I really loved this graphic novel. Firstly, the art style was absolutely gorgeous. It reminds me of a mixture of Studio Ghibli and Sailor Moon. The art is a mix of traditional and modern Asian stylings. The interweaving of fairy tales with Tiến's story is beautifully done. The fairy tales are not the classic Disney versions that many teens are most familiar with, which gives this novel extra intrigue and uniqueness.These fairy tales are whimsical, sweet, and sometimes sinister. The relationship between Tiến and his mother is incredibly poignant. I appreciated seeing not just Tiến's story, but also his mother's. Tiến's mother is an immigrant and refugee, something that can weigh heavily on someone's soul, which the graphic novel depicts very well. Overall, this graphic novel is powerful, inspiring, and soulful.
Publisher description:
Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tié̂n 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 Tié̂n, 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? This beautifully illustrated story follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected, and that no matter what—we can all have our own happy endings.