A review by betweentheshelves
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American, by Laura Gao

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

 Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this to review! Graphic novel is definitely my preferred format for consuming nonfiction, and this just shows you why! Gao seamlessly weaves this memoir about her life, hitting all of the right emotional notes. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll definitely relate to many of the moments Gao has growing up.

The art style in this also lends itself well to the story. There are some absolutely gorgeous landscape panels, but there are also extremely emotive panels, too. The writing and the art seem to go hand in hand, crafting a memoir fully showing Gao's experiences as a Chinese immigrant in the United States. I also enjoyed the way that Gao put various pop culture references throughout; one of my favorites was the sequence when they go to college. It hits on her experience as an immigrant, but puts a unique spin on it.

Putting the end in the context of the COVID pandemic also shows what many Asian Americans have been going through since the pandemic started. Especially in 2020, when no one really knew what was happening. Gao's conversations with their parents were emotional and realistic, as everyone feared for one another. 100%, I think this should be in all libraries so those that haven't had to go through these experiences can better understand them.

All in all, this graphic novel was well paced, well illustrated, and well written. If you're looking for something along the lines of Almost American Girl by Robin Ha, this is definitely a great one to pick up! 
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This graphic memoir was so well done! I loved the art, the way the story was formatted, and the range of emotions that it portrays. Stay tuned for a full review to come soon!
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