Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/15/2024 *Starred Review* On his tenth birthday, Junho remembers his beloved mother: two years ago, she escaped North Korea, promising, “We’ll fly to freedom together one day.” Meanwhile, 11-year-old Myunghee has already learned the “secrets of survival: trading and bribery” in order to keep herself and her fragile great-aunt alive. The children will meet eight days later, bearing witness to the utter horror of a public execution—which includes Junho’s uncle. That night, they both flee separately. Junho reunites with his mother; Myunghee is sold into slavery. One month later, their paths cross again on a snowy Chinese street, entwining their futures through a dangerous odyssey across countries and continents. Yes, Cho’s graphic novel in verse is an extraordinary dual-voiced narrative, but what makes this title unforgettable is phenomenal, Ignatz-winning artist Lee’s (In Limbo, 2023) breathtaking artwork. Their panels, with and without defined borders (as if boundaries should always be mutable) combine sharp black outlines with warm, softened color palettes that empathically and brilliantly adapt to situations: the muted grays and browns of North Korea interrupted by brightened oranges and golds signaling poignant reminders of home and family, the lightening blues suggesting hope-filled movement toward freedom, the tropical greens of welcoming havens. Even a small quibble about a somewhat convenient plot point can’t, won’t mar this masterpiece. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.