Age 16

by Rosena Fung

A powerful coming-of-age graphic novel about three generations of mothers and daughters passing down and rebelling against standards of gender, race, beauty, size, and worth, for fans of Mariko Tamaki.

Sixteen-year-old Roz is preoccupied with normal teenage stuff: navigating high school friendships, worrying about college, and figuring out what to wear to prom. When her estranged Por Por abruptly arrives for a seemingly indefinite visit, the already delicate relationship between Roz and her mother is upended. With three generations under one roof, conflicts inevitably arise and long suppressed family secrets rise to the surface.

Told in alternating perspectives, Age 16 shifts seamlessly between time and place, exploring how this pivotal year in adolescence affects three women in the same family, from Guangdong in 1954 to Hong Kong in 1972, and Toronto in 2000.

Award-winning creator of Living with Viola Rosena Fung pulls from her own family history in her YA debut to give us an emotional and poignant story about how every generation is affected by those that came before and affect those that come after.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Comics, Fiction, Coming Of Age, Historical

312 pages, Paperback

Published July 2, 2024

About the author

Rosena Fung is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. She is the creator of the graphic novel Living With Viola. Her second graphic novel is forthcoming May 2024.

Her illustration clients include Chickadee Magazine, The Bentway, The Globe and Mail, CBC Arts, and the Toronto Transit Commission. She has created work for magazines, newspapers, and public art murals.

When she is not drawing, Rosena can be found teaching illustration, vending at zine fairs, and going to the library. Her favourite activities also include petting cats, eating snacks, and learning to play both acoustic and electric guitar (she is not great at it but it doesn't matter, it makes her happy to cradle her rockstar dreams!). She lives with her partner and the most adorable cat in the entire universe.

Her name is pronounced "Rosanna".

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

the only thing better than a graphic novel is a coming of age graphic novel.

i often feel like graphic novels are limited in their ability to tell a full story, with full characters, and yet this one managed to relate 3 generational tales with 3 women in one family, sharing fatphobia and homophobia and misogyny, and do all of it convincingly and emotionally.

plus the art was cute as hell.

bottom line: this is such a good one!

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: An impactful OwnVoices graphic novel highlighting toxic parenting and intergenerational trauma, through the narratives of a granddaughter, a mother, and a daughter. Loved the triple timeline approach, each with its own powerful point to make. But some more elaboration could have elevated this story even further.

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Plot Preview:

2000. Toronto. Roz is a typical teen, nerding out on alien fiction, evaluating her college options, and looking forward to the prom. But as she is plus-sized, her body weight is her constant worry, exacerbated by her mother’s demands that she eat less. When her estranged grandmother arrives unexpectedly, the relationship between the trio is further weakened.
The plotline is mainly focussed on Roz, but there are two other timelines – 1972 Hong Kong and 1954 Guangdong – detailing her mother’s and her grandmother’s backstories respectively.

Bookish Yays:
🌹 The introductory note by the author gives the right start to the story. She makes it clear that this is a fictional work as well as a generational memoir.

🌹 The triple timeline, each focussed on a sixteen-year-old (hence, the title: ‘Age 16’) in a different location, lifestyle, and era, but struggling against similar expectations: parental, societal, and cultural.

🌹 The themes, especially the pressure on girls to fit into a certain body size and shape, how bullying can occur even at home, and how parents don’t realise how they are passing on to their children the same stress they had undergone in their youth.

🌹 The mother-daughter relationships in this book are tricky to appreciate, but the story shows how leaving too much unsaid never works in the long run. Communication is key.

🌹 Love how Roz and Lydia are shown to be so much more than their weight. While their weight is a prime cause of tension in their respective timelines, the story lets us see them as a person than as a fat person, which is so very important.

🌹 I also love how all three of the main characters have inner voices talking to them, questioning their every move and casting doubt in their hearts. It highlights how deeply we can be affected by naysayers, not just the external ones but also the ones in our head.

🌹 The illustrations follow a triple colour scheme, each in a secondary colour palette: monochrome purple for Rosalind in Toronto, monochrome orange for Lydia (the mother) in Hong Kong, and monochrome green for Mei Laan (the grandmother) in China. The hues suit the youthful tone and the chaos of teen age, and also serve as a reliably easy indicator of the active timeline. Towards the end, the 2000 timeline starts using green and orange, showing the developing harmony among the trio.

