Shenzhen: A Travelogue From China Hardcover
by Guy Delisle (Author)

Guy Delisle's work for a French animation studio requires him to oversee production at various Asian studios on the grim frontiers of free trade. His employer puts him up for months at a time in 'cold and soulless' hotel rooms where he suffers the usual deprivations of a man very far from home. After "Pyongyang", his book about the strange society that is North Korea, Delisle turned his attention to Shenzhen, the cold, urban city in Southern China that is sealed off with electric fences and armed guards from the rest of the country. The result is another brilliant graphic novel - funny, scary, utterly original and illuminating.

Hardcover: 152 pages
Publisher: Jonathan Cape

Guy Delisle's book is a great example of a graphic novel, though this being nonfiction is not really a novel, that is able, or rather requires, the drawings to capture the atmosphere of his life in China. Set in Shenzhen, a city that is primarily a mega-industrial park, Delisle is on a short term international assignment to oversee a company doing animation for a French tv show. Through a sparse, yet entertaining story line, and dark, almost smoggy illustrations, he is able to capture the alienation and isolation of a Westerner's expat life in this grim city. Furthermore, the lack of available distractions are highlighted by one weekend trip to Hong Kong. This book is an entertaining read, and for anyone who has lived abroad for even a short time, it is enough to make you give thanks you did not have to live/work in Shenzhen.

This is the first book that I have read by this author and it was very entertaining. As another reviewer stated this truly is the story of a stranger in a strange land. Delisle was in China for work and that was the focus of his activities, he was not there to travel or discover things about the country. It is interesting to see the reactions on both sides of when he did try to interact with the Chinese (I particularly like their response to how overtime is handled in the Canada). There is a sense of loneliness and depression that permeate the book as the author tries to set up a daily and weekly routine and find activities to break the boredom. This however is offset by his thoughts on his experiences and the anecdotal stories from his life that he intersperses with the China stories.

I like that he showed the people trying to be good "hosts" to a visitor to their country and entertain him to the best of their ability - what was funny was his slightly puzzled reaction to these efforts. The drawing were simple and clean but conveyed people's reactions well and clearly showed the context of the situations he was describing. I enjoyed this novel and have bought more of the books in his travel series to see what happened to him in Burma and North Korea.

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