embot77's reviews
150 reviews

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki

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emotional informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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

3.75

There's a piece of advice in the book that I resonate with:
It's also true that you can break up with someone you still love. Because those two things are not distinct territories: love and not loving anymore
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

Similar to Family Style, this graphic novel covers the author's Vietnamese family immigrating to the U.S. Where the stories divert is how much of the parents' history, as well as Vietnam's history, is discussed. The Best We Could Do carries the broken recollection of growing up in Vietnam between 1943 and the late 1970s, also know as the time of World War II and the Vietnam War. Between the complications of political groups and French occupation, the parents' journeys will fill your heart with lead, making their arrival in the U.S., and survival, seem more and more miraculous.

While there is a lot to unpack in the story (especially the historical content), the intertwining narratives  chronological order doesn't make the story and facts easier to retain.

I enjoyed the use of watercoloring orange throughout the panels' black and white demeanor. I felt as though the orange emitted warmth, weariness, and anxiety when weaved into the scene. This complemented the story's theme of survival nicely.
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Displacement by Kiku Hughes

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

This historical fiction piece is an important reminder of our past with immigration, and what people learn (or don't) from those moments in time. Due to the nature of the content and its relevance to today's issues, I highly recommend people read this book to develop some empathy and insight to what may come next for us.

Trauma from internment/concentration camps has suppressed the pride "campers" had for their heritage, their beliefs, their identities to the point that they refuse to pass it on. The thought is that it was their heritage, their beliefs, their identities that lead them to that situation and treatment, so why pass on what might be a threat to their children's survival?

Just because there is precident, does not mean we should keep a registry of people based on race, ethnicity, region, and/or religion (again).
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

4.75

While the effects of COVID-19 are present in the story, this graphic novel focuses more on the coming of age narrative of a queer Asian, much of who I relate to. I gave this story five stars because of the art. The paneling and stereotype depictions, as well as the feeling of an inner monster eating away at the protagonist, were alluring.

I worry about my home disappearing as I get older and move away, and I'm worried that my family won't be there when I come back. During a time of uncertainty, I feel comforted reading that someone has the same feelings I have right now.
Issunboshi: A Graphic Novel by Ryan Lang

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Well-drawn depiction of the folk tale. I felt like I didn't get enough time to bond with the characters, except for the mentor. I needed more reason to engage emotionally with Issunboshi and care more about Sen and Kenta's relationship. I did feel a well of emotion during a scene during the final battle, but nothing more. Heck, I wanted to see what went on in the light when the super oni and protagonist clashed.

I guess I just want to see more of what was already depicted so-well-yet-so-condensed.
Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story by Sarah Myer

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

There aren't a lot of well known transracial stories out there, and the term "transracial" isn't widely used, so when I saw this book on the shelf of my local library, I felt as though time stopped. This is a book I needed to read.

Though I was not adopted, nor did I have any Asian in my DNA, I was a kid that looked Asian to my small town peers. I've had the "slit eyes" joke played on me in elementary school, the ostracism from liking manga and anime in middle school, told to go back to my country in college, and the constant comparisons to other ethnicities from ages 3 to 23. I've been called Chinese, Japanese, Filipian, Mongolian (by two Vietnamese tour guides in Ho Chi Minh), and more. I've had two different DNA tests with two different companies done to see if I was Asian or not (and I'm not). There aren't any books for people like me, as far as I know, but this book was the closest I've ever gotten to being seen. To the author, thank you for writing about your experience. To the publishing company, thank you for your continous effort to produce necessary books such as this.

All that being said, Myer fulfilled their duty but the book designers fumbled on theirs. The cover art put more emphasis on the moster aspect than what was present in the graphic novel. In fact, the cover design was more of a deterant for me. The font presentation seemed to go against the source of light present on the character. Plus, the art style appears to be off from what is present within the novel. As for the back of the cover, the summary on the back of the book mentions "very few Asian neighbors" when none of them were present in the book.
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Grimoire Noir by Vera Greentea

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dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Utilizing the black and white color pallette to send homage to the old mystery tropes, as well as the cool colors to highlight the eerieness of the magic and ghosts, this gothic graphic novel follows Bucky Orsen's "missing sister" investigation, centered around the coven of crows, an all-girls witch group that seek freedom from the bubble that is Blackwell. The story is easy enough to follow, but the art appears to outdo the story as their are several cliff hangers left by the end of the story and a lack of development in the characters. To me, this felt like a well-drawn wattpad story.
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Frontera by Jacoby Salcedo, Julio Anta

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

3.5

Frontera humanizes the "illegals" that cross the border, reminding the reader that they are people that cannot be generalized by a label. These are people putting their lives at risk to find new opportunities for themselves and their loved ones because people know of the power the U.S. has in making those dreams come true. These are people who were deported from their homes, told to go back where they were born, even if were they were there for only two weeks.

Risks for a new life aren't new (but the risks are becoming greater) and the people crossing are no more dangerous than those who crossed the sea and found America centuries ago. 

After reading this graphic novel, I feel angry towards my country and its disservice to the American people.
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The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

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challenging hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense 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

4.75

This graphic novel inspires peace in the reader through its story and lovingly designed art. Exploring the thin line between AI and humanity and human, Xu blurs said lines with empathy and reason as they protagonists escape the narcissism of their creators, finding love in one another as their true selves.

While the story was amazing, I wouldn't mind a slice-of-life sequel to explore the world that Xu. If not for the story, than for the art alone I will keep this book close to my heart.
The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown

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hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed the simple, 2D drawings. While the graphic novel didn't break my heart over and over like Neil Gaiman said, I did enjoy the dynamics between the characters and basic story line. Not every graphic novel needs something heavy to engage readers, and this book is proof of that.

The joke about freaks retiring to Flordia is my favorite part.