The Ballad of Yaya Vol. 1: Fugue

La balade de Yaya #1

by Jean-Marie Omont, Charlotte Girard, Golo Zhao

Shanghai, November 1937. Yaya, the eight-year-old daughter of a diamond merchant, lives a life of luxury in the French Concession in Shanghai. Her one great passion is the piano. While she is preparing for an important audition, her father decides that the family must leave town in the face of the imminent Japanese invasion. The evening before all the family is to leave, stubborn Yaya, unaware of the danger, runs away in an attempt to make it to her audition come what may. On the way, in the midst of the crowd fleeing the Japanese offensive, She is caught in a bombardment. She owes her life to Tuduo, a street urchin who discovers her unconscious in the ruins of a house. With his help, Yaya learns that her family fled for Hong Kong without her, and she determines to go join them there right away. Tuduo begins to dream about what his life would be like if Yaya's parents welcomed him and his little brother into their beautiful home. He decides to go along with Yaya on her long and perilous journey. But before he can do anything, he must escape from the clutches of Zhu, who runs a gang of homeless boys. When Zhu learns that Tuduo's little protégée is from a very wealthy family, he comes up with a Machiavellian plot to kidnap her and collect a ransom. Tuduo and Yaya barely manage to get away and head off for the south. But Zhu, a heartless outlaw, doesn't give up so easily and comes after them, driven by his high hopes of cashing in on the ransom scheme. This nine-volume series chronicles their long journey fraught with perils. The children meet all sorts of people, both friendly and wicked, as they travel toward Hong Kong. Yaya and Tuduo are different in every way: social background, character, dreams, and desires. These children learn many growing lessons along the way, not the least of which is to judge a person on their character, not their social or financial status. The gloom of war, its absurd tragedy, gives way to the incredible capacity of youth to overwhelm grim reality. Imagination is the only thing these children have to defend themselves against adults who are like the ogres, evil fairies, or good witches of bedtime tales. Their imagination gives the story a touch of poetry, while humor brings a lighter touch to a story that is steeped in genuine historical tragedy.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Historical Fiction, Bande Dessinée, Manga, China, Historical

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 2011

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first instalment of a nine volume series of graphic novels set in Shanghai in 1937 during the Japanese invasion. Yaya is an eight-year-old girl who comes from an affluent family and who loves playing piano. Yaya’s family want to escape Shanghai and flee to Hong Kong, but Yaya sneaks out to go on an important audition and is caught out in a bombardment. Tuduo, a street urchin, saves her life, and this way their adventures begin.
The artwork is beautiful with bright and vivid colours, which really suit the drama of the story context and make it more engaging.
I am looking forward to reading the next volume of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors Lion Forge for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this is an amazingly beautiful first volume of a nine volume graphic novel series about a little eight-year-old girl, Yaya, who is so single minded and focused on her piano recital that she doesn't realize that the Japanese are invading the country, and that the reason she can't go is because her family is going to flee the country in the morning.

She escapes and runs into the middle of the invasion. And during the craziness, she meets a street urchin, Tuduo, who agrees to help her reunite with her parents.





The single mindedness of Yaya is amazing to behold. The illustrations of Shanghai are gorgeous, as is the world of 1937. I look forward to reading the other eight volumes. Highly recommend this story to show a part of little known history, at least for most Americans, from a child's point of view..

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Rox An · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fugue is the first volume of The Ballad of Yaya. It follows the adventures of Yaya and Tuduo in war-torn Shanghai.

Yaya is a talented 8-year old girl who single-mindedly follows her wish to audition for a piano performance. She sneaks out of her home the morning her family is set to leave town to escape the war. While Tuduo is a young street acrobat. Homeless and abused by the gang boss he's working for, he decides to entrust his younger brother to a monastery and flee from the town himself. Together, Yaya and Tuduo must muster up the courage to face the painful realities of war and growing up.

