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The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang
In this hilarious and heartfelt debut graphic novel, a girl born on a day considered unlucky in Chinese superstition starts to wonder if she really is cursed when she’s troubled by visions of doom set to occur on her thirteenth birthday.
Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on her actual birthday, April 4th, because of her mom’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number. And that’s not the only thing Mom’s strict about; she won’t let Eugenia go to a summer comic art camp because she thinks art is a waste of time. This year, Eugenia is determined to defy her mom by applying for the camp, having her party on her actual birthday, and inviting her super cute crush while she’s at it, too!
But when Eugenia gets hit in the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts getting unnerving visions of impending doom about her upcoming birthday. It might be the aftereffects of her head injury, or maybe she’s just anxious about turning thirteen. As the visions get worse, even affecting her artwork, Eugenia suspects an unseen force may be sending her messages. If she’s haunted after all, Eugenia will have to figure out why before it’s too late. Even more horrifying, she may have to do the unthinkable: admit her mom was right.
Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on her actual birthday, April 4th, because of her mom’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is an unlucky number. And that’s not the only thing Mom’s strict about; she won’t let Eugenia go to a summer comic art camp because she thinks art is a waste of time. This year, Eugenia is determined to defy her mom by applying for the camp, having her party on her actual birthday, and inviting her super cute crush while she’s at it, too!
But when Eugenia gets hit in the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts getting unnerving visions of impending doom about her upcoming birthday. It might be the aftereffects of her head injury, or maybe she’s just anxious about turning thirteen. As the visions get worse, even affecting her artwork, Eugenia suspects an unseen force may be sending her messages. If she’s haunted after all, Eugenia will have to figure out why before it’s too late. Even more horrifying, she may have to do the unthinkable: admit her mom was right.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2025
10 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Stan Yan
28 books51 followersStan is an award-winning, first generation American-born-Chinese, Denver-based writer, illustrator, caricature artist and instructor.
He helped to co-found the Squid Works comic creator cooperative, was a board member of the Colorado Alliance of Illustrators and is currently the co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (RMC-SCBWI), and a member of the Cuddlefish Gang art “cuddlective.”
His work has been seen in THE SUNDAY HA HA, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS (BlueWater Productions / Storm Comics / Tidal Wave), THERE’S A ZOMBIE IN THE BASEMENT (Squid Works Kids), DENVER COMIX, KITE TALES, the RMC-SCBWI annual calendar, THE QUEUING DEAD (British zombie anthology), POP CULTURE CLASSROOM, and THE WESTWORD, among many others.
His late middle-grade graphic novel, THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG is being published by Atheneum (S&S), scheduled for Fall '25.
His work was the grand prize recipient of the 2022 SCBWI-FL Conference Portfolio Excellence Award!
He currently teaches illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design and via the Cuddlefish Academy.
He helped to co-found the Squid Works comic creator cooperative, was a board member of the Colorado Alliance of Illustrators and is currently the co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (RMC-SCBWI), and a member of the Cuddlefish Gang art “cuddlective.”
His work has been seen in THE SUNDAY HA HA, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS (BlueWater Productions / Storm Comics / Tidal Wave), THERE’S A ZOMBIE IN THE BASEMENT (Squid Works Kids), DENVER COMIX, KITE TALES, the RMC-SCBWI annual calendar, THE QUEUING DEAD (British zombie anthology), POP CULTURE CLASSROOM, and THE WESTWORD, among many others.
His late middle-grade graphic novel, THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG is being published by Atheneum (S&S), scheduled for Fall '25.
His work was the grand prize recipient of the 2022 SCBWI-FL Conference Portfolio Excellence Award!
He currently teaches illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design and via the Cuddlefish Academy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
October 5, 2025
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade graphic novel about a Chinese-American girl who suddenly gets premonitions about the future. The storyline is a bit weird, with some of the darker content left unexplained. The characterisation is also overly stereotypical for the Asian mom. I liked bits and pieces of this book, but as a whole, it didn’t come together for me. Mine is an outlier review.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
🌸 The friendship between Eugenia and her best friend and neighbour Keisha. Loved their bond and also the banter.
🌸 Keisha is Black and has two dads, both of whom are active in her upbringing. Despite Eugenia’s mom being negative about everything, she never comments on Keisha’s race or her parental situation. Nice to see this normalised depiction of mixed-race friendship and same-sex parenting.
🌸 The artwork. The colours are great. Reality is shown in bright pastel hues while Eugenia’s scary dream is in monochrome shades of fiery red. The characters are also decent. I like how the Chinese characters weren’t drawn in clichéd style of oval faces and slit-like eyes.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 Eugenia as a character. I felt sorry for her, but I also felt a bit annoyed at her behaviour in a few scenes. Tough to like a middle-grade character unconditionally when they are setting a bad precedent, no matter how valid their reasons are.
