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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/920607.The_Arrival?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Arrival" border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/books/1179464443m/920607.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/920607.The_Arrival?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">The Arrival</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38954.Shaun_Tan">Shaun Tan</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16915486?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 5 of 5 stars Again, Shaun Tan proves he is one of the most talented artists publishing today. There are absolutely no words in this illustrated story of an immigrant coming to a new, strange land. Yet, it's quite poignant and lovely to "view." 
 
 The images are presented to resemble aged and worn photographs, as if this story happened a long time ago. They're stunning. I would love to see the original drawings in person. One series of "photos" documents the clouds in the sky as the lead character, a man, travels over an ocean to reach a new country. 
 
 A number of times, the traveling man must communicate with other inhabitants of this land, and I love that Tan has the man draw the subject of his queries because words and letters are useless. In fact, the lettering that appears in the story is from no known alphabet--it most closely resembles some combination of hieroglyphics and the Cyrillic alphabet. 
 
 Another image that just creases my heart is one of three joined hands, each one belonging to a member of the man's family. Tan mimics that shape in the creation of an origami bird, which eventually transforms into a winged creature representing hope for many, not just the man.
 
 It's an awesome read, and like the rest of Tan's oeuvre, provides fodder for great discussions between younger and older readers.
 
 Check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.goodreads.com"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.shauntan.net/books.html">http://www.shauntan.net/books....</a></a>a to acquaint yourself with Shaun Tan, the author and illustrator, and his books. Plus, he posts interviews and news about film adaptations of his books (The Red Tree, Terry!).
 
 
 
 
 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/673170?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Tracy's review
rating:
bookshelves: awesome-ya, graphic-stories, illustrated-short-story

Again, Shaun Tan proves he is one of the most talented artists publishing today. There are absolutely no words in this illustrated story of an immigrant coming to a new, strange land. Yet, it's quite poignant and lovely to "view."

The images are presented to resemble aged and worn photographs, as if this story happened a long time ago. They're stunning. I would love to see the original drawings in person. One series of "photos" documents the clouds in the sky as the lead character, a man, travels over an ocean to reach a new country.

A number of times, the traveling man must communicate with other inhabitants of this land, and I love that Tan has the man draw the subject of his queries because words and letters are useless. In fact, the lettering that appears in the story is from no known alphabet--it most closely resembles some combination of hieroglyphics and the Cyrillic alphabet.

Another image that just creases my heart is one of three joined...more

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message 1: by Terry

03/10/2008 05:05PM

Can I just tell you the first time I heard you mention this book I thought, "Why is Tracy recommending a Charlie Sheen movie on GoodReads?" California is making me STOOPIT. xoxox me (I MUST find out who is making The Red Tree!)