Title: Library Wars vol. 1
Author: (Concept: Kiro Arikawa)
Illustrator: (Manga: Kiiro Yumi)
Publisher: Viz, Inc (Shojo Beat)
Copyright: 2010
Price: $9.99
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3488-6
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: Iku Kasahara’s life was changed one day when, finally, a fairy tale story was published and she could purchase it. Yet this is not society as we know it today. On this fateful day, the bookstore she was in was raided and the book confiscated as it was deemed “unsuitable.” The Library Defense Force stepped in that day and took the books from the Government and one particular agent returned a dented copy of the fairy tale book to Iku Kasahara.
A few later, Iku Kasahara is training to join the Library Defense Force, but it seems that she has many, many hurdles to jump from annoyed group-mates to the tough Instructor Dojo who seems to have picked her, unknowingly, as his protégé. The first volume spends a lot of time setting up the story.
---------
Will Teens Like It? Library loving teens will get a huge kick out of this.
--------
Things to be aware of: None
----------
Further Thoughts: This is a story of modern day librarianship meeting Farenheit 451. In this not too distant future, some books are considered inappropriate for society by the Government and the librarians have a covert military force that helps defend the right to read. Libraries are neutral zones, where books cannot be challenged, but that doesn’t mean library users will not challenge this.
Does this sound familiar yet? Mind you, librarians don’t have a secret military force that can help in the war over books, but it is an interesting take. For a book about libraries, it seems to have the library aspect spot on down to the decimal system (although, I trust the Japanese system isn’t quite as similar as Dewey) and how busy a public library is (illustrated with the librarians in the basement running to find books).
A lot of the story in this first volume is setting up for future volumes. To me, it is clear the romantic interest lies in Dojo and Kasahara, and that Dojo is her inspiration, and he knows it. While I know this, I’m more interested in reading about the war over the books and how libraries will continue to fit into this. While I know many librarians do not read graphic novels, this is one that the librarian should pick up just to read the first page detailing “The Library Freedom Act.” It sounds very similar to one we have today…
------
Bonus: ALA Great Graphic Novel 2011
Source: Library Copy.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Brain Camp by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan; Illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks
Title: Brain Camp
Author: Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2010
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-1-59643-366-3
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: First a commercial:
Do you have a child who is “underachieving”? Or maybe your child is a “juvenile delinquent”? If you do, you may want to send your child to the exclusive “Camp Fielding: A Summer of Learning and Fun!” Here, your child will not only mature, he or she will shine and make you proud. Act quickly though as this is an invite-only camp. If your child is chosen, Mr. Oswald will visit you, and please be prepared to make your decision then.
Lucas and Jenna are seen as outsiders, underachievers, and failures in their parents’ eyes. Lucas’s mother suspects he’ll just end up in jail like his father. Jenna hasn’t seemed to mature, study, or prepare for an early entry into Yale. When the mysterious Mr. Oswald visits these families on the same night, Lucas and Jenna learn that their lives are about to change.
Once at Camp Fielding, Lucas and Jenna spy each other. They immediately dislike each other, but quickly learn to be allies at this bizarre camp. Something fowl (pun intended) is afoot at Camp Fielding. Lucas and Jenna are replacements for the two campers (who the reader met at the beginning) that left due to “family emergencies.” But, that is not what throws them off. First it is the camp activities, given without instruction. Then, there is the horrible, mushy food. After that, their friends quickly turn into smart zombies. What is even stranger to Lucas and Jenna is what happens at night when students are in a deep slumber and the camp counselors sneak in. Not to mention, the building Lucas and Jenna discover on a trip to sneak out for “real” food. Jenna and Lucas must solve the mystery of Camp Fielding, before it is too late for them.
---------
Will Teens Like It? It’s most definitely a good teen title. Some teens may find this a good read because of previous camp experiences or the feelings of disappointed parents.
--------
Things to be aware of: Nothing really.
