fairy tales. The Magic Fish broke my heart and lovingly stitched it back together.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Terminal illness
Minor: Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Stalking, Torture, Violence, and War
mariebrunelm's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
This is a beautiful, sensitive, gentle and raw tale of belonging, growing and coming out. Tiến was born in the USA from a Vietnamese mother, and he's always switched between the different languages, coming up with a personal mixture of both when talking with his mother. When the time comes to come out to her, he wishes he knew the word for gay in Vietnamese, and so he turns to the book of fairy tales they've been reading together.
This graphic novel blends beautifully the American and Vietnamese visual identities, gracing characters from The Little Mermaid with traditional clothing, or Cinderella with haute-couture-inspired gowns. The limited colour palette, working in monochromes of red, blue and yellow, ties together each of the interweaving storylines effortlessly. Seeing Tiến interact with his classmates was especially endearing as they're very mindful and loving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Grief, Murder, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Death, Cannibalism, and Blood
cassielaj's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was a great entry into graphic novels for me! The illustrations are gorgeous, and I loved the way the author draws parallels between the fairy tales and the daily lives of an immigrant family and a queer kid. Really cool
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
spookieboogie's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Murder
rustylasagna's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Cannibalism
Minor: Homophobia
laurajones's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Terminal illness, and War
Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, and Pedophilia