This very much felt like the wind-up to another story as opposed to a stand-alone story itself. I realize it is part of a series but would like a more satisfying arc within. Beautiful art and interesting topic.

The first thing I noticed when I opened this book was its art – it’s simple and beautiful, kind of like Heidi.

And, like Heidi, this book is about kids going on an adventure – except that they’re in a war-zone and have to fend for themselves. Not only that, they also need to avoid Tuduo’s shady acquaintances.

Talking about Tuduo, I love how he and Yaya are innocent throughout the book, especially considering their surroundings.

However, I have to say that this book feels like it was only building the world – the plot only took shape pretty late in the book.

With all that, I have to admit that I loved this book and can’t wait to read the sequel.

Rating: 4 stars

This book does have a complete, though simple, arc of it's own that contributes to the larger plot of the series. This is a manga style graphic novel that is easily accessible to western readers. Very little knowledge of eastern culture needed to grasp the plot.

A book that took eight years to get translated from the French, which puts paid to my theory that you can tell the good ones by how promptly they make the transition. This reads as a bit of a juvenile Dickens meets "Titanic" with some extra fantasy thrown in. Our Oliver is a street boy with a nasty (dog-owning) master; the girl he finds at the docks in a moment of rampant class-envy is Yaya, a hot-headed girl who is intent on getting to a piano school audition, even when her parents are demanding they all leave Shanghai before war breaks out. Oh, and she has a talking pigeon as a pet. Throw in some of the "Pearl Harbor" (sic) romance as he has to rescue her from a bombing raid, and damn but it won't end far too quickly. I'd love to see the full thing, for this slender opening has a lot of promise. It's concise, with a short script – it really doesn't take long to flick through this book at all – but it looks great, and indeed has a lot of merits. A strong four stars.

I adored this graphic novel! The artwork was beautifully done and the story was very gripping. I enjoyed being able to read about a place in time that isn’t written about nearly as often as other countries that were caught in the conflicts. I think that this shows the understanding (or lack of) that children can have of situations much bigger than them and it is a great take away for adults as I think sometimes we forget how much the little things can mean to a child. I adored this book and cannot wait to continue on with the series!

In 1937 Shanghai, eight-year-old Yaya lives a somewhat privileged life with her well-to-do parents in the French Concession area of the city, able to devote time to her favorite obsession: playing the piano. But war clouds are fast approaching on the horizon, word of a Japanese invasion imminent, and the night before her big audition for a prestigious music school, Yaya's father declares his daughter will not be going; indeed, he intends on spiriting his family away onto a boat leaving Shanghai early the next morning, securing their safety while he still can. Not realizing the full import of what's to come, Yaya decides she will make the audition anyway, meeting her parents at the boat afterward, and leaves a note to this affect before sneaking out of the house before dawn. Meanwhile, in a much less well-off section of Shanghai, a young boy named Tuduo, working essentially as a thief and pickpocket for the crime boss Zhu, decides it's time to escape this life when Zhu sets his eyes on Tuduo's kid brother Xiao to get into the same business. Hiding his brother away with the one person he can trust in the city, Tuduo sets out that same morning to find this better life for him and his brother ... as Japanese fighter planes appear over the city and the bombs begin to fall. As Yaya is awakened to the horrors of war when bombs begin dropping in her own section of the city, both children fight to survive while headed on paths that will bring them together, Yaya desperately seeking her parents as Zhu and his cronies hunt Tuduo through war-ravaged Shanghai, determined he and his brother will always be "family". Reading this book, thanks to the artwork and vibrant color palette containing watercolor tones throughout, I felt very much like I was reading a Studio Ghibli film come to life on the page, due to the wonderful character design. Yaya and Tuduo are both likable, upbeat children thrown into a situation over which they have little control and even less knowledge, yet they remain hopeful and fight for what's important and who they love. The first of a projected 9-volume set, be aware that The Ballad of Yaya Vol. 1: Fugue ends in a meaty cliffhanger ... with part two not due out in the States until July! 4.5/5 stars



I received and ARC of this book from NetGalley, Edelweiss and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first instalment of a nine volume series of graphic novels set in Shanghai in 1937 during the Japanese invasion. Yaya is an eight-year-old girl who comes from an affluent family and who loves playing piano. Yaya’s family want to escape Shanghai and flee to Hong Kong, but Yaya sneaks out to go on an important audition and is caught out in a bombardment. Tuduo, a street urchin, saves her life, and this way their adventures begin.
The artwork is beautiful with bright and vivid colours, which really suit the drama of the story context and make it more engaging.
I am looking forward to reading the next volume of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors Lion Forge for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Oh my gosh, this is an amazingly beautiful first volume of a nine volume graphic novel series about a little eight-year-old girl, Yaya, who is so single minded and focused on her piano recital that she doesn't realize that the Japanese are invading the country, and that the reason she can't go is because her family is going to flee the country in the morning.

She escapes and runs into the middle of the invasion. And during the craziness, she meets a street urchin, Tuduo, who agrees to help her reunite with her parents.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4946" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-02-02-at-8.39.18-PM.png" alt="The Ballad of Yaya v. 1" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4947" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2019-02-02-at-8.38.29-PM.png" alt="The ballad of Yaya" />

The single mindedness of Yaya is amazing to behold. The illustrations of Shanghai are gorgeous, as is the world of 1937. I look forward to reading the other eight volumes. Highly recommend this story to show a part of little known history, at least for most Americans, from a child's point of view..

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

Review to be posted on sources mentioned on my profile in April.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I spotted this gorgeous and interesting looking graphic novel on Netgalley and I had to read it. I am glad though that I didn't read the blurb, and I would recommend everyone to stay away from the current blurb. I just checked it, and oh boy, I am spoiled of all the things that will probably happen throughout this series. :| Really, why the hell do people write blurbs like this? Keep it spoiler-free please!

This beautiful book takes place in 1937 right before the Japanese invasion. During the first part of the story we follow both Yaya and Tuduo and then when they meet up we see it from both of them at the same time. Yaya is a rich girl who loves playing piano. Her parents are about to flee from Shanghai and off to Hong Kong. I loved how strong this girl is, though she makes some very dumb mistakes. I guess I could forgive her, she is still a tiny girl, but still I was shaking my head when she wouldn't listen to her parents. I understand that you want to play your piano, I get that, but there is a time and place for that. Now is definitely not the time and you should thank the Lord that you didn't get hurt any further.
Tuduo is a street urchin who takes care of his little brother. He has to beg and do tricks to earn money. His life isn't the happiest, because no matter what he does his boss is never happy and hits him.

These two unlikely children will meet up in the midst of a war that is starting. Bombs are falling and you will be on the edge of your seat to find out what will happen next. Will these two get home safely? Will they find Yaya's parents?

I have to say that I was a bit hesitant at first when I started the story. Why? Because one of the narrators is a bird. And sorry, talking birds are just a no no. In a magical setting, sure, but having a talking bird in a story like this... no. Thankfully, he turned out to be not that annoying, or I just tuned him out. Whatever came first. :P

The art reminded me a lot of Ghibli's art, which was absolutely lovely.

This first volume ends on a cliffhanger and argggggghhh! While I now know what is going on, thanks to the superspoiler blurb, I still need to read the next volume. Hopefully it comes out not too long after this one releases.

All in all, a beautifully drawn story with likeable characters. I would recommend it.