🌹 The heartfelt conversation Eugenia has with her younger brother in the second half of the book. Shows a realistic issue faced by siblings. If only this understanding and empathy wasn’t limited to a single scene.
Bookish Nays:
🌵 Too many subtopics. The result hence feels a bit too cluttered.
🌵 The portrayal of Eugenia’s mom – so horribly and hyperbolically stereotypical! I get that some Asian moms are genuinely like that, but as this is fiction, there ought to have been some redeeming points as well. Without this, that turnaround at the end feels too instant and unconvincing.
🌵 The depiction of the tussle over lucrative career choices. Most Asian moms get the bad rap for wanting their kids to be only highly-rated professionals such as doctors, engineers and lawyers. But the rationale is that of financial security, all the more valid in case of immigrant parents who have slogged for their family’s happiness and want more for their kids in the new country of residence. Showing a one-sided picture isn't justified. It plays further into the stereotypes.
🌵 Not much depth to the remaining characters. They shine in some scenes, but on the whole, I didn’t feel like I got to know them at all.
🌵 The writing about the “crush”, filled with heart eyes and dreamy looks. Never a fan of romantic tingles being included in middle-grade fiction.
🌵 Eugenia’s bad dream. Quite interesting how it changes in the subtle details each time. The recurrent dreams have a clearly spooky vibe, but the rationale behind the dreams and their altered details is never clarified. Moreover, they stop as suddenly as they started, with no explanation about how the sneaker hit triggered the nightmares or who was responsible, or why they appeared only to Eugenia. I hated that there is no explanation of any kind – real or occult – provided to those scenes.
🌵 The Ouija board scene. Not comfortable with its inclusion in this book, especially as it was overly convenient and underutilised.
🌵 So many communication issues! Half of Eugenia’s and her mom’s issues would have been sorted early had they spoken honestly to each other. But the book rarely capitalises on the scenes with potential for heartfelt discussion.
🌵 The ending. Abrupt and lacking in clarifications.
Overall, I had expected to love this book far more, but the repetitive plotline, the lack of resolution, and the abhorrent portrayal of Eugenia’s mom (I expected much better of an OwnVoices work!) didn’t endear the book to me. It has its moments, but on the whole, I wouldn’t count it as an enjoyable reading experience for me.
The Goodreads rating for this middle-graphic novel is quite high. (4.46 stars at the time of writing this review.) So mine, the only 2-star rating so far, is very much an outlier opinion. Please read the other reviews before you take a call on this work.
Recommended to those interested in an OwnVoices graphic novel of a young girl’s dilemma and are okay about not getting all the answers.
2 stars.
My thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing the DRC of “The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Twelve-year-old Eugenia harbours dreams of becoming an artist. But her mom is adamant that Eugenia choose a more stable and secure career path. Eugenia also wants to celebrate her birthday on the actual date, but as 4 is an unlucky number in Chinese culture, Eugenia never gets her wish. This year, Eugenia is determined not just to have a birthday party on the 4th but also to apply for a summer art camp scholarship.
When Eugenia gets hit on the head with a sneaker during PE class, she suddenly starts getting visions of a major fire on her birthday. The fire stays constant in the visions, but the casualties keep changing. Is it some hallucination because of her head injury? Or is someone trying to warn her against celebrating her birthday on the 4th?
The story comes to us in Eugenia’s first-person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
🌸 The friendship between Eugenia and her best friend and neighbour Keisha. Loved their bond and also the banter.
🌸 Keisha is Black and has two dads, both of whom are active in her upbringing. Despite Eugenia’s mom being negative about everything, she never comments on Keisha’s race or her parental situation. Nice to see this normalised depiction of mixed-race friendship and same-sex parenting.
🌸 The artwork. The colours are great. Reality is shown in bright pastel hues while Eugenia’s scary dream is in monochrome shades of fiery red. The characters are also decent. I like how the Chinese characters weren’t drawn in clichéd style of oval faces and slit-like eyes.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 Eugenia as a character. I felt sorry for her, but I also felt a bit annoyed at her behaviour in a few scenes. Tough to like a middle-grade character unconditionally when they are setting a bad precedent, no matter how valid their reasons are.
🌹 The heartfelt conversation Eugenia has with her younger brother in the second half of the book. Shows a realistic issue faced by siblings. If only this understanding and empathy wasn’t limited to a single scene.
Bookish Nays:
🌵 Too many subtopics. The result hence feels a bit too cluttered.
🌵 The portrayal of Eugenia’s mom – so horribly and hyperbolically stereotypical! I get that some Asian moms are genuinely like that, but as this is fiction, there ought to have been some redeeming points as well. Without this, that turnaround at the end feels too instant and unconvincing.
🌵 The depiction of the tussle over lucrative career choices. Most Asian moms get the bad rap for wanting their kids to be only highly-rated professionals such as doctors, engineers and lawyers. But the rationale is that of financial security, all the more valid in case of immigrant parents who have slogged for their family’s happiness and want more for their kids in the new country of residence. Showing a one-sided picture isn't justified. It plays further into the stereotypes.
