THE MANY MISFORTUNES OF EUGENIA WANG

A girl’s dark comic strip starts to feel more like a premonitory vision.

In Chinese superstition, the number four, which sounds like the Chinese word for death, is considered unlucky. Twelve-year-old Eugenia Wang was born on April 4th, making her birthday the doubly unlucky “FOUR FOUR!” Her mother refuses to hold Eugenia’s party on her actual birthday—and while Eugenia would rather be drawing comics and making art, Mom (“an overbearing Asian mom stereotype”) wants her to study and practice the violin. One day in PE, Eugenia’s friend Keisha, who presents Black and has two dads, accidentally gives her a concussion, after which Eugenia has a spooky dream about her house catching fire. To get the dream out of her head, she draws a comic about it. Soon, drawing pulls her into a trance. Each time, she wakes up with more of the comic completed—but no recollection of having worked on it. As more people perish in the dream fire, which seems to be connected to her upcoming 13th birthday, Eugenia grows increasingly desperate to stop it from becoming reality. The panels, which vary in perspective, adding visual interest, support the tone of this dramatic, funny, and touching graphic novel. The fire sequences feature an ominous, predominantly red palette. Readers will relate to Eugenia’s struggles over meeting family expectations, following her passions, navigating relationships, and negotiating daily life as a tween.

Slightly spooky and filled with humor and heart.