At the same time, her family’s experience is different from most (and certainly mine). I thought she did a great job capturing how daunting it feels to be responsible for your family. Any parent will recognize many of the challenges her mom and dad faced raising their four kids. I was struck by how the experiences Bui illustrates manage to be both universal and specific to their circumstances. It’s a bit confusing, but I don’t think it takes away from the powerful story. The book jumps around from family member to family member, exploring different time periods. I don’t want to spoil anything, but both of her parents get sucked into the turmoil created by the foreign forces present in their country (first the French, and later the Americans). As Bui holds her new baby, she begins to appreciate the immense responsibility that comes with parenthood-and decides to learn more about the sacrifices her parents made for her and her siblings. The book-which is autobiographical-opens with the author giving birth as her mother slips out the door, unable to watch the delivery for reasons she doesn’t yet understand. She knew that her parents were deeply traumatized by their past but never felt comfortable asking them about their experiences.Įverything changed when Bui’s son was born. Bui is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who came to America after the fall of Saigon. That’s the question Thi Bui grapples with in her stunning graphic novel The Best We Could Do.

This is the best we could do