----------
Further Thoughts: Lucas and Jenna are both run-of-the-mill fourteen year olds. Lucas is getting into trouble and his mother just doesn’t know what to do any more (although, they live in a poor situation it seems). Jenna is a dreamer, which saddens her PHD parents who want her to be going to Yale already, like their friends’ children. So when Lucas and Jenna are thrown together, it is a surprise, I suspect, to the two characters that they are the only ones who can figure out the mystery. This just adds to how well rounded they are and where they need to grow. Of course, I don’t see how Jenna needs to fill the particular role her parents have given her, but at the same time, the rigors of education and hobbies (as illustrated early in the book) show that she should be living up to it (somehow this sounds familiar…).
The camp is much more than education. For these two teens it is also when they begin puberty as well as learning. To me, this makes the title a perfect fit to teens. The mystery story will appeal to mystery readers and the “Brain Camp” title with creepy smiling faces will appeal to the zombie crowd (seriously, it is just a different kind of zombie).
In a good graphic novel, the story is shown rather than told through the voices. In Brain Camp, the story is told in just the right amount of text and shown with the perfect panels and art. For a mystery, readers can easily pick up the clues that will fit in later and the astute reader will instantly see how everything builds up.
My only qualm is how quickly Jenna gets tricked later in the book. On one hand, I thought how sad, but on the other, at fourteen and lost as to what to do as adults won’t listen to her, I could easily see how she was tricked. This made me realize that, yes, she is only fourteen. It’s a perfect way for the writers to show it.
Overall, a fun title I couldn’t put down until I was finished. It was definitely worth the little bit of hype that I’ve seen for it.
------
Bonus: ALA 2011 Great Graphic Novel
Source: Library.
Author: Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2010
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-1-59643-366-3
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: First a commercial:
Do you have a child who is “underachieving”? Or maybe your child is a “juvenile delinquent”? If you do, you may want to send your child to the exclusive “Camp Fielding: A Summer of Learning and Fun!” Here, your child will not only mature, he or she will shine and make you proud. Act quickly though as this is an invite-only camp. If your child is chosen, Mr. Oswald will visit you, and please be prepared to make your decision then.
Lucas and Jenna are seen as outsiders, underachievers, and failures in their parents’ eyes. Lucas’s mother suspects he’ll just end up in jail like his father. Jenna hasn’t seemed to mature, study, or prepare for an early entry into Yale. When the mysterious Mr. Oswald visits these families on the same night, Lucas and Jenna learn that their lives are about to change.
Once at Camp Fielding, Lucas and Jenna spy each other. They immediately dislike each other, but quickly learn to be allies at this bizarre camp. Something fowl (pun intended) is afoot at Camp Fielding. Lucas and Jenna are replacements for the two campers (who the reader met at the beginning) that left due to “family emergencies.” But, that is not what throws them off. First it is the camp activities, given without instruction. Then, there is the horrible, mushy food. After that, their friends quickly turn into smart zombies. What is even stranger to Lucas and Jenna is what happens at night when students are in a deep slumber and the camp counselors sneak in. Not to mention, the building Lucas and Jenna discover on a trip to sneak out for “real” food. Jenna and Lucas must solve the mystery of Camp Fielding, before it is too late for them.
---------
Will Teens Like It? It’s most definitely a good teen title. Some teens may find this a good read because of previous camp experiences or the feelings of disappointed parents.
--------
Things to be aware of: Nothing really.
----------
Further Thoughts: Lucas and Jenna are both run-of-the-mill fourteen year olds. Lucas is getting into trouble and his mother just doesn’t know what to do any more (although, they live in a poor situation it seems). Jenna is a dreamer, which saddens her PHD parents who want her to be going to Yale already, like their friends’ children. So when Lucas and Jenna are thrown together, it is a surprise, I suspect, to the two characters that they are the only ones who can figure out the mystery. This just adds to how well rounded they are and where they need to grow. Of course, I don’t see how Jenna needs to fill the particular role her parents have given her, but at the same time, the rigors of education and hobbies (as illustrated early in the book) show that she should be living up to it (somehow this sounds familiar…).
