“◎ It resonates with modern people’s current state of existence, helping them jointly resist life’s loneliness and confusion.
The little snail asks in the text: ‘I should be happy, and I have reasons to be happy, but why do I always feel unhappy?’
The heavy pressure and endlessly repetitive daily life are mountains weighing on everyone. Many people, especially the young, thus question the meaning of life.
How a Snail Dies reaches a wonderful balance in life through contemplating ‘death.’ The snail carries a backpack filled with life’s most precious treasures—the happy moments that help us withstand life’s hardships and our love for life.

◎ Often wishing for the world to end, yet wholeheartedly loving this world—
Step into a snail’s reflections and imagination about death, and join it in seeking the meaning of existence.
Everyone is a negligible tiny existence in the vast universe, like a snail that crawls slowly, can’t fight back, lacks material abundance, and doesn’t have a perfect life. Often shouting ‘Just end, world!’ yet still feeling ‘warm and revived’ when encountering bits of happiness.
The author does not avoid pondering the meaning of existence but finds life’s most solid inner core of light by responding to the darkness deep in the soul—I want to live with hope. When you feel ‘revived’ while reading this book, the snail in your heart regains the energy and courage to overcome mountains and seas.

◎ Death is an inevitable outcome, but we can choose how to live—
In the universe we live in, the cycle of life and death unfolds ceaselessly. If death is inevitable, then what is the meaning of life?
This tiny book, like a snail, is not about how to die but about how to live better.
Only by not avoiding the fear of death can we dare to admit our longing for life. Because thinking of various romantic ways to die stems precisely from the little snail’s love for this world. To cherish life is always beautiful.

◎ Facing the world with the posture of a snail—
With societal progress and improved living standards, we seem to have more reasons to be happy than our parents and grandparents, yet periodic emotional lows affect more and more people. The snail’s character setting aligns with the feeling of insignificance when people place themselves in the context of the universe and the long river of time for self-reflection. Its slow crawling speed resembles the feeling of being trapped in the present.
Similarly, the snail has a shell to face life’s trivialities and a soft interior to confront life and itself. Although this shell is fragile, we’ve all managed to avoid many ‘disasters’ with our skills; the snail moves slowly, but life’s scenery and meaning are sometimes best experienced slowly; though small, the snail has big dreams—to see the world’s vastness and diversity, to strive to preserve its individuality and life without being crushed by external forces. Being a snail, so what if we are ordinary?”
--Editor’s Recommendation

“‘Although there are many reasons to be happy, occasionally I still want to give up on life.’ This isn’t some declaration, just a normal thought. I think most of us have had such thoughts. How well I relate to the snail she drew.”
--Xiao Jing (Reader)

“We are all that snail, often wishing for the world to end yet wholeheartedly loving this world.”
--Xianrenqiu Ai Shui (Reader)

“It depicts the fragile yet strong heart of the introvert (i-person) community. I hope everyone can see what a colorful spiritual world lies beneath this slow-moving snail shell. I hope everyone can appreciate how fully this small, sensitive snail, pondering the event of death, experiences the luck of being alive.”
--Nubifei Jun (Reader)

“After reading this little book, I felt a mix of sadness and joy—both heartache and warmth. In truth, no one knows their own path; we’re all navigating a maze. The only thing we can do is not give up and move in the direction we believe is right.”
--Xing (Reader)

“This book excels in its brilliant text, rich and diverse details, and a very serious attitude—both rigorous and imaginative. It captures the inner world of many people, living in despair yet not without hope.”
--Wei Wei (Reader)

“Brilliant—tears mixed with laughter. It took me a while to recover after reading. The artwork is very design-conscious, and the text and images complement each other perfectly.”
--Liang Mogu (Reader)

“It explores death, and the content is great. There’s also a lot of graphic design work—so aesthetic, the composition is very comfortable, and it matches the content perfectly! My favorite is the ‘turned to dust and smoke’ section—so beautiful!”
--Xue Fei (Reader)

“Reflects the psychological state of most people; it’s highly relatable, and the emotional transitions are excellent! I couldn’t shake off the mood long after finishing it.”
--Nao Nao (Reader)

★ With a warm touch, Wu Shiqi outlines a snail’s romantic musings on life and death, helping countless readers rediscover the courage to live through resonance with vulnerability and resilience!
★ In just 56 pages, this petite volume carries the complex emotions of modern people—“wanting to destroy the world yet deeply loving it”—conveying the gentle hope of “blooming earnestly despite being small.”
★ Editor’s Strong Recommendation: This book helps you resist loneliness and confusion, finding the inner core of light and the energy to overcome life’s mountains and seas!

Often wishing for the world to end yet wholeheartedly loving it—everyone is a little snail living toward death.

A very introverted, fragile, and introversion snail—slow to crawl, weak in a fight—often frets about “what is the point of living,” so it decides to seriously ponder “how to die.”

How a Snail Dies uses a warm, light touch to outline romantic imaginings of “how to die” and offers whimsical, murmuring reflections on the “great matter of death.” Through a little snail, the author depicts both herself and the daily lives and fantasies, joys and pains of many ordinary people.

Even if we are the most ordinary among millions of snails, we can still resist, accept, enjoy, and discover in our ordinary lives. Though we are tiny specks in the vast universe, we exist, crawl, and bloom—authentically.

Wu Shiqi
An artist and comic picture book author. Picture book works include How a Snail Dies; comic works include Agua and Ada; written works include Ten Years of Correspondence Between Two Ordinary Women (co-authored with Xianrenqiu Ai Shui). Currently resides in Beijing.