"How can black and white drawings do this, you might ask. But maybe only black and white drawings can do this--Gendry-Kim offers us here a glimpse of the heart of a woman who has lost more than some might ever find, and who has never given up her love, if not her hope. The Waiting is a stunning achievement, and a testament to the power of her artistry. Not a line or word feels out of place." -- Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel "The author of Grass works another miracle with this semi-autobiographical tale of a family separated by conflict. Keum takes the reader inside some of the human heart's most inaccessible chambers, places that are all but closed to most visitors - and yet she does so almost casually, the stark economy of her drawings no guide at all to their lasting emotive power. What a talent she is." -- Rachel Cooke, The Guardian " The Waiting .
continues Gendry-Kim's unflinching portrayal of the displacement caused by war, migration, and bias." -- NPR " The Waiting is a moving, beautifully drawn, masterfully told reflection on how history imposes itself, scatters people, and leaves so many lives unresolved." -- Joe Sacco, author of Palestine "Affecting. Gendry-Kim's spare, elegant panels--some composed only of dark figures surrounded by white space and outlines--suggest the perplexing ways the past empties us out." -- Hamilton Cain, Oprah Daily "The artist's stark brushstrokes and narrative masterstrokes make an affecting combination, as hope and heartbreak span generations." -- The Washington Post, Best Graphic Novels of 2021 "A testament to the generational familial trauma that is wrought by colonialism, political strife and war." -- Karla Strand, Ms. Magazine "Another stunning masterpiece.
Gendry-Kim's stark black-and-white compositions couldn't be more affecting.and prodigiously empathic." -- Booklist, Starred Review "This family portrait reveals in heartbreaking detail the impacts of colonization and political upheaval that reverberate for generations." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "When [ The Waiting 's] scope shifts to the effects of war and displacement, the narrative reaches new depths and reveals unexpectedly moving notes." -- Tobias Carroll, Words Without Borders " The Waiting suggests not only the traumas but also the mutability of history. reveal[ing] both memory and art-making as processes. Nothing is fixed, Gendry-Kim is suggesting. We only know ourselves from the bits of information we have been allowed to have.
" -- David Ulin, The Los Angeles Times "Hope endures through terrible sorrows in this gloriously rendered graphic novel saga of the Korean refugee experience." -- Publishers Weekly, Best of 2021 "One of the most moving graphic novels of the year." -- BookPage "A remarkably empathic tour-de-force crafted around testimony by Gendry-Kim's mother and other Koreans who long to reunite with family in the North." -- Library Journal, Starred Review "Gendry-Kim's black-and-white art adds to the stark emotional impact of her story." -- BuzzFeed Books "A moving and dramatic graphic novel of aging, war, family reunions, and separation." -- Asian American Writers' Workshop "Janet Hong's masterful translation captures every nuance of emotion, the pain and heartbreak of this history." -- Bookriot "It'll break your heart." -- The Toronto Star.