The Boy from Clearwater: Book 1

The Boy from Clearwater #1-2

by Yu Pei-Yun, Zhou Jian-Xin (Illustrator), Lin King (Translator)

For fans of Persepolis ; An incredible true story in graphic novel form, that lays bare the tortured and triumphant history of Taiwan, an island claimed and fought over by many countries, through the life story of a man who lived through its most turbulent times.

Tsai Kun-lin, an ordinary boy was born in Qingshui, Taichung in 1930s Taiwan. In part 1 Tsai, in concert with the beautiful illustrations of Chou Jian-xin, depicts a carefree childhood despite the Japanese growing up happily with the company of nursery rhymes and picture books on Qingshui Street. As war emerges Tsai's memories shift to military parades, air raids, and watching others face conscription into the army. It seems no one can escape. After the war, the book-loving teenager tries hard to learn Mandarin and believes he is finally stepping towards a comfortable future, but little does he know, a dark cloud awaits him ahead.

Part 2 opens with Illustrations reminiscent of woodcuts showing the soul-crushing experience of Tsai's detention and imprisonment. In his second year at Taichung First Senior High School, Tsai attends a book club hosted by his teacher and is consequently arrested on a false charge of taking part in an "illegal" assembly. After being tortured, he is sentenced to ten years in prison, deprived of civil rights for seven years, and sent to Green Island for "reformation". Lasting until his release in September 1960, Tsai, a victim of the White Terror era spent ten years of his youth in prison on an unjust charge. But he is ready to embrace freedom.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, History, Comics, Biography, Memoir, Asia

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2023

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Putting in jail just for joining a book club?!

Read about the life a man called Thai who has lived a decade of his life in prison because of an “unjust charge”. You will grit your teeth like I did as you go on reading the book.

Omg! This graphic novel has so much to offer!
Starting from the introduction to the distinct first and second parts, the illustrations in subtle grey & pink tones to the unique tone illustrations in the second half the book tells vividly the tragic history of Taiwan through the life of a boy to his adulthood.

The first part is about the boy through his perspective as it was in Taiwan of the 1930s while the second half is his story telling about the country during the 1950s.

I would suggest you to read this book patiently not just because it comes in the format of a graphic novel. Things get tense and more intense as you go on reading.

This book is precious. Just grab it when it comes out in May, 2024.

Thank you, Levine Querido, for the advance reading copy.

[Leonie · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I saw the cover of The Boy From Clearwater, I got immediately curious about the books' premise. The story sounded quite intriguing as well. However, I ended up with mixed feelings.

The art style is rather simplistic without any vibrant colours. This fit the overall mood of the story, which is undeniably depressing, and enhanced the gloomy atmosphere.

What let me down was the characters. Despite the horrible situation the main character was in, I could not connect with him or even the side characters. The characters all seemed to lack personality and depth, so it was hard for me to truly get invested in their lives and emotions.

Another aspect that bothered me was the length of the novel. At times, the story felt too long and too repetitive and I was looking forward to the end of the story.

I do believe that The Boy From Clearwater had great potential due to its premise, but the novel failed to deliver.

In conclusion, this could have been a great story, but due to the repetitive and dragged out plot and the bland characters I didn't end up enjoying the book as much as I had hoped I would.


[I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An account of a life in what is now called (in English) Taiwan from the 1930s to 1960. The introduction clearly outlines name and language changes as the territory shifted from being a Japanese colony into being taken over by the "Republic of China" — the defeated side in the Chinese civil war.

I did not know much of this history; for example the "White Terror" that lasted decades as the incoming mainland government sought to eradicate traces of socialism or revolution. Re-education camps, political prisoners, and executions were dark features of this time.

Since this volume only goes to 1960, one imagines that the next volumes will cover events leading up to the present, as the territory has continued to shift identities and postures as politics —and economics— demand.

This book discusses history starting with a treaty in 1895 which ceded the territory to Japan. Before that time the island was known (to Europeans at least) as "Formosa" — so named by the Portuguese in honour of its beauty.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the powerful story of a teenager living in Taiwan who was imprisoned by his government for joining a book club while in high school.