🌹 I liked the ending. It was not perfectly sealed, nor an unrealistically happy one, but an aptly hopeful finish.


Bookish Nays:
🌵 What could have been a perfect experience is somewhat marred by the unanswered questions, especially in Lydia’s and Mei Laan’s stories. Granted, Roz is the key character as the past affects her present the most. But without knowing the extended details in the two historical timelines, the decisions of Lydia and Mei Laan feel vague. Mei Laan’s arc is the weakest of the trio. I wish her reasons for not sharing the secrets of her traumatic past with her daughter had come out more clearly. Moreover, as I could see the struggles of all three characters, I faced mixed feelings when one timeline made me sympathise with a character but another timeline generated frustration towards that very person.


All in all, this graphic novel has a meaningful plot and an impactful theme, but it could have been an even more memorable experience had it developed the historical backstories in more detail.
Nevertheless, it is a great option for young adults who will hopefully learn to accept themselves as they are and communicate with their parents or guardians instead of silently wishing for the best while living the worst.

Definitely recommended to YA readers looking for a good coming-of-age and self-acceptance story in graphic format.

4.25 stars.


My thanks to Annick Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “Age 16”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Content warnings: Fatphobia, fat shaming, eating disorders, toxic parenting.

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Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||

[Zana · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up.

I wasn't expecting to read my goddamn biography. (Bonus Asian generational trauma!!!)

I almost shed a tear or two because of how relatable this was, and I'm talking about all three POVs: Roz's, her mother's, and her grandmother's.

Roz's issues with weight and being a bigger girl in high school and going to prom and being a normie vs. nerding out with nerd friends? Hard relate. Her mother's decision to run away to the other side of the world to escape her mother? My own mother can definitely relate. Her grandmother's experiences in post-Japanese occupied China and her very strict to the point of abusive parenting? No comment, except switch China for Singapore and you have my biography.

I absolutely loved the comparisons between all three women's lives at age 16, especially the societal pressures and stigmas that each faced during their childhoods, and how those changed (or stayed the same in certain regards) as the POV bounces back and forth between the three women. The pressure on Roz's grandmother and mother to find men and get married irritated the hell out of me and made me glad I face zero pressure on that front (for now).

Loved the happy ending at the end and the message of acceptance. It's heavy in some parts (ex. victim blaming, women's lack of agency in the 50s, etc.), but I'm glad that the story ended on a positive note. I think teens (and adults too) would find this graphic novel relatable.

I'm only knocking down half a star because I'd love more introspection and more personal first-person type of POVs for each of the characters. I felt a bit disconnected from the story and characters because they're presented matter-of-factly in certain parts. But, this might just be me so ymmv.

Thank you to Annick Press and Edelweiss for this arc.

[h o l l i s · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite some of the heavier content, I flew through this read and it was so nice to sink into a graphic novel after what feels like quite a long time. Maybe it's because my reading mojo has been so all over the place (mostly non-existent) but having two reads back to back with illustrations definitely made it easy to stay dialed in to the story being told. Unlike the other one though.. this was pretty tough.

Dealing with multiple timelines, and generations, we jump between Toronto in 2000, Hong Kong in 1972, and Guangdong in 1954. Though it was easy enough to tell them all apart, I really loved the use of colour to differentiate the timelines; having the art in various shades of said colour was so aesthetically soothing. Which was about the only soothing element involved in the story because we jump between various hardships and one of those, which ends up recurring down the line, is body image and how worth is tied into looks and weight.

Based on the author's note it seems the majority of this story is based on her family's experience so I hate to be super critical but this coming of age story really makes you earn the resolution these women find in the evolution of their relationships. I much preferred the modern day timeline even with the critical mother because, ultimately, she was the least toxic of the two maternal representations. But I also just really felt for Roz and I liked her voice the most.

So, yes, don't be fooled by the pretty colours; toxic and or bullying parental behaviours are present as they manifest due to experienced traumas and learned behaviours, alongside the aforementioned body image and self-worth themes. However, it was a fairly unique coming of age story in the sense that though we see all three women at age sixteen, the earlier timelines aren't the last we see of all women, and there is healing for them when they are older (Roz being the exception as, again, she's the most recent timeline) and that is comforting, too. Because it proves you're never too old to change, to heal, and to accept yourself.

