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Girl Told She Doesn't Belong in New Graphic Novel
29 Oct
Summary
- A graphic novel questions where one truly belongs.
- It features a girl in a world of diverse creatures.
- A human visitor claims she is from his world.
Shaun Tan, the acclaimed creator of The Arrival, has released his latest graphic novel, "Hometown." This new work, developed over nearly a decade, is a visually rich fable that delves into profound questions about belonging and identity.
"Hometown" centers on a nameless girl who is the sole human-looking inhabitant of a fantastical world populated by diverse creatures. Her ordinary life, filled with family and community traditions, is disrupted when a human visitor arrives from the sky. This visitor asserts that the girl actually belongs to his world, where everyone shares their appearance.
The graphic novel uses sparse text, prioritizing Tan's detailed watercolour, coloured pencil, and ink illustrations. It encourages readers to question external judgments about where they belong. The story is a celebration of love, family, community, and tradition, presented in a style influenced by 19th-century illustration.
