A wonderful, layered graphic novel
Gene Luen Yang’s LUNAR NEW YEAR LOVE STORY is a wonderfully layered coming of age romance enhanced by the wonderful illustrations by LeUyen Phan. Yang’s storytelling is layered, taking a story about teen love and weaving in family, identity, and lion dancing.
Valentina Tran, a Vietnamese American teen living with her single father, used to love Valentine’s Day, until in she discovers her family’s curse preventing true love. I love how the graphic novel takes this realization and fits into a character, from Sweet Saint V to the ominous Saint Valentine. LUNAR NEW YEAR LOVE STORY explores how stories shape us, and Valentina is faced with a shift in the narrative she believed going up. This story led to her being separated from her extended family and her grandmother’s arrival in this story both serves to upend her narrative and enhance her connection to her family and culture. I love how Yang poses this question about how we approach love when it holds the power to hurt us, and Valentina is a wonderful character to wrestle with how the changes in her life provide the opportunity to decide how she will deal with love. LUNAR NEW YEAR LOVE STORY has so much to offer readers, those that love a YA romance and those interested in a layered story of growing up. Thank you to BookishFirst and First Second Books for my gifted early copy!
Valentina Tran, a Vietnamese American teen living with her single father, used to love Valentine’s Day, until in she discovers her family’s curse preventing true love. I love how the graphic novel takes this realization and fits into a character, from Sweet Saint V to the ominous Saint Valentine. LUNAR NEW YEAR LOVE STORY explores how stories shape us, and Valentina is faced with a shift in the narrative she believed going up. This story led to her being separated from her extended family and her grandmother’s arrival in this story both serves to upend her narrative and enhance her connection to her family and culture. I love how Yang poses this question about how we approach love when it holds the power to hurt us, and Valentina is a wonderful character to wrestle with how the changes in her life provide the opportunity to decide how she will deal with love. LUNAR NEW YEAR LOVE STORY has so much to offer readers, those that love a YA romance and those interested in a layered story of growing up. Thank you to BookishFirst and First Second Books for my gifted early copy!