In a beautiful and tranquil village by the sea, lived a poor fisherman named Antonio. Every day, Antonio would go out to the sea in his small fishing boat, hoping to catch enough fish to support his family. Unfortunately, Antonio's luck with fishing was not great. Most days, he would return home empty-handed, leaving his family struggling to make ends meet. One day, while Antonio was on his usual fishing trip, he came across a peculiar and shimmering golden fish. The fish was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Beautifully illustrates how sharing old stories can be the best way to learn how to share new ones.
Both Alera and Helen are haunted by the image of a cruel and unforgiving sea, nostalgic for the voice of their mother whether projected through a magic ring or a phone call. As he reads the story of love, longing, and travel across a sea, Hiền is reminded of family she left behind in Vietnam while Tiến tries to navigate his own first love, a boy he is friends with.
The fish was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It had large, expressive eyes and scales that reflected the sunlight in the most mesmerizing way. Antonio's heart skipped a beat with excitement as he realized the value of such a rare and magical creature.
Graphic Novel Review: The Magic Fish
THE MAGIC FISH is a graphic novel that resonated so keenly with my entire being, it felt like it was created just for me. And it some ways, it was – in the way that it’s a labour of love which speaks specifically to the Vietnamese immigration experience. It ponders on the barrier and connections between the languages of first and generation immigrants, a relationship that are not restricted to mere words but to encapsulate our entire identity. Tiến and his family uses the framing of various fairy tales to communicate their truths, and the result is a nuanced, heartfelt story that rises above the trappings of fairy tale archetypes. If you can’t tell, I love this book with my whole heart, and I hope you’ll pick it up – marvel in the exquisite artwork, and let yourself be transported in Tiến’s world.
To me, language is a map to figure out where you are. If you can’t read the map, you’re lost.
As someone who grew up with two languages, feeling that I had to discard one to earn another when I immigrated to New Zealand – the weight of this quote, which appears at the beginning of The Magic Fish, absolutely gutted me. Helen, Tiến’s mother, spoke from similar experiences – her ‘past and present selves speak two different languages.’ She is irrevocably transformed ever since a little boat took her away from the shores of Vietnam, to the promised dreams of a foreign land. Helen’s is a woman separated from her past, rarely speaking about it to Tiến. The void of words in between them are filled by the spaces of fairy tales – a tool this book revisits time and again to contextualize feelings that are too complicated, even for people who speak multiple languages.
The first fairy tale depicted is Tattercoats, and here Trung Le Nguyen’s skills at visualizing beautiful costumes is showcased, alongside with his ability to seamlessly weave between multiple narratives. Both Alera and Helen are haunted by the image of a cruel and unforgiving sea, nostalgic for the voice of their mother – whether projected through a magic ring or a phone call. Tiến’s own story also takes form here, as we see him with his friends Claire and Julian, and the tentative crush that he has on the latter. He goes on to tell us that he struggled to find a Vietnamese term for who he is, a boy who loves other boys. All of this unfold between the panels illustrating Princess Alera, the various disguise and celestial dresses that she dons.
And Tien would finally know we came from the same stories.
The next fairy tale we visit is a Vietnamese classic, Tấm and Cám. A Cinderella fairy tale of our very own, which Trung infused with even more character by portraying it through the lens of colonial-era clothing and buildings. Where the retelling of Tattercoats was filled with wistful longing and half-realised dreams – the version we got of Tấm and Cám was one with teeth. We revisit the theme of death and life anew time and again, a story that continues where you would expect a clean cut ending. The Magic Fish remind its readers of a tale’s ability to transform, whether it’s through the metamorphosis of memories, or the magic of retelling. It also gently warns of the expectation of happy endings, when lives are infinitely complex and has a way of persisting through generations – like Vietnam and her children, a country moulded by the hands of colonisation, yet refuses to fit anyone else’s narratives.
It’s an old, old story. Details change. Things change. And now this story is ours. Yours and mine.
