Scan barcode
hannahmcclee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
megadeathvsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Boxers was, overall, better. But this did a nice job of filling in the blanks.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book, but I can't help but compare it to the other volume, Boxers. I agree with another reviewer who said this seemed like an afterthought, or a special edition with "deleted scenes" that didn't make it into the final product. I really liked Four-Girl's story and wanted to see more. I really think Yang could have added a lot more detail into the story, especially with the Joan story line. At times that got a little confusing, and if you're not familiar with Joan of Arc it might be VERY confusing. I did still like it though!
tessadehart's review against another edition
5.0
The companion to Boxers, Saints is masterfully intertwined with the first side of the story while still being just as impactful. Showing the importance of acceptance and having something to believe in amongst the horrors of this conflict.
Incredibly powerful until the very end. Highly recommend. I can’t wait to read more from this author!!
Incredibly powerful until the very end. Highly recommend. I can’t wait to read more from this author!!
olliewheaton's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alyshadeshae's review against another edition
5.0
I read Boxers and Saints one right after the other essentially as one book. As they overlap timeframe and just follow different people, I'm going to write one review for the two.
I'm aware that this is a fictional story regarding a real war, but I'm not sure what my takeaway should be. Like, is this a critique of religious zealotry inciting violence in general? Was it meant to be point out how crappy it is to overrun a people's culture because you think you're right and they're wrong?
We get both sides. And we're kind of led to believe that both sides are right.
BUT, the invaders' side (Saints) is presented by a Chinese girl who seemingly barely understand the religion she's been adopted into. She grows into more understanding, but still not much. Her father seemingly had delusions and now she sees people that aren't there, too. So is she a reliable narrator?
The "rebels" are Chinese people that are rejecting the invaders and their religion, which should be acceptable, but is it? They're killing everyone - women and children, too. And are they delusional? They seem to think a ritual turns them into actual gods. The leader sees people that no one else sees. How reliable is his narration?
Maybe the takeaway is just that life is messy and complicated and there's no simple answer for things? But I feel like there's at least one simple solution here: don't force your beliefs on others and don't try to change others' briefs unless they are causing harm with their beliefs.
I'm aware that this is a fictional story regarding a real war, but I'm not sure what my takeaway should be. Like, is this a critique of religious zealotry inciting violence in general? Was it meant to be point out how crappy it is to overrun a people's culture because you think you're right and they're wrong?
We get both sides. And we're kind of led to believe that both sides are right.
BUT, the invaders' side (Saints) is presented by a Chinese girl who seemingly barely understand the religion she's been adopted into. She grows into more understanding, but still not much. Her father seemingly had delusions and now she sees people that aren't there, too. So is she a reliable narrator?
The "rebels" are Chinese people that are rejecting the invaders and their religion, which should be acceptable, but is it? They're killing everyone - women and children, too. And are they delusional? They seem to think a ritual turns them into actual gods. The leader sees people that no one else sees. How reliable is his narration?
Maybe the takeaway is just that life is messy and complicated and there's no simple answer for things? But I feel like there's at least one simple solution here: don't force your beliefs on others and don't try to change others' briefs unless they are causing harm with their beliefs.
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
4.0
This and the companion novel, Boxers tell the story of two teenagers on opposite sides of the Boxer Rebellion. What little I knew about this historical event was blown away and shattered by these engaging graphic novels. It just goes to show how much cultural misunderstanding is at the heart of most wars.
unladylike's review against another edition
4.0
Together, Boxers & Saints really is something special. The first part of these two intersecting stories from different perspectives invoked ancient Chinese deities and figures to aid the Boxer Rebellion against the aggressively proselytizing Christian colonizers. The magical realism elements of the second half come through an old raccoon and visions of Joan of Arc coming to a pubescent girl who has been ostracized and abused from a young age in her family and village.
It's hilariously ironic and also profoundly sad to watch her evolve her own reasons for leaving her people and historical religious beliefs in favor of the Christian missionaries. At the young age of 8, "Four-Girl" (whose given name already references her status as being bad luck, based on the failed three births that preceded her in her family, and the Chinese superstitions around the number four) is told by her grandfather, in front of her whole family, that she is a Devil. Being left little choice to change everyone around her's negative perception of her, she embraces being a devil. After experimenting with making devilish faces in public, she is brought to an acupuncturist who has a small wall-hanging of Jesus being crucified. Four-Girl has a revelation that Jesus is the ultimate acupuncture victim, and that if white people (Christian missionaries) that are appearing more are known as "foreign devils," then she ought to learn their ways in order to be the best devil she can be.
I'll stop there with the setup, but this book continued to look at the theme (brought up repeatedly in Boxers) of men's fear of being corrupted by the Yin of women. Whether it's the Christian religion and less-manly white people, or the all-female warriors known as the Red Lanterns, the feminine is to be feared, villified, and conquered, in the minds of many of the male characters throughout. And so it is particularly effective that the young protagonist starts having interactive visions of Joan of Arc (without previously knowing of her).
Based on first reading Boxers, I already somewhat knew the ending to these sad but insightful stories. Gene Luen Yang does a marvelous job of showing a diverse range of personalities, motives, righteousness and foolish, ego-driven abuse. It is neither a promotion of, nor a scathing polemic against, Christianity. It is an epic and novel folk tale of the vastly different interpretations of these historical events, and what they meant to different individuals representing archetypes in rural China at the start of the 20th century.
It's hilariously ironic and also profoundly sad to watch her evolve her own reasons for leaving her people and historical religious beliefs in favor of the Christian missionaries. At the young age of 8, "Four-Girl" (whose given name already references her status as being bad luck, based on the failed three births that preceded her in her family, and the Chinese superstitions around the number four) is told by her grandfather, in front of her whole family, that she is a Devil. Being left little choice to change everyone around her's negative perception of her, she embraces being a devil. After experimenting with making devilish faces in public, she is brought to an acupuncturist who has a small wall-hanging of Jesus being crucified. Four-Girl has a revelation that Jesus is the ultimate acupuncture victim, and that if white people (Christian missionaries) that are appearing more are known as "foreign devils," then she ought to learn their ways in order to be the best devil she can be.
I'll stop there with the setup, but this book continued to look at the theme (brought up repeatedly in Boxers) of men's fear of being corrupted by the Yin of women. Whether it's the Christian religion and less-manly white people, or the all-female warriors known as the Red Lanterns, the feminine is to be feared, villified, and conquered, in the minds of many of the male characters throughout. And so it is particularly effective that the young protagonist starts having interactive visions of Joan of Arc (without previously knowing of her).
Based on first reading Boxers, I already somewhat knew the ending to these sad but insightful stories. Gene Luen Yang does a marvelous job of showing a diverse range of personalities, motives, righteousness and foolish, ego-driven abuse. It is neither a promotion of, nor a scathing polemic against, Christianity. It is an epic and novel folk tale of the vastly different interpretations of these historical events, and what they meant to different individuals representing archetypes in rural China at the start of the 20th century.