Jean-Marie Omont, Patrick Marty and Charlotte Girard wrote this great adventure of the dynamic duo. Golo Zhao's illustrations gave the prose richer imagery that evokes a myriad of emotions. The Ballad of Yaya is a nine-part comic series targeted to both young and mature readers. If you have seen and loved Grave of the Fireflies, you should also read this great work.

provided the ARC in exchange for a review.

[La La · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 on the blog.

I'm not quite sure of the audience this is geared towards. The basic storyline and written context is very children's picture bookish, but the visual content is much much too violent and graphic for even Middle Grade readers, and I see it being too childish and boring for older readers. So, it's an ultimate fail in those respects.

The background art is stellar, as well as the depictions of clothing and animals, but there is something amateurish about the faces. I know what style they are going for, but something is off and it took away from the emotional impact of the characters.

I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl, Yaya, attempts against her father's wishes to make it to her piano recital on the day World War II arrives in Shanghai. She's rescued by Tuduo, an acrobatic street urchin who's running from a villainous older urchin. The end.

Or rather, the end of this first book in The Ballad of Yaya series. It's a compelling read and the art looks great, but it's so desperately short. Seriously, I read this in eight minutes. That's gotta be some kinda record.

[Shin · Rating 1 out of 5]

writing poorly about war is not a crime in itself but maybe it should be?!?!? that's what i thought of after reading this really badly, if not -irresponsibly- written book.

here's everything i liked about it:

- the art

here's some things i didn't like about it:

- the execution, plotting, and dialogues are downright lazy. there's nothing here that's made unique for itself it's all tropes and cliches over and over.

- i get that this was made for kids but everything here is an overused motif (abused poor boy; spoiled but unhappy rich girl; fruit vendor cart tipped over; ignorant grownups) that this is not even something helpful to young readers, more like insulting thay you'd think this is "good enough" for them.

- the story is set in 1930s wartime China but nothing about the war was explained whatsoever. there simply is, apparently, a War. such lack of contextualization is bad for such topics that always require depth amd careful thought no matter the audience.

- and this ^ disinterest with anything remotely cultural and historical i blame the 3 (there's three of them) lackling white, european writers for. the composition felt almost like a script about Southeast Asia that 5th graders in Mississipi would make when asked by a teacher in a History class on a Wednesday.

- the pacing of this is just plain horrid. i imagine the artist was told what to draw per page as though illustrating tableaus. nothing was made short, long, elaborated, or suspended. very "draw this thing here and this on the next page!" and "make it pretty!"

- the proportions of the book didn't make sense for the art/story/anything in this world.

the fact that these three writers are cited in the cover and credits page first before the artist is criminal too. the artist is the only competent contributor in this book. man this is a flop.

y'all need to be reminded that comics needs to be a solid story first before fancy illustration.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Surprisingly good little comic book that bring a bit of history and a lot of friendship! I love the art and the story. All in simplicity but quite good! Like it!

[Josh 谢翊杰 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised by this graphic novel. The artwork is excellent and the depiction of 1930's Shanghai was great! Although there is nothing explaining the details of the war, it makes sense as it is a story about the children from their perspective. Kids wouldn't have known the specifics of what's going on and adults wouldn't have explained it to them. I must admit I got a bit teary in one scene. I have a soft spot for sibling and sibling-like relationships.

[Zizeloni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for the whole series. I loved it! Shanghai during WWII, the main character are two very young kids that go through an adventure. I liked the art, mainly I guess because of the colours.
Very happy to have read it.

[Adana A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cannot wait to get my hand on the second book!

[Loz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it! Interesting set up, I'm looking forward to see what happens in the next volume. Endearing art!

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why would you leave it on such a cliffhanger?!

[Gabriel Infierno · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. *


Por empezar el arte es hermoso pero ademas la historia te atrapa, no puedo esperar a leer la continuación.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I spotted this gorgeous and interesting looking graphic novel on Netgalley and I had to read it. I am glad though that I didn’t read the blurb, and I would recommend everyone to stay away from the current blurb. I just checked it, and oh boy, I am spoiled of all the things that will probably happen throughout this series. :| Really, why the hell do people write blurbs like this? Keep it spoiler-free please!

