Writer: Gene Luen Yang
Artist: LeUyen Pham
Publisher: First Second
Publication Date: January 2024
Lunar New Year Love Story is about two holidays: Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day, and as such, it makes a wonderful read at this time, with those two days coming in close proximity of each other. As the calendar places them near, so too does this book, making both days important for its character and crucial to its story. Our main character is actually even named Val, and the plot is structured in a way that Val has “until next Valentine’s Day” to find love. As the title implies, Lunar New Year becomes central to the love story that she finds herself entangled within.
So yes, that’s part of why I’m writing about this excellent YA-skewing graphic novel today, about a year after it was first published. It is, of course, Valentine’s Day after all. The other reason I’m writing about this book is that it is, simply put, a great read from start to finish. It’s written by Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. Yang really doesn’t miss, as the kids in this book might say, and he especially doesn’t miss when he’s got stories about young people or coming of age or going to/teaching in school. See American Born Chinese, or Dragon Hoops, or even Superman Smashes the Klan. These are all great books, and you can just go ahead and add Lunar New Year Love Story to that list; it’s right up there with Yang’s other graphic novel work.
But, of course, this is not just Yang’s book, as he is joined here by LeUyen Pham, and Pham’s artwork is an absolutely perfect fit for this story, right from the first page. One gripe I have with many modern graphic novels and comics is that they often opt to open with some kind of sensationalism, rather than a sequence that can both draw readers in and orient them as to what to expect from the rest of the story. The opening sequence in Lunar New Year Love Story is a great example of how to do it all, opening with the aforementioned ticking clock to next Valentine’s Day, as well as a good window in what her life is like, what she worries about, and what she truly wants.
Another thing I found particularly effective with the opening (I promise, I will discuss other parts of this book too…) was that it establishes that its lead has a complicated relationship with Valentine’s Day. At one time in her life, she loved it. It was, after all, her namesake, but she’s older now and that’s changed. Now, she hates it. I think this is the de facto feeling for many people around Valentine’s Day; there have been good ones and bad ones for most of us, as their have been highs and lows in our romantic lives. It’s relatable, and I think it will especially feel that way for teen and young adult readers, experiencing this book at a time when all romance seems so important and so epic.
But past that, the book tells a truly excellent story. I won’t spoil any of it here, but the love in the title refers to more than just one relationship. It’s not quite played as a twist. Instead, it’s more of a puzzle that the protagonist unravels with the reader, yielding some of the most emotional moments of the book. I suppose going into this, I expected her to have a trajectory with a boy in her class. Then the book sprung another love arc on me in a way I was not expecting, and before I knew it, I was getting a little misty in my eyes.
The artwork is also stellar. There’s great fantastical imagery, as well as detailed backgrounds in even mundane moments, and all kinds of wonderful scenes with dancing (which is a prominent part of the book throughout). And the character acting is strong yet distinct, making for an immersive reading experience.
Overall, as noted above, I thought Lunar New Year Love Story was excellent, a great addition to a growing library of varied graphic novels that Gene Luen Yang and his collaborators have worked on.
Lunar New Year Love Story is available now
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