[Elena L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is a true story about Tsai Kun-Lin, born during Japan-governed Taiwan.

Told in two parts (1930s and 1950s), part one details his childhood while in part two, it focus on Kun-Lin's life as political prisoner in a reeducation camp. The brighter tone in part one emphasizes his carefree childhood, despite the war context and even having witnessed a devastating earthquake. In part two, the art is covered by muted tone, intentionally leading readers into the somber scenario.

Pei-Yun uses Kun-Lin to highlight Taiwan politics and history. From treason to torture to inhuman life conditions, this story is woefully depressing. The story feels distant and often reads like a history book, heavy to digest. Regardless, the lack of emotional connection doesn't take away from the relevance of this book and I recognize the author's brilliance at exposing this turbulent time of Taiwanese history.

With gorgeous and simple art, THE BOY FROM CLEARWATER (tr. Lin King) is an insightful graphic novel that leaves room for readers to meditate on. Despite my critique, I am eager to dive deeper into Kun-Lin in Book 2. I recommend this book for those wanting to know more about Taiwan.

[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Levine Querido . All opinions are my own ]

[Kelsey Bain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel based on a true story was both more and less than what I was expecting. It follows Khun-lim, a Taiwanese boy born in the 1930s who lived through major political upheaval in Taiwan during his lifetime as multiple countries claimed and fought over this country over the century.

If you're looking at this graphic novel solely as a medium through which to teach Taiwanese history in a palatable manner, I think this book excelled. But if you are looking for a book that is more of a character study and will have you emotionally invested in its characters, then this is not the book.

The mistreatment and torture that Khun-lim and his family endure are devastating, clearly. However, I felt the book did more "telling" instead of "showing". This is why this felt more like a history textbook told through an individual narrative than a memoir. That's not to say I hated it, it just wasn't what I expected.

I did love the artwork and the color key for the spoken languages in the book "(Hoklo Taiwanese, English, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese.)

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memoir that leans poetic.  The show could have been more graphic, but is not necessarily lacking as you understand what is happening. The two parts are nicely split up, allowing for the colors pink and blue, and then black and white, to play their roles in each section. There could have been more, but at the same time there is too much and just the right amount. It is an experience book that nobody experiences the same. It is also a thinking book. The illustrations are also poetic without being too flowery, but some can be a bit "romantic."  Overall, a strong book that cannot be used as a "pure history" teller, but there is much in the way of history as well (such as how the Korean War would affect Taiwan in ways we might not have thought of). 

[Elix]

This book was good but my biggest pet peeve was the colors! I loved the concept and it was the perfect way to show the different languages but why choose colors that were so close to identical??? I had to keep checking the key and squinting to see which was which because if they weren't side by side it was so hard to tell them apart so eventually I gave up trying, completely eliminating the point of doing it in the first place. Also I would have liked to know who our main character is. Why are we being told his story?

[Rachel Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful, emotional illustrations. The second part was brilliant at portraying life in the ‘re-education’ camp - parallels with mainland China were clear and thought provoking. The first half was quite confusing and hard to follow - I know this is a graphic novel, but a few more actual words would have been useful!

[My Giang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunate circumstances and the worst of luck. Sad to see someone go through torture for a false accusation and a seemingly harmless book club. Interesting story, but I felt like the story was too oversimplified for me to connect with the characters and story. This might not have been the medium to tell this story. I don’t think I’m going to read the second book.

[Anthony]

I felt a distance with this book. It’s packed with information for the sake of giving information but I really felt the emotion in the 2nd half.

[Yasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need part 2

[꧁ Bean ꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Bekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Mery ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover for The Boy From Clearwater is what drew me in initially. Both the cover and the artwork of this graphic novel are absolutely gorgeous. The muted tones really played into the melancholy feeling that this story was set in.