🌵 Not much depth to the remaining characters. They shine in some scenes, but on the whole, I didn’t feel like I got to know them at all.
🌵 The writing about the “crush”, filled with heart eyes and dreamy looks. Never a fan of romantic tingles being included in middle-grade fiction.
🌵 Eugenia’s bad dream. Quite interesting how it changes in the subtle details each time. The recurrent dreams have a clearly spooky vibe, but the rationale behind the dreams and their altered details is never clarified. Moreover, they stop as suddenly as they started, with no explanation about how the sneaker hit triggered the nightmares or who was responsible, or why they appeared only to Eugenia. I hated that there is no explanation of any kind – real or occult – provided to those scenes.
🌵 The Ouija board scene. Not comfortable with its inclusion in this book, especially as it was overly convenient and underutilised.
🌵 So many communication issues! Half of Eugenia’s and her mom’s issues would have been sorted early had they spoken honestly to each other. But the book rarely capitalises on the scenes with potential for heartfelt discussion.
🌵 The ending. Abrupt and lacking in clarifications.
Overall, I had expected to love this book far more, but the repetitive plotline, the lack of resolution, and the abhorrent portrayal of Eugenia’s mom (I expected much better of an OwnVoices work!) didn’t endear the book to me. It has its moments, but on the whole, I wouldn’t count it as an enjoyable reading experience for me.
The Goodreads rating for this middle-graphic novel is quite high. (4.46 stars at the time of writing this review.) So mine, the only 2-star rating so far, is very much an outlier opinion. Please read the other reviews before you take a call on this work.
Recommended to those interested in an OwnVoices graphic novel of a young girl’s dilemma and are okay about not getting all the answers.
2 stars.
My thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing the DRC of “The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
October 4, 2025
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Fun!
Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang never celebrated her birthday on the actual day, 4th April, since 4 is an unlucky number according to the Chinese. Her mother is clear about it. She is also very clear about art being a waste of time.
This year, Eugenia is determined to do things her way. She applies for the art camp and plans to have a party on her actual birthday (and invite her crush to it). However, when Eugenia is hit on the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts to see visions of impending doom. Is it her anxiety, or the universe sending her messages about something? What if her mother is actually right?
Can Eugenia figure things out before it’s too late?
My Thoughts:
This is a tween book suitable for young and older YA readers. Some of the content can be a wee bit scary for young readers who are not yet used to dark stuff like fire and mentions of death.
The blurb pretty much sets the stage for the book. A stereotyped Asian mom who is almost always frowning and overbearing, an annoying little brother, a cheerful bestie, a good-looking love interest, and a cutesy pug (my favorite part of the book). And of course, our little MC, art-loving, awkward girl who has only one friend at school, is a nerdy girl.
There’s a bit of diversity and inclusivity with the characters, which I like. It is seamlessly incorporated into the plot rather than being an item on the checklist.
We could say this has a comic-in-a-comic model since the MC draws comics, and we get to see them (some of which are a result of her recurring nightmares).
Artwork and presentation are key for a graphic novel, and that’s where this book scores high points. The illustrations are not ‘perfect’ with straight lines and sharp angles. They are softer and rounder with a bit of smudginess that works wonderfully.
I also like how the nightmares appear in orangey-red, making it easy for kids to separate them from the main plot. Moreover, the text comes in two colors – black for dialogues and red for Eugenia’s thoughts.
I read the ARC on my computer. It worked well in the default setting. I didn’t have to zoom in and out constantly, so the whole reading experience was enjoyable.
There’s some crushing and a kissy kissy frame (PG-13). I’m not a fan of crushes and tingling for kids, so I won’t say anything about this.
The pacing is pretty decent. It starts a bit slow (understandable), but picks up momentum over time. The changes in the characters’ actions towards the end are a bit abrupt despite the leads and foreshadowing we get. After so much stress and tension for the MC, the change could have been slowed or phased.
Still, the book ends on a hopeful note. There’s a note and a little glossary for the non-English words. Then, we get a sneak peek into the author’s illustration process. This is again my favorite. I love it when illustrators show us a bit of their creative methods. Young artists might find it very interesting!
To summarize, The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang is an entertaining graphic novel about family, being a tween, parent-child dynamics, and learning to figure things out.
Thank you, NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
One Liner: Fun!
Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang never celebrated her birthday on the actual day, 4th April, since 4 is an unlucky number according to the Chinese. Her mother is clear about it. She is also very clear about art being a waste of time.
This year, Eugenia is determined to do things her way. She applies for the art camp and plans to have a party on her actual birthday (and invite her crush to it). However, when Eugenia is hit on the head with a sneaker during PE, she starts to see visions of impending doom. Is it her anxiety, or the universe sending her messages about something? What if her mother is actually right?
