Both Tiền and Hiền feel like they’re between worlds. Hiền feels distant from both her homeland and her son, who, in many ways, represents her life in the United States. The graphic novel opens with her ruminations: “They say we’re meant to go from here to there, but so much happens between those two places […] And there’s always more, isn’t there?” (1). As Nguyen points out in his author’s note, this isn’t a story about her journey to the United States; rather, it contends with the emotional aftermath of Hiền and Vinh’s decision to flee Vietnam. Hiền tells her aunt: “My past and present selves speak two different languages. It feels like I died on that boat. I’m still stuck in the middle of the ocean” (176).

We learn how Hiền came to the United States for a better life but feels guilt for leaving her mother. Hiền’s aunt reminds her that her mother was proud of Hiền and did not resent her for being in the United States. She also reminds Hiền of the story of the magic fish and Tấm to remind her that stories often extend beyond the “happily ever after” and that Hiền’s story isn’t over.