Read 2 October 16th, 2023

I couldn't reread The Magic Fish for book club in April cause I was too depressed, but I circled back to it now and boy am I glad I did. I've read a bunch of YA coming of age graphic novels since I first picked this book up in 2021. Honestly, I got pretty burned out on the genre after a while so I was scared I wouldn't love the story as much. But returning to The Magic Fish it's clear to see how and why this book stands above and beyond most of its peers.

Trung Le Nguyen explores coming of age, coming out, and the unique struggles of being an immigrant with a specificity and precision that speaks to the humanity of those experiences. Rather than painting with a broad brush in an attempt to make his story universal Nguyen picks at the nuances of this semi autobiographical story in a way that resonates.

The writing is poignant and the art stunningly evotative. Even two years later I'm still in awe of the masterpiece that is The Magic FIsh.

Read 1: June 15th, 2021

The Magic Fish is one of the best graphic novels I’ve ever read. This story is drenched in moving thematic content and Trung Le Nguyen magnificently explored the complexities of immigration and the beauty of stories.

The Magic Fish follows Tiến, the 13-year-old son of Vietnamese immigrants. To practice their English Tiến and his mother Helen read fairytales to each other. Throughout the graphic novel, Tiến attempts to come out to his family, but the linguistic barriers of Vietnamese make it difficult. The story moves between the present day, flashbacks in Vietnam, and fairytales being told by various characters. Through these three intersecting narratives Nguyen explores the power of stories to bridge between generations and cultures.

The Magic Fish is an immigrant story unlike any I’ve seen before. Nguyen unpacks the complexities of expressing yourself in a multilingual family. The fairytales at the heart of this story are a perfect symbol of the ways fiction can be used to express parts of yourself when you can’t find the words. Nguyen reflects that theme in each fairytale in the book. Each represents a different message imparted to a character that couldn’t be said in words.

Nguyen also explores the struggles of immigration post-exodus. Tiến’s mother, Helen, feels disconnected from both her son and Vietnam and fairytales connect her to both. These fairytales act as a bridge between cultures. The Vietnamese fairytales mirror the Western ones and bring the two seemingly disparate worlds together.

A core message of The Magic Fish is the fluidity and adaptability of the stories we pass down. The line, "They're only stories. They'll change when they need to." has stayed with me since reading this book and that powerful sentiment moved me. The idea that stories aren’t immutable and the teller has the power to craft new meaning in them was stunning and fitting for a graphic novel so enamoured with retellings.

Trung Le Nguyen’s love of fairytales was evident in every page of The Magic Fish. Each story was individually compelling and immaculately embedded into the overarching narrative. The rise and fall of tension in the interweaving stories were perfectly balanced. The past, present, and fairytale fed into each other perfectly because Nguyen reflected and contrasted the parallel stories with skill and care.

The art in this book was stunning. Nguyen’s use of three monochromatic colour pallets to delineate his three modes of storytelling was inspired. This highlighted the connection and contrast between the narratives impeccably. The detail that went into the most minute aspect of the story was delightful. Seeing how the themes of the story played out in the design and art style of the story was another fascinating layer to peel back and analyze.

The Magic Fish moved me beyond measure. This is a story I know I’ll love even more upon reread because of its thematic richness and depth. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a moving, heart-shattering story.