I definitely would recommend this even though it wasn't an experience I loved because I think a lot of people will identify with and feel seen by AGE 16. Also, yeah, it's pretty; the art very much gives me SCOTT PILGRIM vibes which is definitely reinforced by the Toronto-ness of it all -- and, final note, the play on words for all the landmarks or references was a delight.

** I received a finished copy from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.

[dreamgirlreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this graphic novel about three generations and their experiences at age 16. The reader follows Rosalind aka Rox aka Linney in 2000 in Canada, her mother, Lydia, in the early 1970s in Hong Kong, and her Por Por (grandmother), Mei Laan, in the early 1950s in China. This book focuses a lot on fatphobia and how when it's internalized, it continues to be passed from one generation to the next. Being a millennial, I remember the overwhelming fatphobia in the early 2000s. The obsession with scales, the diet fads, calorie counting, over exercising, and starving yourself to be thin. I've personally spent my whole life sucking my stomach in, even when I was thin (thinking I was fat) and spent many a school lunches refusing to eat although my tummy growled with hunger so I very much understood many of Roz's troubles. I really appreciate the way Age 16 portrays the background and history of what Rosalind thinks is a naggy, critical mother and mean grandmother. Seeing her mother and her grandmother's past experiences and hardships help the reader see where this toxic behavior comes from while the ending shows that you have the power to end the cycle.

"The world can be made to fit you. You're already who you need to be."

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three generations of women relive and experience their lives at age 16—in 1950s China, 1970s Hong Kong and 2000 Toronto.

I really enjoyed this, although it was a tough read, as it's about the harm perpetuated by mothers onto their daughters (even when mothers are trying their best...or not). There's a lot of fatphobia and fatshaming and emotional abuse (both intentional and not), and at the end an acceptance of self and body and an understanding of where everyone was coming from.

Anywho, a snapshot at the unholy standards applied to women, particularly Asian women (and the racism they experience on a daily basis).

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Age 16 by Rosena Fung.

This is a graphic novel is based on a granddaughter, mother and grandmother all when they were 16 years old. It was interesting to see the women at that stage and what their surroundings and life looked like. The story begins in Guangdong in 1954, then Hong Kong in 1972, and Toronto in 2000.

I believe that at times teens think they have it so bad because they cannot see what their parents and grandparents lived through. You see the struggle that each character goes through. Whether it is pressures from parents, arranged marriage, wanting freedom, weight loss, loneliness and trying to find your place in the world.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahhhh this was so good!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how you sometimes pick up a book just to take a quick look and you’ll finish it later, but end up reading the whole thing in one gulp. Yeah, that is what I did with Rosena Fung’s graphic novel “Age 16”.

It tells the story of three women of the same family, grandmother, mother, daughter, all at age 16, and what their life was like, and what their dreams were. The Por Por (grandmother) at age 16, was in China and betrothed to a man in Hong Kong, and she thinks that that would be better than anything. She ends up being a single mother. Her daughter, Lyndia, has problems being accepted by her mother, and escapes to Toronto. And her daughter, Roz, has problems as well, being unhappy with her weight.

When her Por Por shows up, the family fights and yells and doesn’t get along because none of those problems have been fixed. We follow each of the women through their lives and how they got there, including Roz, who is just trying to figure things out.

I love this story, because no one is innocent. Everyone is messed up for some reason, be it the war, be it weight, be it feeling that your mother doesn’t love you. Told in three different timelines, and three different places, it all works together.

Thanks to Edelweiss and Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is going to be published by Annick Press, the 2nd of July 2024.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age 16 by Rosena Fung is a graphic novel that follows three generations of women, spanning from 1950s China to Toronto in the early 2000s. The narration is nonlinear in time, focusing in turn on the grandmother, mother and daughter, when each one is 16.

It is a story that explores the continuous cycle of criticising one's kids, and the journey to accepting one's self despite the harsh words of one's parents.

The art style gave me Daria and the Scott Pilgrim comic book vibes. A few pages have beautifully rendered images of the Chinese countryside, and these panels were my favorite part of the graphic novel.

