A liberated Sleeping Beauty would battle her wicked aunt in the dream world

While this is the 3rd book in the Elemental Masters series, it is certainly accessible to first time readers of the series.  While there are no real spoilers that I could tell, or anything beyond basic 'fantasy world magic' to know, there may be some that I missed, so be warned.  Otherwise, read on.

Manga Monday: New neighbors means new adventures

Chi's Sweet Home Volume 4 is, of course, the sequel to Chi's Sweet Home Volume 3.  The review of Chi's Sweet Home Volume 1 is here and the review of Chi's Sweet Home Volume 3 is here.  Otherwise, read on!

Manga Monday: Why don't adults get summer break too?

Note:  Yotsuba&! Volume 3 is, of course, the sequel to Yotsuba&! Volume 2.  The review of Yotsuba&! Volume 1 is here, and the review of Yotsuba&! Volume 2 is here.  Otherwise, read on!

Bite-Sized Bits of Urban Fantasy

While this is the 12th book in the Newford world, it is certainly accessible to first time readers of Charles de Lint's work.  While there are no real spoilers that I could tell, there may be some that I missed, so be warned.  Otherwise, read on.

Manga Monday: A manga take on national stereotypes

When I finished Hetalia: Axis Powers Volume 1, I hesitated to review it.  However, I'm sure that manga fans can be reasonable, and accept some criticism, so why not?


Parts of Hetalia were extremely funny.  It's hilarious to see characters based mostly on (Japanese) stereotypes of countries, and the interaction between countries is very amusing.  Each country involved in WWII is personified as young men, containing all of the stereotypes of personality that the country brings to mind.  France is a cowardly fool, Germany is arrogant (and a little bit of a perv?) and America is brash and thinks too much of himself.  The title character of Italy is divided between Northern Italy (Italy Veneziano) and Southern Italy (Italy Romano), harkening back to the relatively recent unification of Italy a century previous.


The story takes place some time between WWI and WWII, as the countries are getting to know one another in their current configurations, and friendships and fights spring up around the most petty things.


Watching the countries interact, especially with the liberal use of footnotes on nearly every page, is certainly funny to anyone who has even a passing interest in international politics.  Yes, at time, it seems like the leaders of other countries are acting like petulant brats, so it's fun to watch all the countries try to queue up at a grocery store.


The only reason I can't give this a firm recommendation is the absolutely horrendous artwork.  This started as a webcomic, and was never cleaned up for book release.  At times, it's even a bit hard to keep track of which characters are in the panel, as the art is so sketchy.  I stopped and restarted the first volume several times in frustration at the artwork.


If you're more patient than me, Hetalia: Axis Powers Volume 1 has quite a lot of potential, but perhaps the anime is the best way to take in the series.


Highs:  The humor is right up my alley, with 'it's funny because it's true' moments throughout


Lows:  The art is just TERRIBLE.  Seriously


Verdict:  If you can tolerate looking at it, enjoy.  Otherwise, check out the anime


Further Reading:  Neko Ramen Volume 1, Maison Ikkoku Volume 1

Manga Monday: Early 20th century Mongolia has never been so beautifully drawn

When writing Emma: A Victorian Romance, Kaoru Mori pulled on a lifetime fascination with Victorian England to create one of the most accurate, if still idealized, depictions of a maid's life in manga. As it turns out, while she was reading up on England, she was also fascinated with the nomadic tribes of China and Mongolia. So, quite naturally, her new series, A Bride's Story is set here.

There is quite a bit of similarity in tone and side characters between her old series and what we see in A Bride's Story Volume 1.  Her main character Amir (generally a male name, but here given to our main character) is once again a fairly strong woman. Here, Amir has a combination of Emma's earnestness and Dorothea's sensuality, even though her poor husband has no idea what to do about it. The younger children, too, are very similar to the younger children in both the Jones family and the Meredith family.

The storyline, though, is very different. Amir is very late to marriage. At 20 years old, she was a good four years past her peers' age of marriage, but she still went to the ceremony with the excitement of any bride about to start her married life.

How much of a shock it must have been, then, to raise her veil and see a terrified 8 year old boy staring back at her.

Still, this is her husband, and this is the family that she has married into, and she is content here. The family in which she was raised is still nomadic during the summers, but this family has settled down completely. Some of the cultural differences to come into view, but the elders here are indulgent of her oddities, and the matriarch is just as fiercely protective of her as she would be of any other member of 'her' family.

The only bit of continuing plot that has evidenced itself is that some of the men from Amir's birth family have come back to try to reclaim her. Their motives are fairly vague, and they were driven out, but they are sure to be back later.

Admittedly, this volume is very light on plot. Most of the book is a slice-of-life story set in early 1900s Mongolia. We see the daily workings of the family as well as the countryside in which they live. In fact, at times, the volume feels more like a cultural study, which is reinforced by a blond anthropologist, whose existence is never quite explained, that follows around and questions characters at random opportunities.

The artwork is what makes this book what it is. The embroidery of the robes, the carvings in the woodwork, and even the grasses in the landscapes are alive with detail and motion. The detail that we occasionally saw in the Crystal Palace of London and some of the formal balls of Emma are on every page of A Bride's Story. And this is what saves this book from its lack of plot.

As long as the storyline develops more, this series will certainly be worth the quality hardcover binding. After having seen how absorbing Mori's stories can be, I'm certainly willing to wait through a volume or two of beautiful artwork to see how this story develops.

Highs: Astonishingly detailed artwork

Lows: Lack of plot; strange, unexplained anthropologist character

Verdict: A slightly rocky start to what promises to be a stunning series  

Further Reading:  Emma: A Victorian Romance,   Bunny Drop

Manga Monday: Will Tanaka-san ever get a decent lunch?

Neko Ramen Volume 3: A Cat After All is, of course, the sequel to Neko Ramen Volume 2: Curry is Also Delicious.  Check out the review for Volume 1 here, and Volume 2 here.  Otherwise, read on!