Finally, The Magic Fish ends with a rendition of The Little Mermaid. In the Author’s Note, Trung states that he’s always viewed this Hans Christian Andersen tale as a story of immigration – and I could not agree more. A girl who gives up her ability to communicate at a chance of fulfilling dreams in a distant land, who chafes and suffer with every step she takes. It is my favourite of the tales, beautifully drawn using inspiration of Hong Kong fantasy aesthetic and the imageries of ballet. It’s a tale that encourages the rewriting of our own endings, illustrate how love overcome barriers, and the beauty of a mother and a son learning to speak in one another’s language. It’s a heartfelt and victorious culmination of the narrative threads that this graphic novel is working towards. I’ve never felt more satisfied and joyous on the completion of a graphic novel, and I will treasure this book like a well-loved fairy tale for years to come.
It’s almost unfair how this graphic novel is both beautifully illustrated and poignantly written. As a child who grew up in a family of refugees, who have witnessed the silent sacrifices of my elder, who have learned to love a language and culture I once tried to discard – this book felt like a key to invisible shackles. I know I’ll be putting this into the hand of every Viet person I come across, first and foremost my own mother – who also raised me with the words of fairy tales.
There are a lot of excellent books releasing this October, but please make sure this one make its way onto your bookshelf!
Without wasting another moment, Antonio carefully reeled in the magical fish and placed it in a bucket filled with water. As he stared at the magnificent fish, he wondered what extraordinary powers it possessed. Legends and stories of magical sea creatures filled his mind, making him eager to discover the truth. Antonio decided to take the golden fish home and show it to his family. He believed that possessing such a magnificent creature would bring them good fortune and prosperity. With hope in his heart, he rushed back to his humble abode, clutching the bucket tightly. As soon as Antonio entered his house, his wife, Maria, and their children gathered around, their eyes widening with amazement at the sight of the golden fish. Antonio explained how he had managed to catch the fish and shared his belief in its magical powers. Days turned into weeks, and Antonio's family marveled at the beauty of the magical fish. However, they couldn't help but notice that their fortune had not changed. They still struggled to put food on the table and pay their bills, despite the presence of the extraordinary fish. Feeling discouraged, Antonio decided to set the magical fish free. He carefully carried the bucket to the sea and gently released the fish back into the water. As he watched it swim away, he realized that true magic lies within oneself and not in external possessions. From that day on, Antonio's perspective on life changed. He realized that reliance on material possessions and external forces wouldn't bring true happiness and success. Instead, he focused on improving himself and his skills as a fisherman. With determination and hard work, Antonio's luck with fishing improved, and he began catching enough fish to support his family and even had some to spare. The magical fish had taught Antonio a valuable lesson about the power of believing in oneself and the importance of hard work and perseverance. He treasured this lesson for the rest of his life, passing it down to future generations who would come to learn about the story of the magical fish and the transformation it brought about in Antonio's life..
Reviews for "Tapping into the Magic Fish's Healing Abilities"
1. Julie - 2 stars
"The Magic Fish was not what I expected at all. The story seemed disjointed and confusing, with multiple plotlines that didn't fully come together. I found it hard to connect with the characters, as their development felt flat and lacking in depth. Additionally, the pacing was slow and made it difficult for me to stay engaged. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others."
2. Mark - 1 star
"I found The Magic Fish to be excessively predictable and clichéd. The plot seemed like a rehash of similar fantasy stories I've read before, and I wasn't impressed by the lack of originality. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any real depth or complexity. I was hoping for something more unique and thought-provoking, but this book fell short of my expectations."
3. Sarah - 2 stars
"The Magic Fish had an interesting premise, but the execution was lacking. The writing style felt forced and overly descriptive, making it hard to get into the story. The dialogue was also quite unnatural and didn't flow well. Additionally, I found the pacing to be uneven, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, I found it difficult to connect with the story and characters, and I struggled to stay engaged throughout."
4. Michael - 3 stars
"While The Magic Fish had some intriguing moments, I ultimately found it to be a mediocre read. The plot had potential but felt underdeveloped, and there were several unanswered questions by the end. The characters lacked depth and their motivations were unclear at times. I appreciated the diversity in representation, but I wished it had been better integrated into the overall story. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied with this book."