As for the story, I felt just ok about it. The protagonist - the daughter - struggles with body image and is stressed out about feeling like she isn't accepted as her true self by her group of friends. It's a tale that should be super-relatable - I lived through the same thing in my teens, as did pretty much everybody else. But the story felt underwhelming and didn't grab me as much as I thought it was going to during the first few pages of the graphic novel. There is a happy ending, but it just didn't feel satisfying, likely because the emotional stakes weren't very robust.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me a free advance reader copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful, I am crying in my kitchen at 3 am after finishing this one. From Guangdong in 1954 to Hong Kong in 1972, and Toronto in 2000, ‘Age 16’ follows three generations of women under one roof.

I have a lump in my throat this was such an incredible graphic novel about generational trauma, race, and beauty. A short read that packs a punch, it’s hard not to see yourself in this story.

The parallels and flashback really do a great job of showcasing the intergenerational trauma and relationship between characters. Between gender expectations and body image/disordered eating. Your heart will ache for each one of them.

Thank you for the arc, this title will be released on June 2nd, 2024.

[Daisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t read graphic novels often, but this was fantastic. For those who don’t typically read graphic novels, I would still recommend this book. The stories of the daughter, mother, and grandmother are told beautifully. The use of color as markers for each family members’ story is a helpful visual cue so this novel is never confusing despite multiple stories being told.

Received DRC from Annick Press via NetGalley

[Gracyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 - beautiful in story and visuals as it addresses multigenerational histories and the threads that weave them together (for better or for worse.)

This narrative captivated me in the little details and its representation of different lived experiences. It felt grounded and the characters real.

While I have some critiques on the developments of certain resolutions, or the beginnings of them, it is authentic to real human relationship - not the version we wish for, intend for or see in hindsight.

Definitely a re-read as well, sometime in the future.

[Jessica Park Rhode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanna reread more slowly and look at all the little puns/brands more closely

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Age 16, a young adult graphic novel by Canadian author Rosena Fung was a surprisingly good. (Maybe I shouldn't be surprised but it's by an unfamiliar author to me so I had no expectations towards it).

Age 16 is a multi-generational story that travels from Guangdong China in the 1950's, through Hong Kong in the 1970s to Toronto, Ontario in the early 2000's. It follows Mei Laan, aka grandma (por por), Lydia, the mother and Roz, the titled 16 year old. The story moves back and forth through each generation and is a fascinating tale. Roz is a young girl living in Toronto, dealing with a weight problem. She lives with her mother, Lydia who moved from Hong Kong as a young girl to both get away from her mother and to get an education. She also struggle(s) with her weight. She has a somewhat fractious relationship with Roz, mostly dealing with money as Lydia is divorced and her ex refuses to provide assistance.

Into the picture comes Por Por (Grandma) and the level of friction and anger raises greatly. Por Por was a beautiful young lady who grew up in war torn Guangdong. She finally gets an opportunity to escape her situation, to follow her father to Hong Kong. Her father has arranged a marriage for Por Por. It turns out that the marriage is to a man as his second wife. She is treated very badly and while pregnant with Lydia, she leaves her situation and struggles to live in Hong Kong. She resents Lydia because she grows up looking more like her father. As I mentioned earlier, Lydia, with the help of 'Auntie' Ping, manages to establish herself in Hong Kong.

There is friction between each generation that makes for a fraught situation when Por Por shows up in Toronto. Roz is trying to lose weight so she can fit into a prom gown. Por Por and Lydia are always fighting. But there are reasons for this tension and it's explained as we move back and forth between their early and current lives. It's a rich story, emotional and beautifully drawn, with the coloring different between each locale to make it more distinctive. Do things work out between the generations? That you'll have to read to discover. Just let me say that it is a powerful story and well worth reading. Loved it. (4.5 stars)

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight]

I'm such a fun of semi-autobiographical books where the author uses their own experience as an outline of a vast, dense story.

Age 16 follows three teenagers across the decades: Roz, her mother, and her grandmother. At sixteen, each of them face different forms of abuse and shame, shaping their lives in a variety of ways. Sexism, victim blaming, fatphobia, and bullying are only some of the topics explored in here.

I really liked how the conjunction of three generations was finally able to lead to confessions and apologies and understandings. And Roz's wholesome fandom-appreication found a wonderful outlet, leading to sweet friendships and a satisfying conclusion.

The changing color palettes for all three girls was also very well done, especially with the eventual merging of them.

This book deals with heavy topics, but it's definitely worth picking up!