Can Eugenia figure things out before it’s too late?
My Thoughts:
This is a tween book suitable for young and older YA readers. Some of the content can be a wee bit scary for young readers who are not yet used to dark stuff like fire and mentions of death.
The blurb pretty much sets the stage for the book. A stereotyped Asian mom who is almost always frowning and overbearing, an annoying little brother, a cheerful bestie, a good-looking love interest, and a cutesy pug (my favorite part of the book). And of course, our little MC, art-loving, awkward girl who has only one friend at school, is a nerdy girl.
There’s a bit of diversity and inclusivity with the characters, which I like. It is seamlessly incorporated into the plot rather than being an item on the checklist.
We could say this has a comic-in-a-comic model since the MC draws comics, and we get to see them (some of which are a result of her recurring nightmares).
Artwork and presentation are key for a graphic novel, and that’s where this book scores high points. The illustrations are not ‘perfect’ with straight lines and sharp angles. They are softer and rounder with a bit of smudginess that works wonderfully.
I also like how the nightmares appear in orangey-red, making it easy for kids to separate them from the main plot. Moreover, the text comes in two colors – black for dialogues and red for Eugenia’s thoughts.
I read the ARC on my computer. It worked well in the default setting. I didn’t have to zoom in and out constantly, so the whole reading experience was enjoyable.
There’s some crushing and a kissy kissy frame (PG-13). I’m not a fan of crushes and tingling for kids, so I won’t say anything about this.
The pacing is pretty decent. It starts a bit slow (understandable), but picks up momentum over time. The changes in the characters’ actions towards the end are a bit abrupt despite the leads and foreshadowing we get. After so much stress and tension for the MC, the change could have been slowed or phased.
Still, the book ends on a hopeful note. There’s a note and a little glossary for the non-English words. Then, we get a sneak peek into the author’s illustration process. This is again my favorite. I love it when illustrators show us a bit of their creative methods. Young artists might find it very interesting!
To summarize, The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang is an entertaining graphic novel about family, being a tween, parent-child dynamics, and learning to figure things out.
Thank you, NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
September 14, 2025
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
Such a fun and strange (in a good way) graphic novel!
The premise is very cool. It’s about a soon to be 13 year old girl who starts getting nightmares of her impending doom filled birthday (she’s born on 4/4, which is considered unlucky in Chinese culture). These dreams somehow end up in the comic she is creating.
This book gave me massive Disney Pixar’s “Turning Red” vibes, which I loved. I could totally see this book being turned into a Pixar movie because it has that quirky kind of premise that Pixar is known for.
Since I had an ARC, my copy was not in full color. There were a few pages that were in full color and they were beautiful. I loved the choice of using a vibrant red for the dream sequences. It helped them stand out.
Some may say that the book is too stereotypically Asian, however, the book is smart enough to address it. The opening line is “I’d rather not be seen as the stereotypical twelve-year old Asian…” (pg. 2). As someone with a sometimes overbearing Asian mom, I could definitely relate to Eugenia and her relationship with her mom.
Overall, this was a unique middle grade graphic novel!
Such a fun and strange (in a good way) graphic novel!
The premise is very cool. It’s about a soon to be 13 year old girl who starts getting nightmares of her impending doom filled birthday (she’s born on 4/4, which is considered unlucky in Chinese culture). These dreams somehow end up in the comic she is creating.
This book gave me massive Disney Pixar’s “Turning Red” vibes, which I loved. I could totally see this book being turned into a Pixar movie because it has that quirky kind of premise that Pixar is known for.
Since I had an ARC, my copy was not in full color. There were a few pages that were in full color and they were beautiful. I loved the choice of using a vibrant red for the dream sequences. It helped them stand out.
Some may say that the book is too stereotypically Asian, however, the book is smart enough to address it. The opening line is “I’d rather not be seen as the stereotypical twelve-year old Asian…” (pg. 2). As someone with a sometimes overbearing Asian mom, I could definitely relate to Eugenia and her relationship with her mom.
Overall, this was a unique middle grade graphic novel!
August 6, 2025
This book is funny, with a spooky twist to it. The whole time I was reading it I kept trying to guess what everything meant, so it felt like a guessing game!!
I really enjoyed this one.
Thanks Simon and Schuster for this amazing ARC!!
I really enjoyed this one.
Thanks Simon and Schuster for this amazing ARC!!
August 5, 2025
A must read!! Thank you Simon & Schuster for sending me a arc!
February 17, 2025
My most anticipated read of 2025, I was able to see the full book preview, and let me tell you: MUST HAVE! Gorgeous art, heart-pounding storyline, sure to be a spooky middle-grade classic. This is Stan Yan's debut, but with the seasoned skills of spectacular illustrator and storyteller. I can't wait to get the physical book in my hot little hands!