This beautiful book takes place in 1937 right before the Japanese invasion. During the first part of the story we follow both Yaya and Tuduo and then when they meet up we see it from both of them at the same time. Yaya is a rich girl who loves playing piano. Her parents are about to flee from Shanghai and off to Hong Kong. I loved how strong this girl is, though she makes some very dumb mistakes. I guess I could forgive her, she is still a tiny girl, but still I was shaking my head when she wouldn’t listen to her parents. I understand that you want to play your piano, I get that, but there is a time and place for that. Now is definitely not the time and you should thank the Lord that you didn’t get hurt any further.
Tuduo is a street urchin who takes care of his little brother. He has to beg and do tricks to earn money. His life isn’t the happiest, because no matter what he does his boss is never happy and hits him.

These two unlikely children will meet up in the midst of a war that is starting. Bombs are falling and you will be on the edge of your seat to find out what will happen next. Will these two get home safely? Will they find Yaya’s parents?

I have to say that I was a bit hesitant at first when I started the story. Why? Because one of the narrators is a bird. And sorry, talking birds are just a no no. In a magical setting, sure, but having a talking bird in a story like this… no. Thankfully, he turned out to be not that annoying, or I just tuned him out. Whatever came first. :P

The art reminded me a lot of Ghibli’s art, which was absolutely lovely.

This first volume ends on a cliffhanger and argggggghhh! While I now know what is going on, thanks to the superspoiler blurb, I still need to read the next volume. Hopefully it comes out not too long after this one releases.

All in all, a beautifully drawn story with likeable characters. I would recommend it.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that took eight years to get translated from the French, which puts paid to my theory that you can tell the good ones by how promptly they make the transition. This reads as a bit of a juvenile Dickens meets "Titanic" with some extra fantasy thrown in. Our Oliver is a street boy with a nasty (dog-owning) master; the girl he finds at the docks in a moment of rampant class-envy is Yaya, a hot-headed girl who is intent on getting to a piano school audition, even when her parents are demanding they all leave Shanghai before war breaks out. Oh, and she has a talking pigeon as a pet. Throw in some of the "Pearl Harbor" (sic) romance as he has to rescue her from a bombing raid, and damn but it won't end far too quickly. I'd love to see the full thing, for this slender opening has a lot of promise. It's concise, with a short script – it really doesn't take long to flick through this book at all – but it looks great, and indeed has a lot of merits. A strong four stars.

[Harker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction graphic novel tells the story of two children, Yaya and Tuduo, from wildly different backgrounds who are facing the onset of WWII. When war comes to Shanghai and Yaya is separated from her family due to an ill-fated trip away from them of her own machination, it is Tuduo who comes to her aid.

Fugue is the first volume in a nine-volume series, so it takes the time to introduce the cast. Yaya is a pampered child, the eldest and beloved her her wealthy father and mother. She will soon have a younger brother, but this joyous event is overshadowed by the war that is coming to Shanghai. Not even her father's wealth can protect them, but this is not something that Yaya understands as the threat that it is, being as young as she is. All she knows is that something so vital to her person, an important piano audition, is no longer possible because the family needs to flee. It it this that causes her to runaway and attempt to get to the audition on her own, ultimately leading to her meeting with Tuduo.

The reader will have a greater understanding of the events surrounding Yaya's situation, not only because of potential knowledge of history, but because of the artwork, showing a city preparing for war, people preparing cars & other vehicles with their worldly possessions in order to leave before the Japanese arrive. The level of detail the author went to, conveying not only Yaya's feelings in the narrative but the feeling of anxiety, worry, and horror of those around her, filled the book with many levels, interconnected stories that may not have seemed important to Yaya but were more prevalent than she realized.

