theresa's Reviews > The Magic Fish

Told through myth and reality, past and present, Trung Le Nguyen weaves a masterful tale about family, language and identity. The Magic Fish follows Tiến, a young boy with a love of stories and a secret. He wishes he could tell his parents, but he doesn’t know how - they struggle with English and he doesn’t know the Vietnamese words for what he’s going through, to tell them he’s gay.

I’ve never reviewed a graphic novel before so you’ll have to bear with me here, but I really loved The Magic Fish. The art was gorgeous and whimsical and I loved the use of colour separating story from present from past. Additionally, something that didn’t completely click until I read the author’s note was the narrator’s perception of the world influencing the art of the story, particularly in terms of fashion. For example, when Tiến’s great aunt tells a story, the characters are wearing the clothing most common in her youth. I really liked this distinction between storytellers and the variation in styles and fashion it allowed for.

Additionally, I found that the themes of immigration and identity were handled with a lot of nuance. This was a very small story which left room for exploring these themes with impressive depth and sensitivity. The use of language and problems with communication were particularly interesting to me as a student of foreign languages and I loved the way this intertwined so beautifully with the fairytales and questions of identity. I also found the emphasis on family and connection really beautiful and heartwarming, and I particularly loved Tiến’s relationship with his mother. The artwork captured emotion perfectly, creating an incredibly moving story.

Overall, The Magic Fish was beautiful both in art and story. Trung Le Nguyen explored a range of complex themes relating to the immigrant experience with great care and sensitivity, creating a story accessible to all ages. Through both Western and Vietnamese fairy tales, The Magic Fish illustrates universal experiences such as love and family and expertly weaves them into the present day, showing that stories and human connection transcend time and place.

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*finished copy received in exchange for an honest review from the publisher*