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Jan 03, 2018MelissaBee rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Thi Bui's debut graphic novel, "The Best We Could Do," surpasses other well-told refugees' tales by way of her honest exploration of how we are not only shaped by the way our parents raise us but also by the people, places, and events that shaped our parents themselves. On the cusp of creating her own family with the birth of her son, Bui turns her wondering gaze towards the life-defining decisions her parents made while growing in, and eventually escaping from, the chaos of the long years of war in their home country, Viet Nam. Bui's strength is not only her insight into how her parents' youth shaped her experience as their daughter, but also in the delicacy of her writing and the artistry of her illustrations. Her writing includes many subtly delivered insights, such as her realization that the fear she felt of her father as a child "was only the long shadow of his own" childhood fears as he experienced death, destruction, and abandonment. Her illustrations effectively mix simple line drawings and delicate portraits, washed in earthy tones that may harken back to the red clay soil of her home. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy graphic novels, history, family memoirs focusing on parent-child relationships, coming of age stories and immigrant tales.