A review by library_kb
Boxers by Gene Luen Yang

challenging sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This can be a hard graphic novel to read--it deals with a tragic topic: the racism, stereotypes, and colonization that led to the Boxer Rebellion. I haven't read Saints yet, but I know that while this book follows the perspective of a rural Chinese boy who is against foreigners presence in China, the other book presents the other side of the conflict. This book definitely succeeds in having the reader understand some of the factors that led to such hatred of foreigners and any Chinese people who adopted Western religion (Christianity--though it seemed the hatred had less to do with the religion and more to do with its association with the Westerners) or ways of life. The art style is really vivid and fits well with the Chinese legends interspersed throughout--do be aware that there is a lot of violence and death depicted on page. 
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