September 6, 2025
Turning Red meets Goosebumps in this new MG graphic novel by @zombicatures
🔥
If you didn’t know, the number 4️⃣ is unlucky in Chinese superstition. So Eugenia never gets to celebrate her birthday on the actual day: 4/4. She knows it’s ridiculous, but when she begins seeing visions circling around the date 4/4, she’s wondering if something awful is about to happen.
📿
This was so cute! I loved the humor, the artwork, the cover, the colors—everything works for this to be an instant hit with upper middle grade readers. I would love to see this be a series. Fans of Camp Midnight, Sheets, Anya’s Ghost and Summer Vamp will eat this one up when it releases September 30!
CW: bullying, fire, head injury
4.5 ⭐️
🔥
If you didn’t know, the number 4️⃣ is unlucky in Chinese superstition. So Eugenia never gets to celebrate her birthday on the actual day: 4/4. She knows it’s ridiculous, but when she begins seeing visions circling around the date 4/4, she’s wondering if something awful is about to happen.
📿
This was so cute! I loved the humor, the artwork, the cover, the colors—everything works for this to be an instant hit with upper middle grade readers. I would love to see this be a series. Fans of Camp Midnight, Sheets, Anya’s Ghost and Summer Vamp will eat this one up when it releases September 30!
CW: bullying, fire, head injury
4.5 ⭐️
October 9, 2025
I adore this book! It is layered with humor, heart, and the real pressures of turning thirteen on a culturally inauspicious day. Not only is the art engaging and smart, the theme of following one’s passions is thoughtfully woven into the plot through not only Eugenia’s pursuit of art camp but also her best friend’s love of robotics. Truly outstanding!
October 4, 2025
What a great graphic novel! Eugenia Wang herself is a wonderful protagonist, but I especially love all of the other characters who populate this world, like Eugenia's best friend, Keisha, and her accident-prone self. Her brother is also a wonderful character, as his relationship to Eugenia reminds me of the relationship between my own son and daughter. I also adore the spooky tone of the story, which is Stan Yan's trademark (I've read some of his zombie comics, which are both cute and silly). Overall, this is such a great comic story, and I can't recommend it enough!
October 5, 2025
Loved this new graphic novel that has humor, some mysterious creepiness, and great quirky characters! The art is beautiful - this one will be a hit with kids!
August 17, 2025
Eugenia, a Chinese girl born on the fourth, just wants to celebrate with her friend on her actual birthday. But her superstitious, overbearing Mom won't let her. "Four" sounds like death in Chinese. Mom refuses to let Eugenia's best friend enter their house and forbids Eugenia from joining the Comic Book Camp. This is Eugenia's tale of standing up for yourself and what you believe in.
Finally, we have a story showcasing the immigrant Asian family where ancestors and their sacrifice seem to dictate the child's life. I love the realistic portrayal of Eugenia's Mom with the inserted Chinese phrases where I sometimes need to guess at the meaning. (There's a glossary in the back for those who don't want to guess.)
I love the red motif to indicate Eugenia's nightmares. Although red is associated with scary, blood, and fire, red is also supposed to be lucky for Asians.
My favorite part of the book was in the back where Stan shows his process for making the graphic novel. Since this story is about Eugenia trying to become a comic book artist behind Mom's back, it makes perfect sense to show kids how they can become a graphic novelists themselves.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.
Finally, we have a story showcasing the immigrant Asian family where ancestors and their sacrifice seem to dictate the child's life. I love the realistic portrayal of Eugenia's Mom with the inserted Chinese phrases where I sometimes need to guess at the meaning. (There's a glossary in the back for those who don't want to guess.)
I love the red motif to indicate Eugenia's nightmares. Although red is associated with scary, blood, and fire, red is also supposed to be lucky for Asians.
My favorite part of the book was in the back where Stan shows his process for making the graphic novel. Since this story is about Eugenia trying to become a comic book artist behind Mom's back, it makes perfect sense to show kids how they can become a graphic novelists themselves.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.
June 24, 2025
The moment I started reading The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang, I was hooked! I was glued to the pages as Eugenia's dreams of impending doom kept growing and growing, each dream revealing more about the terrible events that could soon come to pass--if Eugenia can't figure out how to change the outcome. Eugenia is a delightful and sympathetic main character, and her relationships with her friends and family (and the boy she has a crush on) are all deeply relatable and endearing. I practically inhaled this book in one sitting. This is such a fun and engaging story with beautifully illustrated pages, and I am very much looking forward to the next graphic novel by Stan Yan!
September 14, 2025
Eugenia Wang is born on an unlucky day, and her mom will not let her forget it.
I loved this graphic novel so much, and the ways it portrays the cultural struggles between first, second, and third generation immigrants.
Eugenia wants to forge her own way, but her mom is trying to set her up for success (in an overbearing way).
The way that her dreams came to fruition was so interesting, and I could not put this book down.
Also, spoiler alert - the dog does not die.
Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this graphic novel!
