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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
See my review of this book's other half and ditto it here. I am completely impressed by what's been done with these stories.
Boxers and Saints are two companion graphic novels that tell the two sides of the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1898. Boxers follows Little Bao, a boy whose village is bullied and oppressed by Christian foreigners. Vowing to put a stop to it, he and his followers become imbued with the power of the ancient gods and fight the "foreign devils" and "secondary devils" -- the Chinese who converted to Christianity. Spurred on by the spirit of the Emperor who united China, his actions become more and more ruthless until he can no longer tell if his crusade is just. Saints tells the story of Four-Girl who is neglected and abused by her family and finds a home in the local Catholic Church. Baptized as Vibiana, she struggles with her purpose in life. Seeing visions of Joan of Arc, she wants to be a female warrior and lead her people to freedom, but the Boxer Rebellion is coming nearer and nearer, bringing death and destruction in its wake. When the time comes, what will her role be?
It has been a few months since I read these books, so please bear with me. These stories are beautifully told, but brutal and dark. Yang pulls no punches here. He does not flinch from letting his protagonists make very wrong choices. The images are beautiful and striking as each character is lead by visions of their own spiritual guide. I love watching how their two stories intersect and impact each other through life, both at odds, both with good intentions.
The ending to Boxers leaves you with a kick to the stomach, as does Saints, but there is a kernel of hope at the very very end that makes you feel that people are not entirely terrible.
It has been a few months since I read these books, so please bear with me. These stories are beautifully told, but brutal and dark. Yang pulls no punches here. He does not flinch from letting his protagonists make very wrong choices. The images are beautiful and striking as each character is lead by visions of their own spiritual guide. I love watching how their two stories intersect and impact each other through life, both at odds, both with good intentions.
The ending to Boxers leaves you with a kick to the stomach, as does Saints, but there is a kernel of hope at the very very end that makes you feel that people are not entirely terrible.
Really just a stellar book. The graphics are amazing, the story is brilliant and paced well.
This intriguing time period (1894-1900) provides ample scope for the story, and it is mythology and the costuming of Chinese opera that give Yang room for artistic flair rather than pure visual realism. read more
Reading Saints Now!
I read American Born Chinese first and loved it so when I saw Boxers & Saints, I knew I had to read them. This comic confirms Yang as a must read author.
My library has them in two installments instead of a single volume which is sad because Boxers ends on such a cliff hanger! If you can make sure to have both on hand or go with the combined edition.
History is fascinating but often bogged down in tedious details, dates, and memorization requirements. If history in schools were taught like stories, brought to life in different formats like this, then it wouldn't be so dull and difficult..
I read American Born Chinese first and loved it so when I saw Boxers & Saints, I knew I had to read them. This comic confirms Yang as a must read author.
My library has them in two installments instead of a single volume which is sad because Boxers ends on such a cliff hanger! If you can make sure to have both on hand or go with the combined edition.
History is fascinating but often bogged down in tedious details, dates, and memorization requirements. If history in schools were taught like stories, brought to life in different formats like this, then it wouldn't be so dull and difficult..
Such a good graphic novel! It's a compelling story and educational to boot! The only thing I knew about the Boxer Rebellion previously was that it happened. I'm looking forward to reading Saints to learn more.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was really interested. Such a powerful way to illustrate that famous Nietzsche quote, "Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not come a monster...for when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."