The camp is much more than education. For these two teens it is also when they begin puberty as well as learning. To me, this makes the title a perfect fit to teens. The mystery story will appeal to mystery readers and the “Brain Camp” title with creepy smiling faces will appeal to the zombie crowd (seriously, it is just a different kind of zombie).
In a good graphic novel, the story is shown rather than told through the voices. In Brain Camp, the story is told in just the right amount of text and shown with the perfect panels and art. For a mystery, readers can easily pick up the clues that will fit in later and the astute reader will instantly see how everything builds up.
My only qualm is how quickly Jenna gets tricked later in the book. On one hand, I thought how sad, but on the other, at fourteen and lost as to what to do as adults won’t listen to her, I could easily see how she was tricked. This made me realize that, yes, she is only fourteen. It’s a perfect way for the writers to show it.
Overall, a fun title I couldn’t put down until I was finished. It was definitely worth the little bit of hype that I’ve seen for it.
------
Bonus: ALA 2011 Great Graphic Novel
Source: Library.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Challenges: Wrap-up 2010 and 2011 Challenges
In 2010, I participated (sort of, I guess?) in 3 reading challenges. First, I would like to say that I enjoy the challenges (and there are a zillion out there on any reading thing you want to do). On the one hand, I'll read or listen to the books anyway, on the other hand, it forces me to try and focus on something new, such as hunting down the next fun audio book to listen to.
So, how did I do? I'm going to go from worst to best.
First, we have the Terry Pratchett Challenge. I made a valiant effort on this one, which The Philosopher Musician is happy about, but my mood for Pratchett just never aligned with us in the car on the trips to family/grad school visits. We started three audio books but I just wasn't in the mood or we talked instead (whoops?). My attempts included Good Omens, A Hat Full of Sky (I'm up to 3 attempts and I finally purchased a copy after finding it in Goodwill), and Nation1 (The Philosopher Musician determined it would be better physically read than to listen to ["No offense to Stephen Briggs and all" - The Philosopher Musician])
Goal: 3 books
Total: 0
1 Nation, I HAD listened to in 2009, and still think it should have gotten the Printz award over the actual 2009 winner, which was a "no one really had heard of this book." He's done a lot for reading (and now for Alzheimer's), why can't he get SOME ALA award?
Next up, we have the Graphic Novel Challenge. Even though I read graphic novels, I decided to challenge myself to a feat I've been hoping to accomplish: read my way through an ALA Great Graphic Novel list. The focus on this one was to read through at least 10 of the ALA Great Graphic Novel List of 2010. I thought I had but...
Goal: 10 books
Total: 8 books
Last and best is my favorite and probably most successful challenge: The Audio Book Challenge. Audio books are really fun. I honestly have to say that I enjoy the change of pace by letting a narrator guide me through a story (and a GOOD narrator to boot; if they annoy me, I'll look for another book). Out of all of the audio books (which I'll list for you below since the former website does not have a finished list), The Hunger Games trilogy was my favorite. I would yell out while I was listening to it. I was glued to the story, and I wanted errands to run just so I could work through another disc. I was excited to be part of the Mockingjay hype. I generally miss out on the excitement of counting down to these books, but there I was trying to determined which "Team" I was. Since finishing the books, I have recommended listening to the series often, and two of the people I recommended it to (both librarians) said that I was right, and it is fascinating to hear.
Goal: 6 audio books
Total: 8 audio books (woo!)
The list:
--------------------------------------
If you've read this far, kudos. I know that is a lot of text (or at least it looks like it on my small computer).
Now for this year's Challenges (aka goals)! For 2011, so far I'm doing two challenges:
The 2011 Audio Book Challenge
Goal: Fascinated at 6 Audio books again.