[Maryam M.Gh · Rating 4 out of 5]

دوسش داشتم
داستان سه نسل از زنان خانواده که توی چین، هنگ کنگ و تورنتو زندگی میکنن.
شرم دادن مادرا به دخترا بابت بدنشون یک مسئله ی جهانیه مث که و مخصوص ایران نیست.

[bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

chubby ethnic girls who have layered relationships with the women in their life, rise!!! this is the book for you!!!!

[el (celestialbronz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

coming of age graphic novel that cover the lives of 3 generations of women during their teenage years. how their teenage life experience affected the lives of their children--their daughters. at the end of the day they only wanted the best for their children, even though their method isn't entirely correct and their children didn't like their treatment.

[CYBILS Awards]

Learned about this one from our Graphic Novel summer reading group.

[Leni ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!

Themes: Family, Growing Up
Representation: East Asian MCs and SCs
Content Warnings: Fatphobia, Teen Pregnancy, Sexism, Intergenerational Trauma

PERSONAL COMMENTS
I thought this book was easy to read and easy to get through. I enjoyed how the author represented three different women from different time periods in a nuanced way. I liked how she represented different problems that were relevant to each of their time periods. I also liked how she represented intergenerational trauma and how she connected each of their traumas. However, sometimes the pacing of the book could feel slightly clunky.

Rating: 4/5

CHARACTERS
This book obviously focused more on character development than plot. And I think the intergenerational trauma and connection that each of the main characters had was well written.

It follows the story of Rosalind in Toronto, 2000 as she learns how to deal with her weight. I thought that her story was relevant and relatable, as self-love and image is a struggle that many teenage girls hold. I loved how the author tried to represent it in a realistic yet hopeful and inspiring way, telling readers that your weight does not influence who you are.

It also follows Rosalind’s mom, Lydia, in 1972 in Hong Kong. After reading her part, you will see why Rosalind reacts about her weight the way that she does. And how the traumas that Lydia has endured affects Rosalind. You can really see how intergenerational trauma impacts people from generation to generation.

Finally, the last narrator is Rosalind’s Por Por. Her story takes place in 1954. And after reading her story, you too, can see why she acts the way that she does, as well as the causes of her trauma. You can see how her life impacted her treatment towards her daughter and granddaughter.

Overall, a great job at connecting three different generations and showing the impacts of intergenerational trauma. However, I wished that some of the things with the side characters in the book could have been expanded on or more resolved.

Rating: 4.4/5

PLOT
The book was quite fast-paced in general, which is what you’d expect from a graphic novel. It quickly jumps into Rosalind’s life and her problems, then quickly connects how her problems are a result of intergenerational trauma.

The book switches quickly between perspectives and is done in a natural way. In a few parts, the switches between the points of view were awkward. However, it is done in a way that is natural and works to aid the story and character development.

Finally, though the ending of the book was sweet and I thought it was fitting for the story, there were some loose threads that I felt like were not tied up. Things that left this book feeling slightly incomplete and if included, would make the book even better.

Rating: 3.9/5

OTHER
I really enjoyed the art style of the book. I thought that a simple cartoon art style was perfect to go with a book like this: a coming-of-age novel. It helps to get the story across in a simple manner, reminiscent of the departure of the simple teenage days.

Also, the author chose to use different colours for each of the narratives which helps to differentiate them and also helps each narrative stand out. This makes each of the stories more unique!!!

Finally, off topic but… I loved how this story is set in Toronto. As a Canadian, I really enjoyed this Canadian representation and I’m sure many other Canadians would too!!!

Rating: 5/5

RATINGS
Personal Rating: 4/5
Characters: 4.4/5
Plot: 3.9/5
Other: 5/5
Final Rating: 4.3/5 (round to 4 stars)

[Wendy MacArthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love ARCs, The coloring wasn't complete yet in this graphic novel. But, what a poignent story of three generations of women, the generational trauma that exists, and their struggle to change it.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

Say hi to my new favourite graphic novelist 👋 Rosena Fung is back with another hit after Living With Viola and this was so, so good!

Never have I come across a graphic novel that captures generational trauma so well. I love how each timeline had its own colour palette – such a subtle yet effective way of storytelling. The book explores many important issues that women hold close to their hearts and I could relate to all of the characters. I also adore the gorgeous illustrations and style.

