Summary

The novel opens as an entirely wordless graphic narrative. Set in color tones of sepia, brown, and gold, the illustrations presented meet the appearance of realism, a realistic art style. Tan uses a combination of small and large panels, as he alternates between utilizing both sequences of illustrations and full page illustrations. The point of view of the narrative follows a nameless man, who appears to be of middle age.

The man is in the midst of packing a suitcase, as he places objects such as a family portrait inside. A woman, who appears to be the man’s wife, holds his hand as a gesture of comfort. A young girl, who appears to be the daughter of the man and his wife, awakens from her slumber and joins her family at the dining table for breakfast. The wife helps dress the child just...