-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
Agnes Lee has captivated readers across the world for years with her illustrations for the New York Times Metropolitan Diary. Her debut graphic novel is an unforgettable story of death, grief, love, and how we keep moving forward.
Day 1
Gotta get up. Gotta keep moving. This map – it says I have to cross over here. Wait, what's that…?
And so begins a graphic novel story unlike any other: 49 Days. In Buddhist tradition, a person must travel for forty-nine days after they die, before they can fully cross over. Here in this book, readers travel with one Korean American girl, Kit, on her journey, while also spending time with her family and friends left behind.
"Lee's unfussy artwork—bold, black line art paired with monochromatic shading—effortlessly conveys movement and emotion, while page turns and two-page spreads are used to great effect in creating mood and suspense. The depth of emotion portrayed here will resonate with any reader who has experienced loss...A moving portrayal of mortality and its aftermath, shown from both sides." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"With spare text and effective use of negative space, Lee crafts a deeply moving exploration of life after death, making peace with regret and life's inevitabilities, and learning how to move on." —Publishers Weekly
This information about 49 Days was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Agnes Lee grew up in the Bay Area and is a graduate of Art Center College of Design. She is a former Chronicle Books fellow and was an Art Director at the New York Times for several years where she began illustrating the Metropolitan Diary column. She now lives in Portland, OR with her partner Eric and their cat Muta. In addition to art, she loves the outdoors and playing ultimate frisbee. 49 Days is her debut.
If you liked 49 Days, try these:
by Quiara Alegría. Hudes
Published 2025
The story of a runaway mother's ten days of freedom—and the pain, desire, longing, and wonder we find on the messy road to enlightenment—from Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes.
A Short Walk Through a Wide World
by Douglas Westerbeke
Published 2025
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets Life of Pi in this dazzlingly epic debut that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving.
by Sarah Leavitt
Published 2024
A poignant graphic memoir about the power of art to transform and heal after the death of a loved one.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