Then, too, there is Tuduo, counterpart to Yaya. He is a street urchin under the thumb of Zhu, who uses lackeys and threats against Tuduo's younger brother to make sure Tuduo uses his skills as an acrobat to bring in money every day. One day, in order to protect his brother from Zhu's dangerous clutches, Tuduo runs away, entrusting his brother to a nun he's befriended and fleeing the city himself, knowing Zhu will be on his heels. This is, of course and unfortunately, the day the Japanese arrive and the day Yaya runs away to her audition.

What these two children face as the city is being bombed is unimaginable. There's no blood, but the buildings coming down around them, the utter destruction, conveys so much that I think it was a good choice by the artist. Not only for the audience that will be reading this, but because there are many ways to convey the depths of sadness and terror of the situation and Tuduo and Yaya suddenly being alone in a war-torn city....it was poignant.

I'm looking forward to seeing where the next volume picks up because the cliffhanger prompts the reader to want to know more, to need to know how how Tuduo and Yaya will fare when they are still so small in the face of such a wide world that is at war. Will Tuduo's street knowledge be enough? Will Yaya's determined spirit see her back to her family? 







I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes included are from an advanced reader copy and may not reflect the finalized copy.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the cusp of war in Shanghai 1937, little girl Yaya only wants to go to her music school audition. Her parents try to tell her they are leaving because of the war, but Yaya doesn't understand and sneaks away to get to her music audition. Meanwhile, Tuduo, a little boy who lives on the streets and earns money with his acrobatics has to smuggle a younger boy to safety when the boss who "manages" all the street boys threatens to put the little one to work. Because he is sneaking the little boy to safety, Tuduo is in the same area where Yaya is when the bombs start to fall on the city.

This is just the first book in a series so it merely introduces the characters, how they meet, and sets the stage. I'd be interested in reading more of the series. I can't tell if Yaya is supposed to be a French girl or Chinese girl based on the illustrations. The illustration style makes it really hard to tell. There's a talking pigeon in the book that adds an element of fantasy, but other than that it is pretty much just historical fiction. It appears some rough times are in store for Yaya. Recommended to graphic novel fans, historical fiction fans, and WWII buffs.

Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. Tuduo and some of the other boys are physically abused by their boss.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher with no strings attached.

[RVGSteve · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of cute graphic novels and Studio Ghibli or Hayao Miyazaki, then The Ballad of Yaya is right up your alley! The artwork is some of the most gorgeous I have seen in a kid’s graphic novel. It is seriously stunning! This is the first of 9 short volumes, printed in cute 7x5 pocket edition size. Each one is about 96 pages… I wish they would release an oversized hardcover omnibus. I am sure that format would sell pretty well but I digress.

The story centers around two youth who stumbled upon each other in war torn Shanghai, China during the year 1937. The youth are plucky, resourceful, supportive and full of vigor. Due to the short length and beautiful artwork, this is one of those graphic novels you can read over multiple times. It’s not very deep or complex but the endearing characters, the interesting setting and the jaw dropping art more than makes up for its minor shortcomings.

Worth a shot!

[Donald Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1937 Shanghai, eight-year-old Yaya lives a somewhat privileged life with her well-to-do parents in the French Concession area of the city, able to devote time to her favorite obsession: playing the piano. But war clouds are fast approaching on the horizon, word of a Japanese invasion imminent, and the night before her big audition for a prestigious music school, Yaya's father declares his daughter will not be going; indeed, he intends on spiriting his family away onto a boat leaving Shanghai early the next morning, securing their safety while he still can. Not realizing the full import of what's to come, Yaya decides she will make the audition anyway, meeting her parents at the boat afterward, and leaves a note to this affect before sneaking out of the house before dawn. Meanwhile, in a much less well-off section of Shanghai, a young boy named Tuduo, working essentially as a thief and pickpocket for the crime boss Zhu, decides it's time to escape this life when Zhu sets his eyes on Tuduo's kid brother Xiao to get into the same business. Hiding his brother away with the one person he can trust in the city, Tuduo sets out that same morning to find this better life for him and his brother ... as Japanese fighter planes appear over the city and the bombs begin to fall. As Yaya is awakened to the horrors of war when bombs begin dropping in her own section of the city, both children fight to survive while headed on paths that will bring them together, Yaya desperately seeking her parents as Zhu and his cronies hunt Tuduo through war-ravaged Shanghai, determined he and his brother will always be "family". Reading this book, thanks to the artwork and vibrant color palette containing watercolor tones throughout, I felt very much like I was reading a Studio Ghibli film come to life on the page, due to the wonderful character design. Yaya and Tuduo are both likable, upbeat children thrown into a situation over which they have little control and even less knowledge, yet they remain hopeful and fight for what's important and who they love. The first of a projected 9-volume set, be aware that The Ballad of Yaya Vol. 1: Fugue ends in a meaty cliffhanger ... with part two not due out in the States until July! 4.5/5 stars

