Boxers

Written & illustrated by Gene Luen Yang

Book #1 in the Boxers & Saints series

A young rebel leads a kung fu army against foreign oppressors, but at what cost to his own people?

3.9/5 Goodreads · 18,680 ratings

325 pages· 12,560 words· Est. 1.5 hour read

$21.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1898 China, Little Bao is fed up with foreign oppression. He channels ancient gods to lead a kung fu army against invaders. As the rebellion gains ground, Bao faces a moral dilemma: the fight for China's glory is costing countless lives, including those of fellow Chinese who have embraced Christianity. 'Boxers & Saints' explores the clash of faith, identity, and extremism through the intertwined stories of two youths on opposing sides of the Boxer Rebellion. Will Bao's quest for freedom justify the sacrifices, or will it unravel everything he holds dear?

From the publisher

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As the Library of Congress’s fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. His graphic novel American Born Chinese, a National Book Award finalist and Printz Award winner, has been adapted into a streaming series on Disney+. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers &amp; Saints won the LA Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award finalist. His nonfiction graphic novel Dragon Hoops received an Eisner Award and a Printz honor. His other comics works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), as well as Superman Smashes the Klan and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series (both with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. A New York Times bestseller China,1898. Bands of foreign missionaries and soldiers roam the countryside, bullying and robbing Chinese peasants. Little Bao has had enough. Harnessing the powers of ancient Chinese gods, he recruits an army of Boxers - commoners trained in kung fu who fight to free China from “foreign devils.” Against all odds, this grass-roots rebellion is violently successful. But nothing is simple. Little Bao is fighting for the glory of China, but at what cost? So many are dying, including thousands of “secondary devils” - Chinese citizens who have converted to Christianity. Boxers &amp; Saints is an innovative new graphic novel in two volumes - the parallel stories of two young people caught up on opposite sides of a violent rift. American Born Chinese author Gene Luen Yang brings his clear-eyed storytelling and trademark magical realism to the complexities of the Boxer Rebellion and lays bare the foundations of extremism, rebellion, and faith. Discover the other side of the Boxer Rebellion in Saints - the companion volume to Boxers.