I loved this graphic novel so much, and the ways it portrays the cultural struggles between first, second, and third generation immigrants.
Eugenia wants to forge her own way, but her mom is trying to set her up for success (in an overbearing way).
The way that her dreams came to fruition was so interesting, and I could not put this book down.
Also, spoiler alert - the dog does not die.
Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this graphic novel!
July 23, 2025
Coming in at a tight 251 pages, The Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang is a perfect graphic novel. The art tells the story, and the juxtaposition of the muted pastel-colored scenes and the fiery dream sequences helps the reader understand how Eugenia is feeling. All the characters have a role in the story, and the ending is satisfying.
October 1, 2025
The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang is such a stand-out MG debut! I am in complete awe of Stan Yan's storytelling abilities and how he's able to say so much through his incredibly vivid and distinct artwork and just a few words. Eugenia was so easy to root for and I loved her humor, creativity and compassion for her loved ones (even when they were driving her crazy!). The plot was unique and very well-paced, so much so that I was able to finish in just two sittings (literally could not put it down!) and I cracked up throughout. The use of a bright red palette for the scary visions was really evocative and helped to amp up the tension as Eugenia desperately tried to figure out what was going on. There was just so much to love here and I'll definitely be enjoying rereads in the future!
September 25, 2025
In Cantonese, certain numbers are considered lucky because they sound like fortuitous words.
Four 四 "sei"
Death 死 "sei"
Four is not one of those
I requested this book specifically to read with Jeremiah, who is really digging graphic novels lately, and who I've always wanted to read and know about every culture we can to expand his very small world. Plus? Spooky vibes. I can never have enough spooky vibes.
This book is absolute perfection. Eugenia, aka Genie, is a bright, sharp almost 13-year old who has the misfortune of being born on the unluckiest of days, 4/4. Basically double death day. Her parents have never celebrated on the actual day, having her parties on the following day to sidestep the superstition.
Her mother is on her about doing well and being successful. Her grandmother, aka her Po Po, came to America (I assume) for the chance to have a good life, and while Eugenia dreams of going to art camp and wants nothing more than to spend her time drawing, her mother is VEHEMENTLY against her wasting her time on such nonsense.
Then one day, Eugenia gets hit in the head by an errant shoe (as you do), and suddenly starts having pretty disturbing dreams about her upcoming birthday, involving her crush, her dog, and a big ol' FIRE.
Then when she wakes, she finds that somehow, she has drawn what she saw in those dreams. And it only gets stranger from there.
This book is SO FUN. The humor is fantastic, including moments where I literally laughed out loud. The creepiness factor, the supernatural vibe, the friendship, the FAMILY. There's so much heart in this book, and I can't believe it's a debut graphic novel.
I can't wait to see what else Mr Yan puts out into the world.
Jeremiah gave it a 10/5, despite a moment near the end where he was so concerned he might've given it a -3/5. But he rallied and we finished this in two days.
Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review
Four 四 "sei"
Death 死 "sei"
Four is not one of those
I requested this book specifically to read with Jeremiah, who is really digging graphic novels lately, and who I've always wanted to read and know about every culture we can to expand his very small world. Plus? Spooky vibes. I can never have enough spooky vibes.
This book is absolute perfection. Eugenia, aka Genie, is a bright, sharp almost 13-year old who has the misfortune of being born on the unluckiest of days, 4/4. Basically double death day. Her parents have never celebrated on the actual day, having her parties on the following day to sidestep the superstition.
Her mother is on her about doing well and being successful. Her grandmother, aka her Po Po, came to America (I assume) for the chance to have a good life, and while Eugenia dreams of going to art camp and wants nothing more than to spend her time drawing, her mother is VEHEMENTLY against her wasting her time on such nonsense.
Then one day, Eugenia gets hit in the head by an errant shoe (as you do), and suddenly starts having pretty disturbing dreams about her upcoming birthday, involving her crush, her dog, and a big ol' FIRE.
Then when she wakes, she finds that somehow, she has drawn what she saw in those dreams. And it only gets stranger from there.
This book is SO FUN. The humor is fantastic, including moments where I literally laughed out loud. The creepiness factor, the supernatural vibe, the friendship, the FAMILY. There's so much heart in this book, and I can't believe it's a debut graphic novel.
I can't wait to see what else Mr Yan puts out into the world.
Jeremiah gave it a 10/5, despite a moment near the end where he was so concerned he might've given it a -3/5. But he rallied and we finished this in two days.
Received via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review
October 2, 2025
Stan Yan is one of my favorite artists, so I was so excited for this MG debut from him—and it did not disappoint!! The artwork is amazing, the story is fast paced and exciting with laugh-out-loud moments. The horror element is creative and so perfect for the age group. Kids are going to LOVE this, and I can’t wait for more from Yan!
September 22, 2025
A great graphic novel for kids who like a bit of a spooky story and fun mixed together! I loved the art, the premise, and the family and friend dynamics that Stan Yan wrapped his story in to get to the very satisfying conclusion.
