This book reads like a Miyasaki movie. It projects calm, even in its depictions of violence, tragedy, anger, and grief. The storytelling is gentle. Personally, I would have liked a little more texts, as Zabarsky uses long stretches of wordless panels for some scenes. Still, that's more of a personal preference than a knock on the book, as the story is just as clear as is. Zabarsky's messages about immigration and reexamining old traditions to see if they still serve us resonate well.