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A review by spenkevich
Tidesong by Wendy Xu
4.0
‘-But you’re more than one mistake.
-And you’re more than one audition.’
Cozy graphic novels about magic and healing have a special path directly into my heart. Wendy Xu’s Tidesong is an adorable and empowering tale based in Chinese mythology that deals with issues of self-doubt when trying to live up to others expectations and issues of family healing and healthy communication. Xu, illustrator of [b:Mooncakes|44774415|Mooncakes|Suzanne Walker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565183719l/44774415._SY75_.jpg|57982519], has such a warm and gorgeous style reminiscent of the cottagecore charms of The Tea Dragon Society and the whimsical worlds of Studio Ghibli, and the plot and pacing of the art makes for a truly cinematic experience. This heartwarming story features a well crafted world and magic system that is succinctly expressed and effective and has plenty of wonderful lessons handled with tender care that makes this a gem for readers anywhere from middle grade to adult.
Tidesong follows the story of Sophie, a headstrong 12 year old with magical abilities that were created many generations ago when a dragon and fisherman fell in love, as she leaves her home to train with her Great Aunt in hopes of auditioning for a magic academy. The aunt is strict, Sophie can’t seem to do anything right, and when trying to prove herself she accidentally tangles her magic with a sea dragon and transforms him into a human. The story feels at home in the narratives of Hayao Miyazaki (there are some serious Ponyo vibes), though here Xu has based her inspiration in Chinese mythology. There is also careful attention to the underwater ecosystems and representation of underwater life in the illustrations, which was really cool and she talks about in the afterword.
The world building is quite effective here, managing to imply a great deal through only a few frames of exposition. There is also a really lovely backstory that opens the book, almost like a pre-title screen scene in a film (in fact, this whole book reads like it could be a perfect storyboard for an amazing animated feature film). While aimed at middle-grade audiences, it does well to show that there is a large and complex political structure to the world, demonstrating why there aren’t just simple fixes through magic when there are many different figures with various priorities all needing to cooperate to uphold their world efficiently. It is a good lesson that nothing is ever a simple solution in a society.
The lessons to be had here are numerous, and I loved the way Wendy Xu puts a lot of heart into depictions of battling your inner critic as well as the critics around you. There is also a lovely lesson that ‘EVERYONE needs to apologize when they’ve hurt other people,’ which ties into the themes of generational trauma and expectations imposed upon you by your elders. Each is handled very compassionately and this is a great book for young readers to take to heart.
Tidesong is a successfully entertaining and adorable with plenty of important themes and messages to bestow upon its readers. I quite enjoyed this and I would definitely recommend it, particularly to fans of Studio Ghibli or The Tea Dragon Society series. Quick, cute, but lasting.
4.5/5
-And you’re more than one audition.’
Cozy graphic novels about magic and healing have a special path directly into my heart. Wendy Xu’s Tidesong is an adorable and empowering tale based in Chinese mythology that deals with issues of self-doubt when trying to live up to others expectations and issues of family healing and healthy communication. Xu, illustrator of [b:Mooncakes|44774415|Mooncakes|Suzanne Walker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565183719l/44774415._SY75_.jpg|57982519], has such a warm and gorgeous style reminiscent of the cottagecore charms of The Tea Dragon Society and the whimsical worlds of Studio Ghibli, and the plot and pacing of the art makes for a truly cinematic experience. This heartwarming story features a well crafted world and magic system that is succinctly expressed and effective and has plenty of wonderful lessons handled with tender care that makes this a gem for readers anywhere from middle grade to adult.
Tidesong follows the story of Sophie, a headstrong 12 year old with magical abilities that were created many generations ago when a dragon and fisherman fell in love, as she leaves her home to train with her Great Aunt in hopes of auditioning for a magic academy. The aunt is strict, Sophie can’t seem to do anything right, and when trying to prove herself she accidentally tangles her magic with a sea dragon and transforms him into a human. The story feels at home in the narratives of Hayao Miyazaki (there are some serious Ponyo vibes), though here Xu has based her inspiration in Chinese mythology. There is also careful attention to the underwater ecosystems and representation of underwater life in the illustrations, which was really cool and she talks about in the afterword.
The world building is quite effective here, managing to imply a great deal through only a few frames of exposition. There is also a really lovely backstory that opens the book, almost like a pre-title screen scene in a film (in fact, this whole book reads like it could be a perfect storyboard for an amazing animated feature film). While aimed at middle-grade audiences, it does well to show that there is a large and complex political structure to the world, demonstrating why there aren’t just simple fixes through magic when there are many different figures with various priorities all needing to cooperate to uphold their world efficiently. It is a good lesson that nothing is ever a simple solution in a society.
The lessons to be had here are numerous, and I loved the way Wendy Xu puts a lot of heart into depictions of battling your inner critic as well as the critics around you. There is also a lovely lesson that ‘EVERYONE needs to apologize when they’ve hurt other people,’ which ties into the themes of generational trauma and expectations imposed upon you by your elders. Each is handled very compassionately and this is a great book for young readers to take to heart.
Tidesong is a successfully entertaining and adorable with plenty of important themes and messages to bestow upon its readers. I quite enjoyed this and I would definitely recommend it, particularly to fans of Studio Ghibli or The Tea Dragon Society series. Quick, cute, but lasting.
4.5/5