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mattyb's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
Minor: Violence
emily_mh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I enjoyed this story more and more as time went on. I loved how it explored storytelling as connection, as making sense of things, as reassurance and security, and as a means of expressing yourself and your feelings. It was nifty seeing how stories change as they are passed on, and similarly how traditions change from generation to generation, and how Mei uses both to connect with her culture, history, and family. This truly is a great coming-of-age story, with Mei finding her place and direction in a world and time where she is oppressed as a queer Chinese-American girl.
In terms of spoilers, I liked how Hels was held accountable for his poor allyship. You can’t call someone family and not act like it. In the same vein, Bee is told by Mei multiple times that her life is completely different and that her whiteness affords her privilege. I also loved the hopeful ending !
While the art style was simplistic this was not at all a bad thing, and I enjoyed the watercolour medium. I also appreciated learning so much about logging, for example the instruments used, and activities like log driving.
Books like this remind me that I still love historical fiction and need to pick it up more often!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia
Moderate: Hate crime, Grief, and Death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcohol, Blood, and Physical abuse
Moderate: loss of a loved oneklsriley's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Death
robinks's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
The illustrations really fit with the subject matter. It was so nice to see historical fiction that was honest about racism’s violence yet remained hopeful that things/people are changing. It would’ve been nice for the queer storyline to get more pages!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
Moderate: Racism
daycia's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Death
Moderate: Violence and Hate crime
kindredbooks's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.5
It was not always easy to find information about the history of Chinese immigrant communities in North America, much less in contemporary fiction and graphic novels. When I first read the synopsis of The Legend of Auntie Po, I knew that I needed to add it to my reading list. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the gifted copy.
Mei is a young Chinese girl who lives on a Sierra Nevada logging camp in the 1880s with her father, who cooks for the logging crew. As Mei navigates her friendship with the camp foreman’s daughter and her aspiring (and impossible) dreams, the Chinese Exclusion Act changes things at the logging camp. While the Chinese workers have never been treated fairly or equally, things get even worse when her father is fired and there are racist and violent attacks against those in Mei’s community. Mei finds comfort and support in the stories she tells about Auntie Po, a legendary elderly Chinese matriarch who can protect her and those around her. This is a story about family, friendship, doing what’s right, and the resilience of the immigrant communities in America.
I connected with Mei through her experiences and challenges as growing up as a minority. My own family’s history and story of arriving in Canada is also one of hardship and systemic racism. The resilience and determination of Mei, her father, and her friends are a sign of hope for all of us who come from these immigrant communities who contributed to North America’s history. These stories are important, not just for those within our own communities, but for the general population to see how vital immigrant communities have always been.
TW: Racism, racial slurs, violence, death, xenophobia
Mei is a young Chinese girl who lives on a Sierra Nevada logging camp in the 1880s with her father, who cooks for the logging crew. As Mei navigates her friendship with the camp foreman’s daughter and her aspiring (and impossible) dreams, the Chinese Exclusion Act changes things at the logging camp. While the Chinese workers have never been treated fairly or equally, things get even worse when her father is fired and there are racist and violent attacks against those in Mei’s community. Mei finds comfort and support in the stories she tells about Auntie Po, a legendary elderly Chinese matriarch who can protect her and those around her. This is a story about family, friendship, doing what’s right, and the resilience of the immigrant communities in America.
I connected with Mei through her experiences and challenges as growing up as a minority. My own family’s history and story of arriving in Canada is also one of hardship and systemic racism. The resilience and determination of Mei, her father, and her friends are a sign of hope for all of us who come from these immigrant communities who contributed to North America’s history. These stories are important, not just for those within our own communities, but for the general population to see how vital immigrant communities have always been.
TW: Racism, racial slurs, violence, death, xenophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
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