I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley, Edelweiss and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

[Momo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blogger at Momotips

For a more accurate review visit the blog.

**I received an eARC of this book courtesy of Lion Forge and Diamond Books via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! **

The Ballad of Yaya was a pleasant surprise. The illustrations are really beautiful, cute, and great. Exactly what was needed to tell the story of Yaya and Tuduo. The story is magnificent, the illustrators and the authors have managed to tell a drama like the Japanese invasion in China and the war, through the innocent eyes of two children.
Yaya and Tuduo will have to face many difficulties on their journey to Hong Kong to reconcile with Yaya's family. Not only the war and the bombings but also the street gangs, who see the two children as innocent and therefore want to take advantage of them.

[Nerdholics · Rating 4 out of 5]

La storia è composta da 9 volumetti in formato mignon, e ci sono un centinaio di pagine per volume. Ho impiegato un’oretta per leggere ogni volume (e poi li ho riletti, perché sono bellissimi!), procedendo lentamente per godermi le immagini. Ovviamente vi racconterò la trama soprattutto del primo volume, senza fare troppo spoiler. La storia parla appunto di Yaya, una bambina che vive a Shangai, figlia di un ricco mercante. Lei e i genitori stanno per trasferirsi, data la pericolosità del vivere in una zona in piena guerra, ma Yaya vuole partecipare a tutti i costi ad un concorso di pianoforte, cosí scappa di casa. Se volete continuare a leggere passate sul blog.
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[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

13×18 ¦ A.I. 04/2017 ¦ D.L. 01/2011 ¦ 8,9 €

Narrative: ****
When the pages ended I realized that, not only had I pulled a rare all·at·once unwittingly, but I had finished it in only maybe twenty minutes in an engrossed state of interest! So I'm hooked in on the series now, which shares chronotemporality with "Tigress Blanche"- both teaching me about a war I knew absolutely nothing about until now.

Visual: *****
Maybe my western eyes aren't apprised to visually comparable creators, but I see the very gem of artistry- a totally singular look that enchants with the unpredictable romance phase of artist appreciation! There's even this sort of shine, a kinda glassy matte accentuation, that appears to enhance atmospherically≡

[CJenny02 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dans ce premier opus, aux beaux dessins, l'auteur évoque un passé douloureux de la Chine : la guerre sino-japonaise de 1937.
Yaya, jeune enfant issue d'un milieu favorisé, est téméraire mais surtout passionnée par un instrument de musique : le piano. Ainsi, à quel point n'est-elle pas déçue lorsqu'elle apprend qu'elle ne pourra participer au concours de piano. En effet, la guerre a été annoncée et son père a décidé de quitter la ville au plus vite. Bien décidé à braver les interdits et à participer coûte que coûte au concours, Yaya décide de fuguer. Seulement, rien ne va se passer comme prévu. Et sa rencontre avec un jeune garçon des rues annoncent de grandes aventures (ou mésaventures).
Une BD touchante où l'innocence des enfants se heurte à la dure réalité de la guerre.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful surprise this little volume is! The illustrations are wonderfully detailed with RICH color (did I say RICH? I meant RICH) that often made me stop and stare despite myself (I read a ton of comics and usually read them pretty quickly). It's too early to make a judgment about the story, about a rich little girl and a poor little boy who get caught up in early street fighting at the beginning of World War 2 in China, but I am definitely interested. The only downside is that the book is so LITTLE! It's adorable but would get lost on a shelf. THAT SAID, there are six volumes out currently, with more coming, so perhaps they would collectively have a shelf presence...