A beautiful, moving and evocative read that gives a powerful voice to the many things we don't and can't talk about ❤️

Thank you Annick Press for the Netgalley ARC.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to read Age 16 by Rosena Fung because I loved her middle-grade graphic novel Living with Viola and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed!

Fung seems to effortlessly weave together of three generations of women - Por Por (the grandmother) from Guangdong, Lydia (the mom) from Hong Kong, and Roz, the youngest, in Toronto. All three generations are staying together after Por Por makes a surprise visit to their home in Toronto. The main story (in which Roz prepares to go to a dance at school) is interrupted with vignettes of the elder two women's life stories - showing key elements of what their life was like at her age. Their stories shed light on the way they interact with Roz and with each other.

There is a lot to love about this book - the multigenerational immigration story, sharing family trauma, bittersweet coming-of-age feel, and of course the art. I simply loved the artwork - it has the same delightful and thoughtful style as the drawings in Living with Viola and I love the way Fung uses color. The time periods of each of the three women are represented in different colors to help illustrate that we've moved from character-to-character / backwards or forwards in time.

I really enjoyed this book and will add it to our library's collection. I'd recommend this to folks who are interested in family history, immigration, coming-of-age stories, stories about self-image, stories about trauma, and of course, to my graphic novel fans.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this title!

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's lots of 'complex relationship between mother and daughter' lit out there, but in recent years I've seen more of a push to have the mother's story included — which is almost always that of the generational cycle repeating. Think: that small scene towards the end of Turning Red where you see the mom as a little girl. 

What I appreciate about this is that it's not a flash. It's three full narratives: daughter, mother, and grandmother, all at 16. All repeating versions of the same narrative, set in each of their respective locations: Toronto, Hong Kong, and China.

The crux centers around weight. The daughter and mother are big women. The grandmother is thin. The mother is passive aggressive about weight, a thousand micro aggressions about picking the right snacks and doesn't she want to look good for prom?, etc etc. The grandmother is outright critical and cruel. 

The truth in this, as is in life: each woman had it worse, and is doing the best with what she had. Each older woman's story is increasingly difficult and heartbreaking. And you know it just goes up the chain. 

I thought this was going to be a well-done 4 star read, but I cried through soooo much of the last bit - and that final image absolutely sliced me!! So enjoy my 5 stars! This was truly beautiful.

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an unbiased review!
PopSugar 2024: a book with at least 3 POVs

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic, deeply personal YA coming of age graphic novel from Canadian artist/author, Rosena Fung, in which she shares her family history and the complicated intergenerational relationships between her, her mother and her mother's mother.

The book focuses a lot on body image and being pressured to fit an ideal thin beauty standard, while also giving flashbacks to the 50s and 70s in China and Hong Kong. Great illustrations paired with important messages about loving people for who they are make this a standout read!! Highly recommended for fans of books like Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying and Almost American girl by Robin Ha.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This is definitely going to be one I put on my forever shelf full of other fav graphic novels.

CW: disordered eating, fatphobia, body shaming

[Songie · Rating 5 out of 5]

content warning for disordered eating(!)

Multi-generational story focused on the experience of being sixteen, struggling to meet your expectations and everyone else’s, while searching for a place of belonging.

You are your mother’s daughter, your mother is a daughter, and her mother was also a daughter. The echos of experiences surrounding our growth.

Navigating motherhood is different for everyone: how can we end the cycles of cruelty/trauma and ensure the future is better for ourself and others?

It felt a bit rushed in pacing at some points. Nonetheless, the story and the way it was portrayed deeply resonated with me.

(Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful graphic novel that really depicts how generational trauma and harm gets passed along. Each generation of mother and daughter was shaped by their own experiences and good intentions and love often lead directly to harmful impact. It's only when communication and understanding of the older generation happens, is when healing can happen. But it's so hard and this just portrays it beautifully.

I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.

ETA: Staff Pick 8/24

[HaileyAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel follows Roz in 2000 Toronto, her mother in 1972 Hong Kong, and her Por Por in 1954 Guangdong. We learn their stories as they try to learn how to come together and let go of their past trauma.

This was a beautifully written and illustrated semi-autobiographical story about overcoming generational trauma.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!

Such a great book. Thank you Annick Press for the ARC, and for publishing these kinds of stories, because wow I really wish I had something like this growing up 💜