A Review of Jen Wang’s Stargazing (First Second, 2019)
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ljiang28
Written by Stephen Sohn
Edited by Lina Jiang
Jen Wang’s Stargazing (First Second, 2019) has been on my to-read list for some time. I picked it up when I needed a really great break from the work grind. I read it one night in one sitting; it took about an hour! In any case, let’s let the official marketing description give us some background: “Moon is everything Christine isn't. She’s confident, impulsive, artistic . . . and though they both grew up in the same Chinese-American suburb, Moon is somehow unlike anyone Christine has ever known. But after Moon moves in next door, these unlikely friends are soon best friends, sharing their favorite music videos and painting their toenails when Christine's strict parents aren't around. Moon even tells Christine her deepest secret: that she has visions, sometimes, of celestial beings who speak to her from the stars. Who reassure her that earth isn't where she really belongs. Moon's visions have an all-too-earthly root, however, and soon Christine's best friend is in the hospital, fighting for her life. Can Christine be the friend Moon needs, now, when the sky is falling?” This description actually gives away quite a lot. At its heart, the story is about friendship between two Chinese American girls of different class backgrounds. Moon comes into Christine’s life because Christine’s parents offer Moon’s mother (and Moon) a place to rent, which would be helpful because Moon’s mother finds herself in a bad financial situation. There are rumors that Moon is actually a bully, so it takes Christine a little bit of time to warm up to Moon, but eventually they become best friends. Over time, though, fissures start to emerge, with Christine wondering whether or not Moon is a good friend to have. Christine’s parents, in particular, make it clear that Moon is not the kind of girl that Christine should model her own life after, so Christine ends up putting in extra hours to study academic subjects. As she drifts away from Moon, Christine ends up become threatened by Moon’s new friendships. It is Moon’s medical condition which proves to push Christine to gain some new perspectives, allowing the graphic narrative to end on a very uplifting and satisfying note. As I’ve taught a number of graphic novels at this point, I can definitely see this work being adopted in many different types of courses. It certainly would appear to readers of all types and even of many distinct age groups. What I appreciate most about Wang’s illustrations are Wang’s choices concerning gender depictions, which are not confined to stereotypical cisgender representations. Certainly, Wang’s aesthetic approaches are rooted in a desire to complexify how we engage and understand the Chinese American experience. Highly recommended.
Buy the Book Here
comments
ljiang28
Written by Stephen Sohn
Edited by Lina Jiang
Jen Wang’s Stargazing (First Second, 2019) has been on my to-read list for some time. I picked it up when I needed a really great break from the work grind. I read it one night in one sitting; it took about an hour! In any case, let’s let the official marketing description give us some background: “Moon is everything Christine isn't. She’s confident, impulsive, artistic . . . and though they both grew up in the same Chinese-American suburb, Moon is somehow unlike anyone Christine has ever known. But after Moon moves in next door, these unlikely friends are soon best friends, sharing their favorite music videos and painting their toenails when Christine's strict parents aren't around. Moon even tells Christine her deepest secret: that she has visions, sometimes, of celestial beings who speak to her from the stars. Who reassure her that earth isn't where she really belongs. Moon's visions have an all-too-earthly root, however, and soon Christine's best friend is in the hospital, fighting for her life. Can Christine be the friend Moon needs, now, when the sky is falling?” This description actually gives away quite a lot. At its heart, the story is about friendship between two Chinese American girls of different class backgrounds. Moon comes into Christine’s life because Christine’s parents offer Moon’s mother (and Moon) a place to rent, which would be helpful because Moon’s mother finds herself in a bad financial situation. There are rumors that Moon is actually a bully, so it takes Christine a little bit of time to warm up to Moon, but eventually they become best friends. Over time, though, fissures start to emerge, with Christine wondering whether or not Moon is a good friend to have. Christine’s parents, in particular, make it clear that Moon is not the kind of girl that Christine should model her own life after, so Christine ends up putting in extra hours to study academic subjects. As she drifts away from Moon, Christine ends up become threatened by Moon’s new friendships. It is Moon’s medical condition which proves to push Christine to gain some new perspectives, allowing the graphic narrative to end on a very uplifting and satisfying note. As I’ve taught a number of graphic novels at this point, I can definitely see this work being adopted in many different types of courses. It certainly would appear to readers of all types and even of many distinct age groups. What I appreciate most about Wang’s illustrations are Wang’s choices concerning gender depictions, which are not confined to stereotypical cisgender representations. Certainly, Wang’s aesthetic approaches are rooted in a desire to complexify how we engage and understand the Chinese American experience. Highly recommended.
Buy the Book Here
comments
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