One of the best books ever "written"

books:

	• The Arrival Shaun Tan Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007 - 128 pages average customer review:based on 76 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Dreamlike Epic With No Words

Have you ever wakened from a dream so real that you were actually shocked when you woke up? Upon further thought as you think about your recent dream episode, things were not as they should be. Such aberrations as flying boats and buildings that seems to be in New York City but possess a strange combination of oriental and occidental architecture. This appears to be familiar territory but in the same breath also very strange and different.
Welcome to Shaun Tans' epic dreamlike journey in "The Arrival" a story of a man leaving his home and family to migrate to a new world. The artist goes into an explicit graphic narrative to describe the strangeness of immigrating to a new land. One gets the sense that this planned migration has been instigated by a government of totalitarian ilk as evidenced by the Artist's drawing of a shadow of a "tale of a dragon" which gives evidence of sinister governance.
The Author takes us into a world of epic art deco like scenery which is neither totally western nor eastern; in fact I see traces of Native American Indian influence. Our hero has to deal with a culture which is strange and different and we learn how he copes with dealing with people in a new land. His final hope is to finally reunite with his family in a land which he finds to be a refuge to many people from far and away.
This graphic depiction shows how an artist can convey an idea using simple pencil drawings and not using one word. Shaun Tan's art is not impressionistic, however the theme and structure of his story in the world of graphic literature is indeed impressionistic. This novel should never be thought of as a child's picture book. It uses advanced imagery and a high level nuanced story line using no prose. In reality it is the art of mime in the world of graphic imagery which in and of itself creates its own unique genre. Fanastic! 5 Stars!!

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Definite Destination

Stunningly illustrated I was awestruck by Tan's artistic ability. Immediately taken by the beauty of the story he'd presented I'd say my favorite pieces were those that showed the other-worldy almost ethereal feel of the locale. A land of sweeping loveliness the buildings and creatures that comprised it's inhabitants weren't to be feared but rather adored. Which is exactly what I did.

Not to be outdone, the story Tan wrote in accompaniment is wonderful as well. I could feel the emotions so clearly displayed on the young father's face. From the trepidation of leaving his family behind to the jubilation of their arrival to meet with him in a new land I felt every beat he did. Traveling from the safety and security of his home and family into the unknown abyss of a new life the loneliness jumped off the page as the man searched for a job and made new acquaintances.

Though I've not had much experience with this genre, I imagine that this is what any great graphic novel should do. Move the reader to feel and experience. If this is the case than Tan has certainly done so with The Arrival.

All in all, I'm excited to have been introduced to the world of graphic novels in such an exemplary way. I'm looking forward to not only reading more of Tan's work but also other authors as well. I would encourage all to pick up this wonderful book and place it out for everyone to see.

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a must-have

this book is amazing from the first second...technically brilliant, it's also a deep work on emotions. A Must-Have!!!

One of the best books ever "written"

How do you write a book without words so beautiful and powerful? Shaun Tan knows how. The illustrations put you right into the story as the characters themselves. Some of the illustrations are so awesome I'd love to have a poster of them on my wall. This is a heart-felt story about an immigrant family that I think anyone can relate to, we're all immigrants from somewhere, especially in the U.S.A.;This is a book that will get passed down generations in my family, the quality is outstanding!

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Review of The Arrival

If someone had told me a year ago that I'd be branching out into graphic novels this year I would have laughed. I was first surprised by them when I began to read a Korean Manhwa named Goong. Then, just last week I fell in love with The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

And then yesterday I picked up The Arrival by Shaun Tan and didn't put it down until I'd finished it.

Unlike Goong and Hugo Cabret, this book does not have words. Even the notes and signs are in a made-up language. The entire story is told in pictures - beautiful, sepia colored pictures. This is the story of a man leaving his family and his country behind (a country besot with terrors of its own) and finding a new place for them to live. It's a story of fear and hope, loss and gain, adventure and home.

There is one moment - one set of pictures in this book that made me choke up and tears filled my eyes. When the man arrives in the strange country and opens his suitcase, an image appears that made me think of opening my suitcase for the first time after leaving home. That scent, the memories all seem to collide and you picture your family right there , for a moment it's captured and then it fades and just the items remain.

At first I thought this might be science-fiction because there were so many strange elements. Alien looking creatures (as evidenced by the cover), strange methods of transportations.. and then as I got into the book I realized that the story being told here is how our country must look to those arriving in it. The sights, sounds, smells - everything assaulting our senses is different, new, amazing, thrilling and terrifying. Shaun Tan captured that so well in this book and through a story of pictures managed to tell a more captivating immigration story then I've ever actually read through written word.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

"A shockingly imaginative graphic novel that captures the sense of adventure and wonder that surrounds a new arrival on the shores of a shining new city. Wordless, but with perfect narrative flow, Tan gives us a story filled with cityscapes worthy of Winsor McCay." -- Jeff Smith, author of Bone

"A magical river of strangers and their stories!" -- Craig Thompson, author of Blankets

"Magnificent." -- David Small, Caldecott Medalist

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.

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