The Tea Dragon Tapestry | Book Review

Thank you to Oni Press for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.

Over a year since being entrusted with Ginseng’s care, Greta still can’t chase away the cloud of mourning that hangs over the timid Tea Dragon. As she struggles to create something spectacular enough to impress a master blacksmith in search of an apprentice, she questions the true meaning of crafting, and the true meaning of caring for someone in grief. Meanwhile, Minette receives a surprise package from the monastery where she was once training to be a prophetess. Thrown into confusion about her path in life, the shy and reserved Minette finds that the more she opens her heart to others, the more clearly she can see what was always inside.

The Tea Dragon Tapestry is already the third installment of Katie O’Neill’s Tea Dragon graphic novel series and I hope she never stops. These are such gems to the graphic novel world and you should not be ignoring these.

There is something so very wholesome about these books where the main line is rarely about an ‘evil’ person or being as you often see. It is about what drives these characters, their goals, their wants, their purposes in life. In this case we are talking about change. What if things change in your life and you feel like you have lost your purpose?

But there is also the topic of grief. A year later Ginseng is still finding it hard to open up to Greta and to enjoy life. It does a good job of making it clear that grief is not something that is over in a few weeks or months. Grief is different for everyone and those around them can only be patient and be there with them. I think that is an important message. Too often people expect people to bounce back right away or at least within a few weeks after they have lost someone. But that is not how grief works. It is a long process.

This is already the third installment and a continuation of the story that was told in the first one. I had not yet read the first one but I found it easy to settle into this story. I think you can read these out of order if you so wish to.

7 thoughts on “The Tea Dragon Tapestry | Book Review”

Well done with the review 👍

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Dan heeft dit boek een mooie én belangrijke boodschap want niet iedereen beseft dat een rouwproces verschilt van mens tot mens. Ik vind het heel jammer wanneer iemand kritiek krijgt wanneer men iets nog ‘steeds niet’ verwerkt heeft. Iedereen verwerkt iets in zijn eigen tempo en op zijn eigen manier. Je zou toch denken dat het niet zo moeilijk is om dat te respecteren.

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I’ve read the first two of these books, and adore them. You’re right, they are definitely wholesome books. I also hope she keeps writing and illustrating books in this series!

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