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kai14's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
bi_n_large's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexism
laurel_lovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
aimeesue's review against another edition
4.0
In her memoir, Bui tells a lot of Vietnam's political history and how that affected her parents while they were growing up, the Vietnam war, their escape, and their first years in America. It's quite a story, and is well told. Very moving. Recommended.
whothehelliskaitlin's review against another edition
4.0
I do not usually read graphic novels and I typically get bored, but I really did enjoy this one. The color scheming choice is one that I very much applaud; the red added so much to the story. The little artistic choices made to help further the narrative and emotion were also very well done.
The story itself was at once both a heartbreaking and hopeful one. It manages to be both a historically informative novel and an interesting personal narrative in one story while still keeping readers engaged. I only take a star away because I feel as if I have learned more about Vietnam and Bui's family than about Bui herself, which I understand is important in Bui's own journey but for me fell a little flat when she reached the conclusion in the last chapter about accepting the fact that she won't have the same connections and histories as her family but can start anew for her son.
A quick read but one that keeps you invested and will probably teach you more about the Vietnam war than you have ever learned in any U.S. school.
The story itself was at once both a heartbreaking and hopeful one. It manages to be both a historically informative novel and an interesting personal narrative in one story while still keeping readers engaged. I only take a star away because I feel as if I have learned more about Vietnam and Bui's family than about Bui herself, which I understand is important in Bui's own journey but for me fell a little flat when she reached the conclusion in the last chapter about accepting the fact that she won't have the same connections and histories as her family but can start anew for her son.
A quick read but one that keeps you invested and will probably teach you more about the Vietnam war than you have ever learned in any U.S. school.
sunset8305's review against another edition
4.0
I haven’t read a graphic novel in years, so this was a good one to pick up and remember how much I enjoy this style of writing + art. This story is well-told, evoking raw emotions surrounding ever-challenging family dynamics, difficult/controversial historical circumstances with the Vietnam War and the hope/promise of life in America.