Boxers & Saints Boxed Set (Boxers & Saints, 1)

Boxers follows young Bao as he fights first for his village then for his country in the Boxer rebellion in the late 1800s. He learns magic and kung fu and leads his army to battle the "foreign devils" and missionaries. The group is able to use a ritual to transform into old gods that Bao admired from historic operas.Bao makes many tough decisions when leading the group, and as with any battle, many lives are lost on both sides. At times I understood his decisions and others I felt he was being cruel - but that's the point in a situation like this and he felt very human. I will say I have no foreknowledge of the Boxer rebellion, so I took everything at face value and just enjoyed the heartbreaking story of a boy going off to war for his country.I love the artwork as well. There is really no shading, but the detail and colors of the opera gods' clothing is wonderful to look at - especially against the muted tones of the landscape and villagers clothing. The paper is nice and thick too, very smooth and gives the book some weight.Obviously with a graphic novel there's more seeing than reading, but I still felt that I was experiencing a full story. I flew through this and can't wait to read it's counterpart -Saints. I'm not quite sure how old Bao is but I'd probably recommend this book for anyone 12+ depending on their maturity level, as it does contain violence and death.-----Saints details the other side of the Boxer rebellion from Four-Girl's point of view. She's an outcast in her family who eventually converts to the Christian faith in an effort to add meaning to her life and figure out her purpose. Eventually this book crosses paths with the ending of Boxers.I gave this book a slightly lower rating than Boxers because I just didn't connect with FG the way I did with Bao. She did spend a lot of her time figuring out what she wanted to do in life, which is true for many teens (and adults) no matter their circumstances - yet she didn't feel genuine. Without revealing too much of the plot, I feel her conversion to the Christian faith was half hearted, and as a result the ending of the book left me puzzled.But overall, another great story, seen from the other point of view. Some other new characters are introduced, including Joan of Arc! More beautiful artwork and another touching story. I love to read books that really make me feel something and the Boxers and Saints collection did just that. I recommend both books (you simply can't just read one!) to pretty much everyone. Again, there's violence so maybe not for younger audiences, but around 12+

This comic duology by Yang tells two personal stories set during the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) in China when there was an uprising of peasants ousting foreigners and their religions.In “Boxers”, we first meet Little Bao, an outgoing young man, with an ailing father, who will eventually become part of the Boxer Rebellion by leading an army with the help of the Chinese gods.Later in “Saints”, we meet Four-Girl who is shunned by her family believing she was the cause of her father’s death. Trying to find acceptance and her purpose, she will find it with those with their own beliefs while having visions of French heroine Joan of Arc.“B&S” is a harrowing two-part historical tale that will bring two peasants unforeseen futures. These two connected stories bring many sweeping moments of emotion, humor, adventure, harshness and even violence. Both show us what our protagonists’ destinies will be, their faiths and even their falls. <b>A (100%/Outstanding)</b>

I finished the second book this morning and I am still an emotional wreck. Yang has officially passed into another plane of storytelling. Those who know his work well are used to Yang's subtle approach to difficult topics like radical forgiveness, cultural identity and cultural shame, and even social Darwinism, eugenics, and child abuse, all with a wry sense of humor and empathy. His work also often reflects the ways in which ordinary people grapple with and through faith in the midst of personal crisis. "Boxers" and "Saints" are no different in one sense, but this story has a fundamental difference: the stakes are so much higher, and the outcome, potentially so much more disastrous. The characters seem trapped by decisions and consequences which, once they start rolling, spin entirely out of their control.What Yang gives us in each book is a separate portrait of two young people from similar circumstances who take dramatically different paths to finding a coherent identity and a sense of justice. Through their interwoven stories, Yang takes each one through a series of extremely difficult questions about the origins of religious and political extremism, how even good people with noble ideas can cause unspeakable damage, the horrors of imperialism, and the ways in which the various Christian mission movements were problematically tied to the imperialists. Yang takes no sides and does not moralize about the events of the Boxer rebellion, just a profound sadness for their plight and his ever-present deep, deep empathy. And that is precisely what makes these novels so devastating.Yang explores in gut-wrenching detail the ways in which each person's unique experiences shape the ways in which they react to political and cultural upheaval. Little Bao, the protagonist of "Boxers," suddenly feels his mostly-idyllic way of life shattered by the arrival of foreign missionaries and British troops. Vibiana, the protagonist of "Saints," is an unwanted child who lacks a even a proper name or a place in her granfather's household, and so the arrival of the "foreign devils" provides something else entirely. Both Bao and Vibiana are given an opportunity for open rebellion, but in different ways, and they each follow those convictions down to their explosive conclusion.For those who love Yang's incorporation of folklore and imagination into a real-life landscape, these books are a feast. He uses a rich backdrop of both Chinese opera and Christian hagiography to create a multi-textured story, just as he did with the tales of the Monkey King in "American Born Chinese."Trust me-- just get both books. These are meant to be read as two different movements of the same work, and you will miss out on so much the counterpoint in each story if you don't. While they can probably be read in either order, definitely save the "Epilogue" in "Saints" for last.That epilogue, however, is sure to cause what I hope will be some healthy, productive disagreement about the nature of justice and mercy, and I can't wait to see what others have to say about it.

The kid loved these books.

Hier wird die Geschichte um den Boxer-Aufstand in China verarbeitet. Es sind 2 Bücher. Eins aus der Sicht eines Jungen, das andere aus der Sicht eines Mädchens. Die Geschichten überschneiden sich. Gekonnt und interessant erzählt. Anspruchsvoll!Für größere Kinder. Ab 12 Jahre oder älter.Eigentlich ein Erwachsenen Comic, den man halt auch schon als Jugendlicher lesen kann.

My eleven year old son was captivated by both books. He started with "Saints" and then read "Boxers". Both were real page turners. He recounted the stories to me with so much detail I felt like I had read them too. I highly recommend this collection for a mature reader due to the serious subject matter of religious violence.

Bought multiple sets for students-new and excellent conditionGreat set

Bought as a present for my son and he gives it a good rating