Aiming for: Addicted at 12 Audio books.
The 2011 Graphic Novel Challenge
Goal: Expert Level 10+
Limiters: 11 GNs from the 2011 ALA Great Graphic Novels List (which comes out NEXT WEEK! I hope my suggestions made the cut!)
Aiming for: as many as I can read from this list.
So, how did I do? I'm going to go from worst to best.
First, we have the Terry Pratchett Challenge. I made a valiant effort on this one, which The Philosopher Musician is happy about, but my mood for Pratchett just never aligned with us in the car on the trips to family/grad school visits. We started three audio books but I just wasn't in the mood or we talked instead (whoops?). My attempts included Good Omens, A Hat Full of Sky (I'm up to 3 attempts and I finally purchased a copy after finding it in Goodwill), and Nation1 (The Philosopher Musician determined it would be better physically read than to listen to ["No offense to Stephen Briggs and all" - The Philosopher Musician])
Goal: 3 books
Total: 0
1 Nation, I HAD listened to in 2009, and still think it should have gotten the Printz award over the actual 2009 winner, which was a "no one really had heard of this book." He's done a lot for reading (and now for Alzheimer's), why can't he get SOME ALA award?
Next up, we have the Graphic Novel Challenge. Even though I read graphic novels, I decided to challenge myself to a feat I've been hoping to accomplish: read my way through an ALA Great Graphic Novel list. The focus on this one was to read through at least 10 of the ALA Great Graphic Novel List of 2010. I thought I had but...
Goal: 10 books
Total: 8 books
Last and best is my favorite and probably most successful challenge: The Audio Book Challenge. Audio books are really fun. I honestly have to say that I enjoy the change of pace by letting a narrator guide me through a story (and a GOOD narrator to boot; if they annoy me, I'll look for another book). Out of all of the audio books (which I'll list for you below since the former website does not have a finished list), The Hunger Games trilogy was my favorite. I would yell out while I was listening to it. I was glued to the story, and I wanted errands to run just so I could work through another disc. I was excited to be part of the Mockingjay hype. I generally miss out on the excitement of counting down to these books, but there I was trying to determined which "Team" I was. Since finishing the books, I have recommended listening to the series often, and two of the people I recommended it to (both librarians) said that I was right, and it is fascinating to hear.
Goal: 6 audio books
Total: 8 audio books (woo!)
The list:
- 1.) Going Bovine by Libba Bray (completed March 9, 2010)
- 2.) The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (completed April 2010)
- 3.) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (completed June 2010)
- 4.) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (completed July 2010)
- 5.) Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith (completed August 2010)
- 6.) Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (completed September 2010)
- 7.) City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (completed later September 2010)
- 8.) City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (completed October 2010)
--------------------------------------
If you've read this far, kudos. I know that is a lot of text (or at least it looks like it on my small computer).
Now for this year's Challenges (aka goals)! For 2011, so far I'm doing two challenges:
The 2011 Audio Book Challenge
Goal: Fascinated at 6 Audio books again.
Aiming for: Addicted at 12 Audio books.
The 2011 Graphic Novel Challenge
Goal: Expert Level 10+
Limiters: 11 GNs from the 2011 ALA Great Graphic Novels List (which comes out NEXT WEEK! I hope my suggestions made the cut!)
Aiming for: as many as I can read from this list.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Love*Com volumes 14-16 (and that wraps up Love*Com)
Title: Love*Com Volumes 14-16
Author: Aya Nakahara
Illustrator: Aya Nakahara
Publisher: Viz, Inc
Copyright: 2001 (Japan) 2009 (Viz) 2010 (Volume 16)
Price: $9.99 each
ISBN: (vol. 14) 978-1-4215-2372-9 (vol. 15) 978-1-4215-2373-6 (vol. 16) 978-1-4215-2382-5
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: Readers will find a dramatic (literally) conclusion to this wild roller coaster of a love comedy. Risa and Otani continue to support each other, especially in the face of Otani being played followed by the player trying to destroy Risa. An out-of-the-world twist throws everyone together and everyone is happy, including Grandpa. The last two volumes (15 and 16) focus more on Otani and Risa as they realize it is the end of high school. The last two volumes felt more like a collection of stories leading up to the inevitable graduation and separation of friends. There is a volume 17, but in the interest of time and money, ending at volume 16 is the perfect ending for readers who have enjoyed watching this couple and continue to root for them.
