Reviews tagging 'War'

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

85 reviews

questingnotcoasting's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

This was a fascinating, moving read. I picked it up in a charity shop having never heard of it and I'm so glad to have found it. Thi Bui tells the story of her family in Vietnam and then the US while examining the legacy of trauma that war and displacement leave. Her family's story is poignant and heart-wrenching and her haunting illustration style and muted orange tones were very effective in portraying that. It was also really interesting to learn something about a part of history I knew very little about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse

an_everyday_penguin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Grief, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Death

lauravreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Thi Bui immigrated to the states as a young girl. In her memoir, she delves into her family history and how the international political status of Vietnam affected so many citizens including her family. This is the first time I've read an illustrated memoir and it was quite the experience. Reading a comic book-style memoir brought a different element to the book that  I loved. I learned so much about Vietnam, the french colonization of Vietnam, and the political divide between the north and south. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Violence, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Rape, and Torture

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

3.25

the best we could do is an informative yet interesting graphic novel, combining the personal and political, as well as the individual story against the larger backdrop of historical upheaval into a family account that reverberates w/ questions around legacy, family, and - as the title suggests - how ppl try to their best w/ their circumstances. 

i personally think the structure can be a lil confusing w/ the frequent back-and-forth and the past-present transitions; there's a lot going on here after all. nevertheless, bui's placing of her familial history against the larger unfolding historical backdrop is great, providing useful context and deeper understanding. my fav thing abt this book, however, is bui's reflections on her family legacy, as well as her familiar feelings of equal gratefulness, resentment and guilt towards her parents. idk if it's simply an immigrant thing but it hits deep..

in terms of the art, i dont find it too eye-catching, not that it's unremarkable but perhaps bc it complements and flows rly well - too well - w/ the story. there's an appropriate level of detail and bui knows when to give her pages space, and the watercolor paints and lineart are nice. sometimes, however, the characters come across as unintentionally comical bc of the overly big head compared to their body; a few of the paneling can be confusing as well.

this is a good graphic novel for those who are interested in not only vietnamese history but also the human impact of its upheaval, the smaller stories of common ppl against the backdrop of historic change. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, Violence, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy

Minor: Mental illness and Fire/Fire injury

stacyrenee's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Violence, and War

carmentxx's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

this book had me tearing up like hell. as the daughter of vietnamese immigrants myself, the constant questions of identity and belonging really hit home. the drawings are beautiful and the art style really emulates the level of pain and confusion felt throughout war. this book has made me want to learn more about my own past. an excellent introduction into the refugee complex, the vietnam war and just an overall beautiful and heartbreaking story and family, hope and loss. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Miscarriage, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Death and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse and Infidelity

jennazim's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and War

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

A gorgeous artwork reflecting on lives torn apart by war. Thi Bui examines how war and political upheaval impacted her parents throughout their whole lives, shows her family’s harrowing escape from communist forces in Vietnam, and recounts the struggles they faced as refugees in America. Content warnings for war, death, child and infant death, difficult pregnancy, PTSD, racism, and other difficult content.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Abortion

Refugee struggles, stillborn infant

archcon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-paced

4.5

A great, reflective, and beautifully illustrated story of generational experiences and their effects on the following generations. Definitely an important read for those interested in the Vietnam War.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Grief

CW: child birth

emoweaboo's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Minor: Domestic abuse