Review: The Arrival by Shaun Tan.

Book: The Arrival

Author: Shaun Tan

Pages: 128

Read On: My iPad

How Long It Took Me To Read: An hour.

Plot Summary: In a heartbreaking parting, a man gives his wife and daughter a last kiss and boards a steamship to cross the ocean. He's embarking on the most painful yet important journey of his life- he's leaving home to build a better future for his family.

Shaun Tan evokes universal aspects of an immigrant's experience through a singular work of the imagination. He does so using brilliantly clear and mesmerizing images. Because the main character can't communicate in words, the book forgoes them too. But while the reader experiences the main character's isolation, he also shares his ultimate joy. 

General Thoughts: Another book that was on my radar for a while. This book is highly acclaimed and loved and rightly so. I read it in an hour and just wanted to marvel at the art. So, soooooo good. 

Things I Loved: 

1. This was really unique read for me. It has no words, no sentences and no dialogues. It's all art. And it is breath-taking art! Really special, whimsical and surreal. I can't say enough good things about it. It's sooooo brilliant. I don't think I've read a book without words since I was a toddler! 

2. Even without words this is a poignant story. Heart-felt and heart-breaking at times. 

3. I have read quite a few books about the immigrant experience and I enjoy these stories in general, yet few of them moved me as profoundly as this book did. It was really powerful with it's imagery and did a great job at driving across the alienation and loneliness that comes with moving to a new land. 

4. The art is just genius and very unique. I would honestly put up some of the pages on my walls as art. So so good! 

5. Apart from the story of our main character, the book also delves into two-three other stories of immigration and seeking sanctuary in a new country. I enjoyed those stories too. 

6. This touches upon so many aspects of the immigrant experience, from not knowing the language of your new home, to being homesick and the struggles of finding a job and sometimes having to settle for a job below your level of education or experience. All of this made for very interesting reading. 

Rating: 5/5 

Loved this book and I highly recommend it.