Parents sometimes have expectations for their children that those kids think are just because said parents are mean or demanding. This story shows that sometimes it’s rooted in failed hopes and dreams of their parents who are trying to shield them from heartbreak. But even parents can learn and grow from believing and letting them follow their dreams.
Also- as a fun bonus- Stan Yan has a mini tutorial at the end that shows his process for creating a graphic novel that will be amazing for the budding storyteller out there who is dying to create but unsure how to get started! Create your own graphic novel! Tell your stories!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this graphic novel!
Parents sometimes have expectations for their children that those kids think are just because said parents are mean or demanding. This story shows that sometimes it’s rooted in failed hopes and dreams of their parents who are trying to shield them from heartbreak. But even parents can learn and grow from believing and letting them follow their dreams.
Also- as a fun bonus- Stan Yan has a mini tutorial at the end that shows his process for creating a graphic novel that will be amazing for the budding storyteller out there who is dying to create but unsure how to get started! Create your own graphic novel! Tell your stories!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this graphic novel!
September 13, 2025
I couldn’t believe this was a debut, it was funny, heartwarming, tender and cute. All Eugenia Wang wanted was to have a birthday but her mom wouldn’t have it. Unfortunately for Eugenia she was born on the unluckiest day on the Chinese calendar.
To make matters worse Eugenia starts having very vivid nightmares or hallucinations of her house starting to get in flames. With the help of her best friend they’ll try to come up with a solution. The illustrations on both the arc and the finished copy are amazing, they bring such a unique element to the story. I loved how Eugenia never gave up on her journey and trying to live her life as normal as possible. The ending was just so sweet and comforting.
To make matters worse Eugenia starts having very vivid nightmares or hallucinations of her house starting to get in flames. With the help of her best friend they’ll try to come up with a solution. The illustrations on both the arc and the finished copy are amazing, they bring such a unique element to the story. I loved how Eugenia never gave up on her journey and trying to live her life as normal as possible. The ending was just so sweet and comforting.
June 18, 2025
Eugenia’s thirteenth birthday is nearly at hand, but because she was born on April fourth–and the number four is unlucky in Chinese culture–Eugenia has never been allowed to celebrate on her actual birthday. So, Eugenia's best friend Keisha has planned an April fourth birthday celebration at her house, instead. But when Eugenia suffers a light concussion, she experiences a recurring nightmare that is inexplicably depicted on paper, and Eugenia has no memory of drawing it. Days steadily pass, bringing Eugenia closer to her birthday and the tragedy foreseen in her dreams. The only way out is through, unfortunately, and Eugenia must bravely face her fears if she expects her family and friends to survive the events to come. This psychologically thrilling middle grade graphic novel is spooky on a more resonant level than typical stories for this age group. Rather than jump scares, the danger and uncertainty in the story build up on themselves in ways that gradually deposit increasing levels of suspense. As the narrative progresses, each chapter represents the passing of a day, enhancing the slow build of tension in the reader's mind. Though the story incorporates light horror, there are also elements of first crushes, complicated family dynamics, and robust friendships that will resonate with middle grade readers. A colorful cast of characters is included in the novel, as well, and each voice is as unique as the person’s visual depiction. Chinese language and colloquial speech are incorporated throughout the dialogue, serving to create a realistic verbal backdrop for the novel. As a whole, this story is one that expertly blends humor, danger, intrigue, and real life in a way that is both compelling and highly readable. Fast-paced and intriguing, this noteworthy graphic novel is an excellent addition to library collections for middle grade readers.
August 7, 2025
Eugenia wants to be an artist. Her mother doesn't believe art is the answer to a promising future. Eugenia's best friend, Keisha, supports Eugenia's dream. Keisha and Eugenia's friendship complicates matters because Eugenia's mother is not a fan of Keisha since she almost burned Eugenia's home to the ground. A back and forth of subtle disobedience between Eugenia and her mother unfolds as Eugenia begins to have bad dreams. Eugenia believes these dreams to be premonitions of a possible future that will only bring about heartbreak and pain. As Eugenia tries to change her future through altering her art, romance and family secrets begin to take shape, blending reality and fiction. Is Eugenia receiving messages from a family member beyond the grave? Does Eugenia's mother have a secret that would undermine her stance on the importance of art? Will Eugenia's and Keisha's friendship survive? All of these questions are answered in Yan's beautifully crafted graphic novel. Suggested for inclusion in family libraries and middle and high school libraries.
February 1, 2025
Eugenia Wang was a fun, quirky read with a creative art style that leaves the possibility of a future sequel.
July 9, 2025
Very clever and well done!
September 26, 2025
Loved the silly characters in this graphic novel! I think classifying it as a horror is a bit of a stretch, but I suppose for some middle schoolers, this might be the scariest book they've read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC!
