Being 16 is difficult in any time. Roz is a contemporary teen dealing with high school, relationships, and her weight. As any teenager, she thinks her mother does not understand her and chafes against her comments. But then we get a glimpse of her mother's teenage years, and see how she dealt with similar issues, but also, a very distant, angry mother, which lead to an estrangement. And then we go back one more time to see her grandmohter as a teen. Being 16 shows over generations how if trauma is not addressed, we unconciously pass it along to the next in line.

Age 16 follows three generations of women who are trying to find their place in the world. Roz is growing up in the fatfobic 2000s, struggling to see that her mother and grandmother want what is best for her, not the world they grew up in. However, with their approach to body image, the communication sometimes gets lost. Showing their backgrounds as well, the readers see why each woman acts the way they do based on the world they grew up in.

The novel was fine. I feel like having read a lot of texts surrounding this idea, it felt underdeveloped. I get that the main struggle was the body image issues, but having seen powerful generational texts like Crying in the H-Mart or even Turning Red, this fell short for me. I liked the art and felt the message was important, but overall I don't see myself going back to grab for this.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!

Themes: Family, Growing Up
Representation: East Asian MCs and SCs
Content Warnings: Fatphobia, Teen Pregnancy, Sexism, Intergenerational Trauma

PERSONAL COMMENTS
I thought this book was easy to read and easy to get through. I enjoyed how the author represented three different women from different time periods in a nuanced way. I liked how she represented different problems that were relevant to each of their time periods. I also liked how she represented intergenerational trauma and how she connected each of their traumas. However, sometimes the pacing of the book could feel slightly clunky.

Rating: 4/5

CHARACTERS
This book obviously focused more on character development than plot. And I think the intergenerational trauma and connection that each of the main characters had was well written.

It follows the story of Rosalind in Toronto, 2000 as she learns how to deal with her weight. I thought that her story was relevant and relatable, as self-love and image is a struggle that many teenage girls hold. I loved how the author tried to represent it in a realistic yet hopeful and inspiring way, telling readers that your weight does not influence who you are.

It also follows Rosalind’s mom, Lydia, in 1972 in Hong Kong. After reading her part, you will see why Rosalind reacts about her weight the way that she does. And how the traumas that Lydia has endured affects Rosalind. You can really see how intergenerational trauma impacts people from generation to generation.

Finally, the last narrator is Rosalind’s Por Por. Her story takes place in 1954. And after reading her story, you too, can see why she acts the way that she does, as well as the causes of her trauma. You can see how her life impacted her treatment towards her daughter and granddaughter.

Overall, a great job at connecting three different generations and showing the impacts of intergenerational trauma. However, I wished that some of the things with the side characters in the book could have been expanded on or more resolved.

Rating: 4.4/5

PLOT
The book was quite fast-paced in general, which is what you’d expect from a graphic novel. It quickly jumps into Rosalind’s life and her problems, then quickly connects how her problems are a result of intergenerational trauma.

The book switches quickly between perspectives and is done in a natural way. In a few parts, the switches between the points of view were awkward. However, it is done in a way that is natural and works to aid the story and character development.

Finally, though the ending of the book was sweet and I thought it was fitting for the story, there were some loose threads that I felt like were not tied up. Things that left this book feeling slightly incomplete and if included, would make the book even better.

Rating: 3.9/5

OTHER
I really enjoyed the art style of the book. I thought that a simple cartoon art style was perfect to go with a book like this: a coming-of-age novel. It helps to get the story across in a simple manner, reminiscent of the departure of the simple teenage days.

Also, the author chose to use different colours for each of the narratives which helps to differentiate them and also helps each narrative stand out. This makes each of the stories more unique!!!

Finally, off topic but… I loved how this story is set in Toronto. As a Canadian, I really enjoyed this Canadian representation and I’m sure many other Canadians would too!!!

Rating: 5/5

RATINGS
Personal Rating: 4/5
Characters: 4.4/5
Plot: 3.9/5
Other: 5/5
Final Rating: 4.3/5 (round to 4 stars)

content warning for disordered eating(!)

Multi-generational story focused on the experience of being sixteen, struggling to meet your expectations and everyone else’s, while searching for a place of belonging.

You are your mother’s daughter, your mother is a daughter, and her mother was also a daughter. The echos of experiences surrounding our growth.

Navigating motherhood is different for everyone: how can we end the cycles of cruelty/trauma and ensure the future is better for ourself and others?

It felt a bit rushed in pacing at some points. Nonetheless, the story and the way it was portrayed deeply resonated with me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Age 16 by Rosena Fung.

This is a graphic novel is based on a granddaughter, mother and grandmother all when they were 16 years old. It was interesting to see the women at that stage and what their surroundings and life looked like. The story begins in Guangdong in 1954, then Hong Kong in 1972, and Toronto in 2000.

I believe that at times teens think they have it so bad because they cannot see what their parents and grandparents lived through. You see the struggle that each character goes through. Whether it is pressures from parents, arranged marriage, wanting freedom, weight loss, loneliness and trying to find your place in the world.

Raw and real everyone with an overbearing mom will love this story. Tender even when it’s heartbreaking.

This was a really cute coming of age story that depicted the lives of three generations of women going through through many societal issues. The art style reminded me a lot of "Persepolis" which is another great coming of age graphic novel.

I think the author did an excellent job giving voice to each of the main characters but I wish the resolution towards the ending wasn't as rushed as it felt. Por Por (Mei Laan) definitely had the most interesting story arc but sadly we didn't get to see enough of her. I feel like a bit more time is needed in developing her story because she's really the glue to the story. I enjoyed the 2000 time period the most because I think the author did a great job capturing the early 2000s feel.

I'm not sure if this is the final version of the novel but I do wish the ending wasn't too rushed. I also would love to have more scenes with Roz and her grandmother. It just felt weird that these two didn't interact as much. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.