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stardust_lcy 's review for:
Angelica and the Bear Prince
by Trung Le Nguyen
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
What happens when you find yourself burnt out and still stuck in grief from your grandmother's death? Join the local theater, of course.
Angelica, AKA Jelly, used to be part of nearly every club at her high school, but she finds herself focusing on only helping out with the local theater production of East of the Sun, West of the Moon (a story that flows in and out of the main story, in ornate frames) with her best friend Christine. She's also been conversing with the theater's mascot, Per the Bear, online, which has offered her much support. Between Per the Bear's mysterious identity and the theater internship, Jelly is hoping she will find a solution to her burnout without having to, y'know, talk to the counselor about it.
This graphic novel doesn't just focus on Jelly, however. We learn about her friends and neighbors, and particularly her parents, but their plot lines don't feel like they overwhelm the story. Rather, Jelly's struggles intertwine with Christine's and her mom's, and they feel as natural as if the reader is navigating these different issues themselves. Not to mention, Jelly is surrounded by so many positive, supportive people, and it especially feels refreshing to see an Asian mom who might not be perfect but does active work to be there for her daughter.
Trung Le Nguyen knocked it out of the park. As he mentions in his author's note, he may have technically failed at retelling East of the Sun, West of the Moon, but he created something even more delightful and moving, so I'd say that is a resounding success.
Angelica, AKA Jelly, used to be part of nearly every club at her high school, but she finds herself focusing on only helping out with the local theater production of East of the Sun, West of the Moon (a story that flows in and out of the main story, in ornate frames) with her best friend Christine. She's also been conversing with the theater's mascot, Per the Bear, online, which has offered her much support. Between Per the Bear's mysterious identity and the theater internship, Jelly is hoping she will find a solution to her burnout without having to, y'know, talk to the counselor about it.
This graphic novel doesn't just focus on Jelly, however. We learn about her friends and neighbors, and particularly her parents, but their plot lines don't feel like they overwhelm the story. Rather, Jelly's struggles intertwine with Christine's and her mom's, and they feel as natural as if the reader is navigating these different issues themselves. Not to mention, Jelly is surrounded by so many positive, supportive people, and it especially feels refreshing to see an Asian mom who might not be perfect but does active work to be there for her daughter.
Trung Le Nguyen knocked it out of the park. As he mentions in his author's note, he may have technically failed at retelling East of the Sun, West of the Moon, but he created something even more delightful and moving, so I'd say that is a resounding success.