"The Arrival" by Shaun Tan

Books like The Arrival are able to tell a story so broad due to the use of very detailed illustrations done in most of the time moment-to-moment sequences. Every single panel is delicately drawn to have a semi-realistic look so that it is possible for the reader to understand the character’s actions and, most importantly, their emotions.

  Without a single word, we can see our protagonist’s anguish and fear as he immigrates into a different world. The viewers see his struggles to adapt and get jobs and his difficulties to communicate with the citizens of his new home.  

The craftsmanship of the overall book and its decision to make it have a sepia tone look brings a nostalgic and even ethereal feeling to the story. The reader feels curious yet also safe with this place, as if they’ve been there before. 

I particularly enjoyed the book because of its character-driven story. Even though this is a surreal world with lots of different machinery and architecture, the story focuses on its people. We get glances of how wide and grand the world is, but it focuses on its newest members and how they adapted to such new sights, culture and beliefs. As someone who has gone through a similar experience regards immigration, I could relate to the story very much, as the emotions he was going through while trying to adapt and move on from were similar things that I had to deal with, as well. But even through the harsh times, the books ends on a beautiful message on how, through hard work and struggles, everything will be worth it. As all your hardships will paid off and you can even help pay the favor forward by helping someone else in need. It’s a beautiful story that doesn’t need dialogue or narration to gets its message across. It used the term “images speak louder than words” very loyally and it’s succeeded at its goal.