---------
Will Teens Like It? Probably, although it might not be memorable.
--------
Things to be aware of: swearing (minor)
----------
Further Thoughts: To leave this series at volume 16 is probably the best ending a reader can hope for. Nothing is hinted beyond graduation, but this is the perfect series to discuss what could have happened after graduation. The last two volumes seemed to have lost their thread of continuity. They were just a collection of stories including the character. Again, some stories focused more on the side characters while others focused on showing Otani’s caring nature, Risa’s support, and how much they care for each other. This is a sweet, sugary series and perfect for fans of Shojo or just wanting “mind candy” (a book that is fluff).
------
Bonus:
Source: Library copy.
Author: Aya Nakahara
Illustrator: Aya Nakahara
Publisher: Viz, Inc
Copyright: 2001 (Japan) 2009 (Viz) 2010 (Volume 16)
Price: $9.99 each
ISBN: (vol. 14) 978-1-4215-2372-9 (vol. 15) 978-1-4215-2373-6 (vol. 16) 978-1-4215-2382-5
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: Readers will find a dramatic (literally) conclusion to this wild roller coaster of a love comedy. Risa and Otani continue to support each other, especially in the face of Otani being played followed by the player trying to destroy Risa. An out-of-the-world twist throws everyone together and everyone is happy, including Grandpa. The last two volumes (15 and 16) focus more on Otani and Risa as they realize it is the end of high school. The last two volumes felt more like a collection of stories leading up to the inevitable graduation and separation of friends. There is a volume 17, but in the interest of time and money, ending at volume 16 is the perfect ending for readers who have enjoyed watching this couple and continue to root for them.
---------
Will Teens Like It? Probably, although it might not be memorable.
--------
Things to be aware of: swearing (minor)
----------
Further Thoughts: To leave this series at volume 16 is probably the best ending a reader can hope for. Nothing is hinted beyond graduation, but this is the perfect series to discuss what could have happened after graduation. The last two volumes seemed to have lost their thread of continuity. They were just a collection of stories including the character. Again, some stories focused more on the side characters while others focused on showing Otani’s caring nature, Risa’s support, and how much they care for each other. This is a sweet, sugary series and perfect for fans of Shojo or just wanting “mind candy” (a book that is fluff).
------
Bonus:
Source: Library copy.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Machine of Death: The Review
Well, we first visited the topic of the book Machine of Death around when it was published. Some updates on it before I (The Philosopher Musican) give a review:
It has begun to see a wider distribution. In fact, it has slowly been appearing in major bookstores. It has also just garnered a more high-profile review at The Onion A.V. Club.
The editorial team also released an e-book version for free under the Creative Commons Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 license at the start of November.
So, now, its profile is still growing. But, most of the issues Little Librarian highlighted in her previous post are still present. We still haven't seen a NY Times review, nor has it been on their best-sellers list. The professional titles still haven't touched it (as far as Little Librarian knows).
Now, here's a review for you:
------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Machine of Death
Editors: Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, & David Malki!
Publisher: Bearstache Books
Copyright: 2010
Price: $17.95
ISBN: 978-0-982167-12-0
-----------
Summary and Some Thoughts: It's a fairly large collection of stories about, to quote the comic that inspired the anthology, "a world where everyone knows how they're going to die". This is all thanks to the "Machine of Death" of the book's title. It works basically the same in each story: you put your finger in a slot on the machine, it gets a small blood sample, and spits out a piece of paper. Written on it is how you'll die. You can't change it. Of course, the machine is extremely vague, so the information it gives isn't always useful; in the stories, it tends toward irony instead of straight predictions.
