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INTERMEDIATE FICTION
Guojing,

Oasis

160 pp. | Holt/Godwin | February, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9781250818379 $21.99 | Paper ISBN 9781250818386 $14.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781250415790 $9.99
(1) 4-6 As this graphic novel opens, JieJie and her younger brother, Didi, press their way through a windswept landscape toward an isolated telephone booth in the desert. It's their way of reaching their mother, who works at a factory in the "paradise" city of Oasis to make ends meet. The next time they try, on Didi's birthday, they don't get through; worried, they trek across a vast wasteland, without water and with only the clothes on their backs, toward Oasis. Along the way, they stumble upon the remnants of an abandoned, obsolete AI robot, which they activate to play the role of a mother. Before long, they develop a loving relationship with this artificial life form, but how will it compare with their real mother? The story unfolds cinematically, with carefully orchestrated images capturing evocative facial expressions in dynamic exchanges between characters seeking refuge and familial reconciliation. Softly shaded charcoal-esque panels (in pencil, toner powder, and digital editing) create a bleak, atmospheric mood, with occasional bursts of vibrant light. Themes of struggling for survival, preserving family connections, embracing humanity, and cultivating love resonate throughout this endearing tale of perseverance marked by hope against all odds.
Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

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