Graphic novel
English language
Published Oct. 26, 2020 by Random House, Incorporated.
Real life isn’t a fairytale.
But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It’s hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn’t even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through?
Is there a way to tell them he’s gay?
A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what—we can all have our own happy endings.
This graphic novel is a beautiful blend of folklore and contemporary storytelling. Features LGBTQIA+ themes and an immigration experience. This work carries you away like the gentle notes of a songbird.
it was beautiful
This was sweet! It didn’t go quite deep enough for me with some of the heavy topics, but it is YA.
The illustrations and style are lovely!
Extraordinary art, story, and themes.
Woah. This comic tackled so much in so few pages, and pulled it off beautifully. The main character, Tien, is a Vietnamese kid with a crush on his friend. Interspersed between his troubles and conflicts as a kid exploring what it means to be queer are modern/different takes on fairy tales told between Tien and his mom. The fairy tales are twists on traditional tales (Cinderella, Little Mermaid), but are told with gorgeous visuals and parallels to Tien's life. The color palette of the panels changes to indicate what is being focused on, which I think is a neat touch that really lends itself to this comic. The visuals and artwork are absolutely stunning, and I appreciated the author including thoughts and concept art at the very end.
I don't fit into any of the groups this story is aimed at, but I still found myself drawn into the stories …
Woah. This comic tackled so much in so few pages, and pulled it off beautifully. The main character, Tien, is a Vietnamese kid with a crush on his friend. Interspersed between his troubles and conflicts as a kid exploring what it means to be queer are modern/different takes on fairy tales told between Tien and his mom. The fairy tales are twists on traditional tales (Cinderella, Little Mermaid), but are told with gorgeous visuals and parallels to Tien's life. The color palette of the panels changes to indicate what is being focused on, which I think is a neat touch that really lends itself to this comic. The visuals and artwork are absolutely stunning, and I appreciated the author including thoughts and concept art at the very end.
I don't fit into any of the groups this story is aimed at, but I still found myself drawn into the stories being told. It really hit me in the feels, honestly.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free digital copy of this comic in exchange for an honest review.
