Book Review: Messy Roots by Laura Gao

Taking place at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Laura is in San Francisco listening to the barrage of opinions about the pandemic and the place of its origin; her homeland, Wuhan. She tries to reconcile the opinions of the world to the home that brought her comfort and joy. Suddenly she finds herself in Texas, trying to learn where she fits into this new place and where she belongs. A journey of culture, acceptance, and growth sure to have readers hooked from beginning to end.
 

Each panel if full of colorful artwork that adds emotion and resonance to each page, one of the best comes at the beginning as she remembers the Wuhan of her childhood. The parallel she uses between herself and the moon goddess, Chang'e, from a legend told by her grandparents is a powerful vehicle for her journey of self discovery. 

"The narrative overlays immigrant community dynamics with the intersections of race, ethnicity, and gender in young adults’ identity development while drawing on Chinese cultural icons old and new, such as White Rabbit candies. Most compelling is Gao’s retelling of the legend of moon goddess Chang’e, who is able to “escape her suffocating home”—something Gao manages by attending college in a faraway state and encountering a diverse student body beyond the “white-washed” conformity of her high school. Gao comes out as queer and embraces her tangled roots as she continues writing her life story with pride and confidence. The dynamic, clean, and energetic artwork colored in soft tones features bold linework and ample white space. Splashes of red emphasize the emotional impact of many scenes. A nuanced representation of being Asian and transnational in the contemporary U.S." - Kirkus

Book Information:

Gao, L. (2022). MESSY ROOTS. Illustrated by WeiWei Xu. Balzer + Bray. IBSN 9780063067769

What Next?

Read DISPLACEMENT by Kiku Hughes.