These tales frame the story of Tiên and Hiên, on separate but connected journeys of identity. The more vivid half of the ensemble are the princesses, mermaids, and magical creatures of the fairytales they read together, a tradition started to improve their English. The other characters in their world are few, a loving but silent father and Tiên ’s middle school friends. The story follows Tiên and his mother, Hiên, as they bond over books while the son holds a secret and the mother processes her departure from Vietnam and subsequent years in the United States.

As the book flows between fairy tales and Tiến's real life, the colors shift accordingly and makes those transitions obvious, but they never distract or pull focus.Trung Le Nguyen’s debut graphic novel is a satisfyingly complex entry into the YA graphic novel space. Furthermore, the book reinforces the idea that stories can change - in fact, they often need to change. Language is a major element of The Magic Fish, of course, but so is the simple act of storytelling. Through a limited color palette, Trungles is also able to focus on what matters most: The characters' communication with each other. Nguyen's focus on facial expressions and small details brings every interaction to life, whether in a story being read aloud by Tiến or narrated by his mom, or an actual scene taking place in the real world of the book.

The dialogue is straightforward and the characters' emotions are never in question, even when they are in flux. His recreation of the fairy tales Tiến reads are as fantastical as they are elegant, and each panel feels like a breath of crisp, cool, refreshing air. It will come as no surprise to fans of Trungles' work that The Magic Fish is a thoroughly stunning debut. Related: Robin Eisenberg Explains the Key to Cosmic Care In Her Intergalactic New Book Whatever happens, they are and will always be worthy of love. It also gives young, queer readers one of the single most important messages they can receive from queer elders: There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. The Magic Fish primarily focuses around fairy tales, but it's also very grounded in real life - and that makes its message and execution all the more potent.Īlthough Tiến is young and this story is primarily aimed at middle-grade readers, the simple fact is that it will appeal to readers of all ages. To underscore this fact, Nguyen includes a scene where Tiến reacts to TV news about Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming who was brutally murdered for his sexuality in 1998. He's also nervous about how his family will react although he knows his parents love him, he knows that some coming out stories don't have happy endings. Primarily, he cannot find a Vietnamese word for his sexuality, even after asking a librarian for help. There are a few barriers to Tiến coming out. Related: Be Gay, Do Comics Is the Most Digestible History Book of All Time

Trung le nguyen the magic fish