I learned a lot from this little book! It read very much to me like a history book in school. I wasn’t terribly invested and felt like I was reading from afar instead of being super immersed in the story. Regardless, I’m happy I read this. It was eye opening and thought provoking in the best way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, heartbreaking - learned so much.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both bleak and illuminating all at once.

This was a rather depressing read that sheds light on Taiwan's fractured and violent history – a subject that I know very little about so I'm glad for the insight. The book also delves into the unfair detainment, abuse and terrible living conditions of political prisoners.

I love how the art style and colours vary according to the story's timeline and mood e.g. the protagonist's idyllic childhood -> greyscale for his imprisonment -> his freedom in blue -> black for mourning. Such creative and evocative storytelling.

Looking forward to the next installment.

[alexgobed · Rating 3 out of 5]

maneres maques d'aprendre més sobre la història de violència que ha marcat Taiwan des de sempre!

[Esther Filbrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw this book was going to be released soon, I was intrigued by the fact that it was a true story, in graphic novel form, about someone from Taiwan. To my knowledge, I’ve never read any books set in Taiwan, so I was naturally curious. And, as a history lover, I was especially intrigued—my knowledge of Taiwan’s history is scanty, at best!

Whew. What a story! Honestly, it’s hard to imagine people having to go through what was described here—especially when I consider that the main character was/is about the age of my grandparents. To think that other people were suffering to this extent, when my grandparents were growing up in relative comfort, is incredible to me.

Culturally speaking, this book is a rich representation of Taiwanese culture in the 1930s and 1940s. Several facets I found especially interesting were the fact that the main character came from a family of eight—but only the oldest girl and the four or five boys in the family lived at home; the other sisters lived with other friends or family members. I also enjoyed the brief glimpses of family dynamics, and the few mentions of how the family worshipped were also interesting. Then there was the description of what World War II looked like from the Japanese perspective—a “holy war”. And then there was the whole thing about the unjust imprisonment…like I said, it’s hard to imagine, but I finished the book marveling at how resilient people can be, and how important it is to support others in their struggles.

This book was well-done, engaging, and informative. I did struggle to keep the names separate in my mind (I ended up doing quite a bit of flipping back-and-forth to remind myself of who was who!), but that was really a minor issue. Of all the graphic novels I’ve read so far, I think this one had my favorite illustration style—it was clear, but not too distorted comicy, like I’ve seen some places. Overall, this was a fascinating read, and I hope I’ll get the chance to read book two in the series someday!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

[Thomas Hettich · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommended by a staff member at my local library. She was very enthusiastic as are many other reviewers on Goodreads. The book did not connect with me. I will try to explain why:
- An underlying theme of the book is that during the years covered, various languages were spoken in Taiwan. Mostly imposed by a higher power and I never got the impression that this is what the Taiwanese people wanted. However, by highlighting the different languages (for example with a different colour), it seemed I should feel offended every single time. The book also went to great lengths to explain how some people had different names depending on the language setting. This added nothing for me, but made me again feel that the book was saying “hey, look at this injustice right here”.
- Even for a graphic novel, there is very little text. And although it is true that several times I lingered on certain frames and went back and forward to find the drawings reveal new information to me (this was nice), there are roughly a handful of almost one-page texts which made me wonder why these were so important to be included like this - instead of setting up and forwarding the narrative, it took me out of the story.
- I end up caring very little for the main character. I know very little of his inner life (for example, what drives him to read the books that he picks), his “romance” is set up rather shakily and not paid of. Besides his improved language skills we get little information of how these books make him knowledgeable or better - but we are told by the characters in the story that it IS special…
Overall the book seems to TELL us how to feel instead of SHOWING us. Quite unusual for a graphic novel.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a review (reading while sleepless), just some notes:
- with two governments that weren’t really theirs, tossed around by the whims of the greater political world—the war (bombs falling on Taiwan), the unclear loyalties (enlisted as a youth soldier to Japan, then to work at the municipal office)
- and the opening of the earthquake destroying the houses and killing 15,000 people indiscriminately >> is a good one
- And the question of translating Japanese and Hoklo and Mandarin and considering romanization
- And considering: Mandarin too was a new language to pick up at age 15…with mastery over language as a necessity to slip between registers in the ever changing world
- The moment of not knowing how his name was pronounced in Mandarin // emphasizing that he learned “Chinese” in the prison camps (the recognition of how language is not neutral / must be guarded and learned carefully)
- And Kunlin not passive in this—spending this volume learning as much as possible and having read books like Kropotkin’s Mutual Aid(!) and Lu Xun, and continued reading in prison (letters for his illiterate friends, news on the Korean War for his fellow prisoners…)
- an emphasis on the distinction between what’s said and what’s done…混乱是非