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two very different kids in Shanghai, 1937, and one war that unites them. Yaya is a privileged young girl who lives in the fancy part of town, and Tuduo is an orphan in servitude to a cruel master. Each runs away for their own reasons. When Shanghai is bombed, they find themselves together, until Tuduo's master's henchman captures him. There it ends. The wonderful Miyazaki-like art shows the details of the city, capturing the feeling of adventure and danger and the atmosphere of war. I can't wait for the sequel!

[Raven Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, cute depiction of what seems like WW2 Japan. I enjoyed the way the relationship developed between Yaya and Tuduo, I'm also looking forward to whats next for them. I think this would be great for the kids in our library to get a peak at what life may have been like for some in the time. It looks like we have access to the digital copy of this one on our streaming site, I'm excited to send my kiddos that way to start their own adventure with Yaya!

[Amory Blaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique story set a century ago in Shanghai. Two children - a young street performer and a wealthy aspiring pianist - survive an air raid only to be captured by the former's abusive guardian. The book ends on that cliffhanger, with both kids separated from their families in a war torn city. The character animation looks like it's from an anime studio, but what blew me away is all of the background art. Truly gorgeous! I'll probably request the next volume just to see what happens.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to list all the ones I've read here, instead of writing a new thing for each one. Done; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, & 9.

Fast-paced, succinct, action-oriented, with exaggerated drama in the cartoon characters' faces, make this feel like it's in motion - it feels like a graphic novel adaptation of an animated movie.

It's easy to get attached to the 2 main characters in the opening volume - Yaya, a precocious piano-playing wealthy girl, and Tuduo, a clever & competent street urchin & acrobat who is trying to care for a younger sibling - in 1937 Shanghai, about to get bombed by the Imperial Japanese Army. That their faces resemble so much anime makes it easy to imagine their movements even on the frozen page.

Maximum details - hundreds of windows on buildings, thousands of leaves on bushes & trees, fabric patterns, bricks & tiles - make a background for the figures to clearly lay atop, making the action legible & easy to follow.

I think readers will want to read all 9 episodes when they get started...but for me it became repetitive - the characters travel one way, then another, out & back, crisscrossing one another with missed connections, implausible obstacles, & freakish luck - both good & bad.

I thoroughly enjoyed volume 1, and eagerly read the rest -- but as an adult reader, it was obvious that the authors (who are not Chinese & therefore are unlikely to bring any sensitivity to this historical moment) didn't think it would be necessary for the readers or the main characters to know anything specific about this battle in Shanghai. However, to be sure, the illustrations include a ton of background signs & posters that could be filling in info for anyone who reads Chinese. Unfortunately, it's the English-reading audience who doesn't know this history!

Okay, I finished the series, finally - the last book took some time for my hold to be filled at the library. The last volume felt as rushed as all the previous ones, and it ended. It was not a very satisfying conclusion, but I was tired of the villain & his insane perfect luck, and the ups & downs - hopes sustained, then dashed, then reinvigorated, then dashed again! - had become exhausting. So I'm glad it's over! : )

[Robert Cojocaru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story about a couple of children from different backgrounds, as the war comes to their city.
Very beautiful art and coloring, in a Hayao Miyazaki style.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free review copy!

[D.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute despite the war theme. An unlikely friendship strikes up between a wealthy girl who dreams of being a pianist and an (orphaned?) street boy.

The artwork gets this volume high marks, but not enough happens in this first installment. I'm eager to see where the story goes from here.