Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

112 reviews

lightningmc_logyn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I am blown away. This is now one of my favorite books of all time. The visual and textual story are breathtaking. The author really understands the medium and the power of graphic novel storytelling, as self-stated in the authors note end of the book. It’s woven together so beautifully. It is heartbreakingly profound and emotional. I was very moved by Tiên and Helen’s stories. The bond they have is beautiful. It was so raw and vulnerable. The art was simply beautiful, the line and color work amazing. It is powerfully delicate. It is inviting and detailed. The composition of each panel was purposeful and communicated the story perfectly. I particularly loved when only a sliver of something was shown in the panel-a wonderful use of spacial storytelling. I was shocked, moved, filled with joy and fear and tenderness and love while reading this book. I borrowed it from the library but I know I must own it someday. I wish I could put this book in the hands of every person on earth and have them read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia and War

Minor: Hate crime and Colonisation

All the listed content subjects are handled seriously and with care in the book. The tone is very much one of accepting painful life experiences and turning to loved ones to guide eachother.

mx_madster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

Stunningly beautiful! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry

gillianengelbrecht's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry and Outing

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Abandonment, and War

yy_reads's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Absolutely gorgeous storytelling. Loved the art style, the use of color and attention to detail. Made me cry (positive). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

isaiahsaluta's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

5.0

A reminder of the power of stories as vocabulary. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.75

Trung Le Nguyen you have a fan in me for life for the art style alone. It felt like I was watching a film. It's so vibrant! For life!!!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Outing

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Incest and Cannibalism

cyberhavok's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia and War

madpalestinian's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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? No

4.75

This book conveys such a sweet point of view to showing how people express love through storytelling.

having the mother express acceptance of her son being gay through a story because neither knows how to say it in the other’s language was such a beautiful choice by the author. It really presented love transcending language very well.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Religious bigotry

sophiesometimesreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

5.0

Wow, what a wonderful, complex, layered and emotional story. I loved the way three different timelines/POVs were woven into the story and interconnected to tell a story of immigration, coming out and familial love. I also really enjoyed the insight into the author's decisions regarding the stylistic and story choices he made whilst writing the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: War

tinysierra's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Beautiful storytelling.

I loved the use of color!
Past = yellow
Present = red
Fairytale = blue

If you like The Magic Fish, you might also like Lunar New Year Love Story which features Vietnamese characters and also uses color in an interesting way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Religious bigotry