- (Lu Xun got banned in Taiwan…Hu Shi is his interesting counterpart, banned in the mainland and venerated in Taiwan…meanwhile my Taiwanese professors taught us Hu Shi and my Modern Chinese lit professor taught us Lu Xun. And we had the option of learning traditional but I only started that for my thesis
- And Sherry’s Chinese program taught her all traditional…(!)
- The sudden shift in tone from the wispy pale hued drawing of the first part to the heaviness of the linework in the second

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a powerful and poignant graphic novel. The circumstances and ordeals that our protagonist, Tsai Kun-Lin, endures are at first carefree and then increasingly harrowing. This is set during the turbulent years from the 1930s to 1960 on Taiwan and neighboring Lyudao (Green) Island we’re he was imprisoned. His home town in Taiwan had several names, as it changed depended if on which culture or country was in control of the island. Tshing-tsui in Taiwanese, Chingshui in Mandarin, and Kiyomizu in Japanese, but they all translate into English as Clearwater. And while the book focuses on the life and experiences of our central character, it also relates a superficial amount of history of Taiwan from those years before WWII and up to 1960 to contextualize the culture and political climate that led to Tsai Kun-lin’s fallacious arrest and ten year confinement at a concentration camp. From the perspective of the US, this narrative illustrates the dangers of allowing people like Donald tRump into power, who will use their political power to falsely imprison and even assassin age political dissidents and any who might dare to disagree with them. My only disappointment with the book is the that the narrative tends to do a lot of telling the reader things, instead of showing. This leaves the prose very stiff and unappealing. When the story switches to focusing directly on our protagonist, the pacing and narrative are much more enjoyable and effective.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very informative read. Presented in a kind of nonfiction narrative style, we follow the life of Kun Lin from a very young age when his home is destroyed in an earthquake, through his elementary years spent under the rule of Imperial Japan, and into the White Terror period of Taiwanese history when the boogeyman was behind every shadow.

Time moves very fast in the story, but there are several notes and extra information provided via footnote when applicable, and I think overall it was a good idea to follow one person’s journey in particular to give a sense of how people at the time coped with so much upheaval. At the same time, without background knowledge of the events and history of Taiwan before opening this book, I do think some parts were too glossed over — like the 2/28 incident — that would make it more difficult to get the full picture of what exactly is happening around Kun Lin and why he and so many others were subjugated to such needlessly abysmal conditions.

While it’s understandable there’s only so much that can be covered in one graphic novel, I do think there were many elements lacking to highlight what made this particular period of time truly harrowing and leave a lasting impression on the Taiwanese people and subsequent development of the country. An overall decent read if you already have some background knowledge of the events, or a good place to start as a springboard to dive deeper.