That's what all the stories have in common. They all explore the consequences of The Machine and what it brings to the world. Most of them see a world that isn't completely remade by The Machine. It alters society, but society usually adapts while still resembling the world-of-today (the exception to this is the story, "Loss of Blood"). The tone varies immensely throughout the book. There's sadness, despair, brightness, horror, and humor. Actually, there's a great deal of humor through many of the stories. They all deal with fate in some way, of course. It ends up reminding me of existentialism and absurdism, but that's a topic for later.
-----------
Will Teens Like It: Well, I'm pretty sure this isn't a YA title. So many of the themes are adult (violence and mature subjects; there's not really any sex in it that I can recall) that I can’t at all recommend it for a teen collection. That said, of course some teens will like it. Teens willing to tackle the themes and length of the book could enjoy it. Teens who've heard of it online might well be interested in reading it as well. (This most likely belongs in adult collections folks! -LL).
-----------
Things to Be Aware of: As I said above, I personally don't think this should go in a YA collection, but here are a few things that could get you in trouble with parents: The titles of some of the stories (after all, they're all causes of death; the standout here is "Exhaustion from Having Sex with a Minor." Surprisingly, though, the story itself isn't at all a problem, I'd say.), and some violent subject matter in the stories themselves (a decent amount of murder in various flavors)
-----------
Personal Thoughts: With the recent A.V. Club review I'd love to say that this review is great timing on my part. Of course, that's not really the case. I've been struggling with writing this review for a while, actually. The truth is that there's so much diversity in the book. The many stories, despite the common premise, vary so greatly that I have had a hard time giving a good critical analysis about the collection.
Now, if it wasn’t clear, I loved this book. I'm a fan of many webcomics, so, yes, I'm already a fan of some of the authors. Even when I set aside my own personal views about some of the authors' other works, I can easily say that the entire collection is strong. Compared to what I've been reading recently, it was a fairly long read. I never actually got tired of reading it, though, and it wasn't at all difficult. I loved the philosophical explorations it leads to. As I said above, more details about that would have to go into a separate post (and I might well write one up), but either way, it's right up my philosophical alley.
Really, I’m having trouble coming up with any negative things to say about it. If you can get it into your library collection and get people checking it out, they’ll love it.
-----------
Source: Review copy provided by one of the editors.
Bonus: It has been determined that in the first round of books sent out, a little slip was included that stated how you were going to die. In the review copy, we were surprised to see that there was no slip included, so it was determined that the prophecy from Little Librarian's undergrad days that "librarians don't die" must be true. :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Love*Com volumes 11-13 by Aya Nakahara
Title: Love*Com Vol. 11-13
Author: Aya Nakahara
Illustrator: Aya Nakahara
Publisher: Viz Media
Copyright: 2009 (2001 Japan)
Price: $8.99
ISBN: (Vol.11) 978-1-4215-2369-9; (Vol. 12) 978-1-4215-2370-5; (Vol. 13) 978-1-4215-2371-2
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: I’ve picked up 3 more volumes of Love*Com, which has The Philosopher Musician questioning my sanity. The focus shifts from Risa and Otani for the majority of Volume 11 as readers get a glimpse into Nobu’s life and her recent decision to move to Hokkaido and away from all of her friends. The end of volume 11 sets the readers up for the inevitable question and answers to these questions in volume 12: Will Otani pass the test to enter college and will Risa decide what to do after high school? Focus shifts yet again in volume 13, continuing a plot line involving Suzuki and his family as they react to his failing the college exam while Risa and Otani face the unexpected visit of Risa’s grandfather, who does not approve of Otani for his grand daughter.