September 7, 2025
Eugenia loves to draw. However, her mother wants her to go to college for a practical job, and art isn’t it. She has also never had her birthday celebrated on her birthday because it is on the 4th and the number four is unlucky in Chinese culture. Eugenia continues to draw in secret.
But, after a concussion, she starts having dreams of doom, and the first time, she draws them. After that, as each dream gets worse, she awakens to find more of the story has been drawn. She can’t figure out if it is a warning, or a curse.
Having immigrant parents can be very stressful on the children, because it makes them conform to their parents vision of how life should be like. Although Eugenia’s Mom has a reason for why she wants a better life for her daughter, she never bothers to explain it.
Great story. I like how the bad dream kept changing and developing each time she had it, and how she tried to figure out what was going wrong in her life, and why.
Some spirit is indeed controlling, or trying to tell Eugenia something. I loved that part, that it was really something supernatural.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 30th of September 2025.
But, after a concussion, she starts having dreams of doom, and the first time, she draws them. After that, as each dream gets worse, she awakens to find more of the story has been drawn. She can’t figure out if it is a warning, or a curse.
Having immigrant parents can be very stressful on the children, because it makes them conform to their parents vision of how life should be like. Although Eugenia’s Mom has a reason for why she wants a better life for her daughter, she never bothers to explain it.
Great story. I like how the bad dream kept changing and developing each time she had it, and how she tried to figure out what was going wrong in her life, and why.
Some spirit is indeed controlling, or trying to tell Eugenia something. I loved that part, that it was really something supernatural.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 30th of September 2025.
July 31, 2025
Thank you @simonkids for my gifted copy. This is out Sept 30.
Eugenia has never celebrated her birthday on her birthday because her mother’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is unlucky. This year, Eugenia is determined to have a party on her birthday and apply for art camp (her mom thinks it’s a waste of time). Eugenia gets hit on the head and begins having weird visions of the future. Is she just anxious about turning 13 or are supernatural forces at play?
✍️ Quick review from a child reviewer: I liked the entire story! I want to read more by this author.
✍️ This felt like a middle grade appropriate coming of age - struggling with your desires vs your parents, and first crushes.
✍️ The visions Eugenia has give the book a slightly spooky element (early suspense/thriller vibes).
✍️ Big life lessons in a kid friendly format: Eugenia learns to overcome her fears. She also has a real conversation with her mom about her wants.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Eugenia has never celebrated her birthday on her birthday because her mother’s belief in the Chinese superstition that four is unlucky. This year, Eugenia is determined to have a party on her birthday and apply for art camp (her mom thinks it’s a waste of time). Eugenia gets hit on the head and begins having weird visions of the future. Is she just anxious about turning 13 or are supernatural forces at play?
✍️ Quick review from a child reviewer: I liked the entire story! I want to read more by this author.
✍️ This felt like a middle grade appropriate coming of age - struggling with your desires vs your parents, and first crushes.
✍️ The visions Eugenia has give the book a slightly spooky element (early suspense/thriller vibes).
✍️ Big life lessons in a kid friendly format: Eugenia learns to overcome her fears. She also has a real conversation with her mom about her wants.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
July 17, 2025
Eugenia's world has the duality of cute kid fun and minor angst juxtaposed with the magical horror show that is her brain's manifestation powers. The tonal shifts between the real world and her trance-like state are enhanced with the effective use of stark red coloring. It was a nuanced choice to use red as an alarming, haunting color when it is also later said to symbolize good luck within their culture. Their culture is woven into all aspects of Eugenia and her family's life so seamlessly, but it's easy to see how her upbringing impacts her in ways that other kids do not experience. Would love to read more of her art adventures!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the arc!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the arc!
October 5, 2025
This middle grade graphic novel is creative, well-designed, and full of such realistic truths about family and forgiveness and doing better as we know better.
But mostly it’s just pretty darn fun. :-)
But mostly it’s just pretty darn fun. :-)
March 28, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book. Thanks Edelweiss and Simon and Schuster! The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang is an absolute must-read! Eugenia Wang is a young girl who dreams of creating comics, but her overbearing mother is determined to steer her in a different direction. After a knock on the head in gym class, Eugenia has a vivid dream about her house burning down, which she decides to turn into a comic. But things take an unexpected turn—suddenly, Eugenia finds herself unable to stop drawing dark and unsettling scenes. Is her comic book cursed? Is something or someone controlling her drawings? Are spirits using her to foretell a terrible fate for her loved ones? The suspense and mystery kept me hooked, and I couldn't stop reading until I had answers. This book is a thrilling, intriguing mystery that I highly recommend!
March 3, 2025
I had the opportunity to read Stan's Graphic novel while still in edits. It is visually stunning, and I love his style. He draws as if Calvin and Hobbs meets Tim Burton, and the story is one of courage and comedy. A must read for graphic novel kids looking to find books that aren't fantasy/superhero books.
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