[Bookreviewer123 Bookreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was honestly a refreshing book. I liked how transparent it was. It did not idolize either side (Japanese or Chinese) and provided an in-depth look into what it was like living in Taiwan from the 30s into the 60s. It also provided a look that for me was quite rare and that was living in Taiwan during the White Terror. If you do not know what that is, for the sake of this review meeting the character count, I'd look it up. To sum up though it was a time when Taiwan was under Martial Law under the Republic of China government (the same government of Taiwan today btw). It really opened my eyes to how brutal some of the conditions were for political prisoners and anyone who spoke out against the regime at that time. I have heard stories previous but this was some serious stuff. On an other note, the drawing style is really unique and the story, as you can imagine, really hits hard. If you are into Chinese or Japanese colonial history or any factors concerning ww2 or the cold war in general I would definitely recommend reading this. I have yet to read part 2, as spoiler alert (kinda) this book ends on a cliffhanger.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Boy from Clearwater" is a graphic biography of Tsai Kun-lin's life. Tsai Kun-lin is born into a comfortable family that was part of the gentry, but his life is effected by both natural and man-made disasters from an early age.
The first half of the book almost feels like an oral history is picture form. There's no real breaks and small incidence and large make up the plot. The book's style takes a stark turn after Tsai Kun-lin's arrest and torture before being shipped off to Green Island and forced into hard labor.
As someone who has visited Taiwan but not delved deeply into Taiwanese history, this book was an eye opener to me. I struggled in the first half of the book to know which government was in charge and who was the attacker, but my attention was sucked in at the second half of the book.
It's certainly not a heart-warming read, but it is a portion of history we should all be aware.
It's always terrifying to learn how universal hatred and violence is.
Tsai Kun-lin was a resilient individual and I appreciate that Professor Yu Pei-Yun wrote down his story and Zhou Jian-Xin brought the story to life with pictures.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a normal boy born and raised in Taiwan, who experiences great upheavals and horrors. Read this to learn about Taiwanese history. Give this to fans of Persepolis and Maus, because both of those also have normal characters caught in awful, world history events, told in mostly black and white. In addition to being mostly black and white, the first half has occasional pink notes. Then when Tsuah Kun-Lin is arrested, tortured, and sent to a re-education camp, the pages turn mostly black. Gradually blue notes are added as he gains his freedom. But when he gets home, he learns that his father committed suicide, and the page turns almost completely black. I was struck by how similar the fascist dictator Chiang Kai Chek in Taiwan and the Communist Chinese were, with their torture of political prisoners, trumped up charges, "re-education" camps, and a set number of truths everyone was supposed to adhere to.

[Jack Kämpfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting way of learning history. The use of color throughout the book and the predominantly black and white illustrations, contrasted with pops of pink or blue, was really powerful. The way language choices were conveyed via color through the translation was genius. The author and illustrator very cleverly showed the linguistic diversity of Taiwan in a way that was easy to engage with as a reader who does not speak any of the original text's languages.

I struggled a bit to become invested in the story because of the narrative choices. The book was a series of short vignettes that kept me distant from the subject's story. Every event was over before I could become interested. If the author was going for a more personal history book feel, I think that was achieved, but I wish the story had been more personal and that it had spent more time on the pivotal chapters in the subject's life. Still, I learned a lot about a piece of history I've never studied.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m pretty, pretty sure this is non-fiction? And it focuses on a man from Taiwan who is imprisoned by the Chinese government after unknowingly joining a forbidden book club during his youth.

The first half of the novel, which is about his childhood growing up in first Japan-occupied-Taiwan and later China-occupied-Taiwan features soft, delicate lines. The artwork feels lighter, softer, more-innocent. In the second half, when the main character is imprisoned, the art style shifts the dark, thick lines that seem intense and appear ragged. The shift in art style was really interesting.

The graphic novel was surprisingly dense! The author packed a lot of history and context and footnotes into the pages.

This one feels especially important to read given the potential for conflict in Taiwan/over Taiwan, right now.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an important and true story about a Taiwanese boy put in prison for 10 years, but it's REALLY long. The first half is about his childhood growing up under Japanese rule, then Chinese after the end of World War II. It's way too long and not very interesting. He's sent to prison for joining a book club in high school. The second half is about his ten years in prison, moved to an island become prison. The style of writing sometimes made it hard to connect as it felt just like a list of facts. I did like how the art style changed between the first and second half of the book. The first half is more colorful with more detailed art. The second half is more shadowed and rustic with hardly any color. The differing styles worked well to set the moods.