A sort-of sequel to “Pyongyang”, “Shenzen” is another superb graphic novel from Guy Delisle, detailing the culture shock of his three months in one of China’s most rapidly growing cities
Guy Delisle published Pyongyang, a graphic novel documenting his time in North Korea’s enigmatic capital while working there as an animation supervisor, to great acclaim a couple of years ago. Shenzen is a clear attempt to follow the same formula, as it documents another 3 month stint as an animation studio chief, this time in China. (I’ve previously reviewed Pyongyang if you want to read more about it).
Shenzen doesn’t perhaps have the clout of Pyongyang simply because we know so little about North Korea that any account of it is pretty special, especially if it’s told through such great drawings and mordant wit as Delisle’s. However, Shenzen has its own, more subtle pleasure to it, and it perfectly captures the intensity of being alone and adrift within a foreign culture where you speak nothing of the language and know you will never fit in. Delisle’s time there was undoubtedly lonely, especially with a wife and child back home in Canada waiting for him, but there is little self-pity in his story, just as with Pyongyang. Instead, Delisle tries to shrug off the torpor of his workdays and explore his surroundings and extract what he can from his decidedly uninspiring surroundings. The sequence where he heads into Hong Kong for a long weekend, geographically only a few kilometres away but culturally the other side of the world, is particularly impressive.
Shenzen – Guy Delisle
Delisle largely avoids the usual travelogue trick of pointing and laughing at the locals. Instead, he feels the joke is on him most of the time, and he accepts his position as outsider without rancour. Indeed, there are several moments in the book where he explains the near superhuman kindness he was shown by some of his Chinese workmates, who barely spoke a word of English and yet persevered for hours to ensure that he could enjoy himself. These moments are genuinely touching, and make a great counterpoint from the amusing catalogue of mutual incomprehension that makes up most of the book. It’s like Lost In Translation but without the glamour. Or Scarlett Johansson. Delisle’s crisp, compact drawing style powers the narrative along and it’s beautifully presented, like it’s predecessor, on thick stock paper in hardback.
If you were a fan of Pyongyang, then you will probably enjoy this too. If you’ve not encountered Delisle before, I’d suggest you start with Pyongyang and come back for this one afterwards.
You can buy Shenzen online at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
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