Boxers & Saints

Boxers & Saints is a two-volume graphic novel set during China's Boxer Rebellion at the turn of the 20th century. The story follows two Chinese teenagers on opposite sides of the violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising. The "Boxers" volume centers on Little Bao, a village boy who becomes a leader in the Boxer movement fighting against Western influences and Christian missionaries. The "Saints" volume tells the story of Four-Girl, a Chinese convert to Christianity who takes the name Vibiana. Each protagonist believes in their cause and experiences visions of figures from their respective spiritual traditions - Chinese opera gods for Little Bao and Joan of Arc for Vibiana. The parallel narratives show the same historical events from opposing perspectives. The work explores questions of identity, faith, and nationalism through its mirrored structure, demonstrating how people can reach different conclusions while seeking truth and meaning. Through its dual perspectives, the novel reveals the complexity of cultural conflict and the human cost of ideological warfare.

Readers appreciate the balanced portrayal of both sides in the Boxer Rebellion, showing complex motivations and avoiding clear heroes or villains. Many note how the parallel narratives help them understand multiple perspectives of this historical conflict. Readers highlight the detailed artwork, cultural authenticity, and effective use of color symbolism. Several mention the seamless blend of historical facts with mystical elements. Common criticisms include: - Pacing issues in Saints compared to Boxers - Character development feels rushed in certain sections - Some found the ending unsatisfying - A few readers struggled with the violence depicted Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (16,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (180+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 "The parallel stories force you to question your own assumptions about right and wrong" - Goodreads reviewer "The art style shifts brilliantly between everyday scenes and spiritual moments" - Amazon reviewer "Saints feels more like a companion piece than a full story" - LibraryThing reviewer

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★ Gene Luen Yang spent over 5 years researching and creating Boxers & Saints, traveling to China and consulting numerous historical documents to ensure accuracy. ✦ The parallel narratives are printed in different color schemes - Boxers primarily in warm colors and Saints in cool colors - to reflect the opposing perspectives of the same historical events. ★ The Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) resulted in the deaths of thousands of Chinese Christians and approximately 250 foreign missionaries, making it one of the largest anti-Christian movements in Chinese history. ✦ Yang chose to tell the story through two volumes to explore how both sides believed they were doing the right thing, inspired by his own experiences as both Chinese and Catholic. ★ The character of Four-Girl/Vibiana was inspired by real-life Chinese saint Zheng Nil, who was martyred during the Boxer Rebellion at age 15 and later canonized by the Catholic Church.