by Samantha White
Northwest Asia Weekly
six flamingos
Elizabeth Lin
Knopf Books, 2021
Shiori’anma is Kiata’s only princess and she has a secret. In a kingdom where magic is forbidden, magic flows in her veins. Normally, she would go into hiding and eventually lose control of her magic on the morning of the engagement ceremony, where she would meet her would-be husband for the first time. While this stopped the wedding (which she never wanted to start), it also caught the attention of her stepmother, Raikama.
A sorceress, Thunder Scythe banishes Shiori to a far corner of the kingdom and turns her six brothers into cranes—warning the princess that for every word she says, one of her brothers will die. Penniless and silent, Shiori searches for her brother. Along the way, she uncovers a conspiracy to take the throne and realizes she can get things done – with the help of a shapeshifting dragon, her trusty magical paper bird, and the same boy she fought to not marry.
“The Crane” is a story that combines elements of Western fairy tales and East Asian folklore.
Lim does a good job of weaving them into a story about a young woman who is forced to start her life all over again, away from everything and everyone she has ever known. I really like how Lim uses archetypes that many of us are familiar with – the “evil” stepmother, a socially degraded young woman, a prince searching for a missing princess with only a slipper as a clue – and then turns herself on to the their twist. It will also be interesting to see how these different elements come to fruition in the end.
Shiori is a strong and intelligent character. While she always had a rebellious streak as a princess, it wasn’t until Thunder Scythe cursed her that she really learned how to stand up on her own two feet and stand up for the right thing. She shows readers that silence doesn’t mean you can’t speak for yourself.
Once upon a time: a charming romantic fairy tale
by Roshani Chokshi
Fact Sheet Casablanca, 2021
Meet Imelda and Ambrose, a princess and prince who met, fell in love and got married within days. But unlike other fairy tales, the wedding didn’t have the couple riding into the sunset and living happily ever after. Thanks to a poisonous tomato, Imelda falls ill, and Ambrose makes a deal with a witch who makes them forget their love for each other in exchange for Imelda’s life.
Then a year and a day passed, and their true story began.
To regain their inner longing, Imelda and Ambrose embark on a quest together, bravely exploring magical landscapes and battling terrifying creatures along the way. They may not have a trusty steed, but they do have a magic cloak that they think is a horse. As they approach the end of their journey, the magically estranged couple draws closer and discovers what their true inner longing is.
“Again” is an interesting twist on the traditional fairy tale that many of us know. While the story contains many of the usual archetypes — princes fighting dragons, witches’ curse, finding your true love after meeting them for a very short time — things aren’t always what they seem. I really like it. Since it’s Chokshi, author of my beloved Pandava Quintet, the storyteller’s humor and commentary will keep readers smiling until the end.
One thing I particularly appreciate is how Chokshi takes the common fairy tale trope of meeting someone and instantly knowing they are your true love, and through Imelda and Ambrose makes the reader really question it. Throughout the story, as the two grow closer, they wonder if love is enough for a strong relationship and marriage — especially since their past love experiences mean different things, and not always positive ones. This never happens in fairy tales, and I’m all for us questioning whether we should persevere for the sake of tradition, or if we should think twice.
magic fish
Author: Trung Le Nguyen
Random House Graphics, 2020
As young boys raised in the United States and Vietnamese immigrants struggling with English, Tian and his mother came from different cultures. One of the things that brought them together was reading fairy tales they had borrowed from their local library. The stories allowed Tian’s mother to practice her English, and the stories of love, loss, and traveling the world gave him a glimpse into her mother’s journey to America.
But no matter how many gaps these fairy tales bridge, there is one dialogue he still doesn’t know how to translate into Vietnamese. How did he tell them he was gay? If he really understood this, would they accept him?
“Magic Fish” tells the story of a family caught between two worlds. Nguyen features fairy tales from different cultures – some readers will recognize. He does a great job of showing how these stories are truly universal and we can relate to them no matter where they come from or where we come from. It reminds me that one of the things I love about stories is how universal they are and how they bring people together.
Stories aside – from Tian and his mother, to the fairy tale itself – “Magic Fish” is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel. I haven’t read a lot of media, but Nguyen shows how a picture is worth a thousand words. He was able to tell these stories without too many words, conveying what was happening through images, characters and their expressions. I also appreciate the different styles he uses between Tian and his mother’s stories and fairy tales – it’s pretty impressive for someone who isn’t artistically inclined.
Samantha is available at info@nwasianweekly.com.