The focus in these volumes seems to have shifted from the nonsensical to more serious issues such as passing college entrance exams, the future, and family values. The reader gets to see into the lives of the surrounding characters in these volumes, which adds a roundness to the story that I had been wanting from previous volumes. After wading through the past volumes, I’m also finally hooked at the intrigue of Otani possibly cheating on Risa (due to a set-up), who finally understands Otani.
---------
Will Teens Like It? Probably. It is still a funny read and if they’ve come this far, they are not giving up.
--------
Things to be aware of: sexual humor and situations in volume 13
----------
Further Thoughts: Why do I continue? This series is mind candy for me and is an easy, silly, roll-your-eyes read. The plots in volumes 11-13, as I stated above, have turned to the more serious tones, which unfortunately may no longer be relevant to middle school readers. High school readers can certainly relate to the stress of college and planning beyond high school. Also, I suspect that the plot will take a more adult turn after volume 13 as Grandpa Koizumi is a downright pervert who [spoiler - highlight to see] has set up Otani with a buxom babe (he drops his handkerchief so he can get their e-mails to “properly” thank them and rates them on a 1-5 scale). It is this plot line that has me going “more please! This is what I like.” I’m also excited to see that Risa is finally thinking about her future and a “serendipitous” encounter with Mimi helped her to cement her decision. She’s also rounding out as a character, which I’ve been wanting all along! It is a pity that her rounding out has taken 12 volumes to get to.
------
Bonus:
Source: Library
Author: Aya Nakahara
Illustrator: Aya Nakahara
Publisher: Viz Media
Copyright: 2009 (2001 Japan)
Price: $8.99
ISBN: (Vol.11) 978-1-4215-2369-9; (Vol. 12) 978-1-4215-2370-5; (Vol. 13) 978-1-4215-2371-2
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: I’ve picked up 3 more volumes of Love*Com, which has The Philosopher Musician questioning my sanity. The focus shifts from Risa and Otani for the majority of Volume 11 as readers get a glimpse into Nobu’s life and her recent decision to move to Hokkaido and away from all of her friends. The end of volume 11 sets the readers up for the inevitable question and answers to these questions in volume 12: Will Otani pass the test to enter college and will Risa decide what to do after high school? Focus shifts yet again in volume 13, continuing a plot line involving Suzuki and his family as they react to his failing the college exam while Risa and Otani face the unexpected visit of Risa’s grandfather, who does not approve of Otani for his grand daughter.
The focus in these volumes seems to have shifted from the nonsensical to more serious issues such as passing college entrance exams, the future, and family values. The reader gets to see into the lives of the surrounding characters in these volumes, which adds a roundness to the story that I had been wanting from previous volumes. After wading through the past volumes, I’m also finally hooked at the intrigue of Otani possibly cheating on Risa (due to a set-up), who finally understands Otani.
---------
Will Teens Like It? Probably. It is still a funny read and if they’ve come this far, they are not giving up.
--------
Things to be aware of: sexual humor and situations in volume 13
----------
Further Thoughts: Why do I continue? This series is mind candy for me and is an easy, silly, roll-your-eyes read. The plots in volumes 11-13, as I stated above, have turned to the more serious tones, which unfortunately may no longer be relevant to middle school readers. High school readers can certainly relate to the stress of college and planning beyond high school. Also, I suspect that the plot will take a more adult turn after volume 13 as Grandpa Koizumi is a downright pervert who [spoiler - highlight to see] has set up Otani with a buxom babe (he drops his handkerchief so he can get their e-mails to “properly” thank them and rates them on a 1-5 scale). It is this plot line that has me going “more please! This is what I like.” I’m also excited to see that Risa is finally thinking about her future and a “serendipitous” encounter with Mimi helped her to cement her decision. She’s also rounding out as a character, which I’ve been wanting all along! It is a pity that her rounding out has taken 12 volumes to get to.
------
Bonus:
Source: Library
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