Fruits Basket by Natsuki Tayaka

The story is gripping, inventive, and very entertaining. The book itself was difficult, frustrating, and at times completely confusing. And the reason for this is that this manga was published in the original form (but with English lettering instead of Japanese characters), with the story beginning at the back of the book, and being read right to left. This proved very difficult, as the panels were not always horizontal, and the story jumped back and forth, in and out of flashbacks. The story follows Tohru Honda, an orphan who stumbles upon a mysterious family. The Sohma family, made up of three young men who are cousins, agree to let her live with them. She repays their kindness by cooking and cleaning for them. She soon finds out that the young men, Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo, had an ancient curse put on their family. The spirits of the zodiac follow them around, and whenever a member of the family is hugged by someone of the opposite gender, they turn into an animal from the zodiac calendar. Tohru is soon accepted into this family, and agrees to keep their secret. This story is very character-driven, as no real enemy was introduced. The characters are realistic, even in their animal form, and are drawn very well. I enjoyed the story and the new (to me) graphic design. I did not enjoy the book format, but perhaps I will acclimate myself to it, if I continue the series. This is the first book in a series that is at least 15 books long, most likely more. They are first published in Japan, and seem to sporadically find their way to America. This edition included information on the Fruits Basket history and following in Japan, and a brief lesson on the Chinese Zodiac, since much of the plot depends on the reader’s understanding of it. If I had to recommend a manga to a first-time reader, I might not choose this one because of the format and the time-jumping plot. One must be patient in order to read this book.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider :

Fiction Recommendation #1 : Fruits Basket, vol. 2 by Natsuki Tayaka. Tohru attempts to lead a normal High-school girl life, but problems ensue when she invites friends for a sleepover, while attempting not to disclose the secret of the Sohma family’s curse of the Chinese Zodiacs.

Nonfiction Recommendation #1 : Watching Anime, Reading Manga: 25 Years of Essays and Reviews by Fred Patten and Carl Macek. Patten, an anime scholar for decades, has put together this collection discussing the influence anime has had on American popular culture.

Ghost World by Daniel Clowes

Clowes’ Ghost World illustrates, rather disjointedly, the summer after High School Graduation, focusing on two best friends : Enid and Rebecca. Even though this graphic novel is a collection of previously published comics and therefore doesn’t have the conventional exposition-rising action-climax-falling action-conclusion, the narrative flows well and I came to care for the characters without knowing them very well, which is rare for me because the books I usually read are novels that are lengthy enough to provide enough character explanation. This one summer in the lives of Enid and Rebecca is a definite turning point, when they not only look back on their childhood and adolescent memories, but also look to their respective futures, and question whether or not they will be in each other’s futures. I thought Clowes did a remarkable job in capturing the utter confusion that goes on inside a female’s head, especially a female who is no longer a child but not yet a woman. Both the dialogue and the illustrations work wonderfully together to convey how the girls see the world, particularly after Enid and Rebecca have a fight and sulk alone in their respective houses. I enjoyed this graphic novel very much because it shows people and situations that are different than what is normally published, in regards to contemporary teenagers and young women. This graphic novel made me feel sad because it reminded me in so many ways of my own High School years, which just shows how talented Clowes is as a writer.

I feel it worth mentioning that this was made into a very interesting movie a few years back. Like the graphic novel, it is disjointed and confusing at times, but the acting talent and the resolution are both very good.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider :
Fiction Recommendation #1 : Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware. Another graphic novel which deals with similar themes in Ghost World – social isolation, abandonment, and despair. This book covers four generations of one family and the unusual stories that keep retelling themselves.

Fiction Recommendation #2 : Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. This memoir in graphic novel form goes into great detail of Satrapi’s childhood in Iran during the Iran-Iraq war. The stark black-and-white drawings only add to the bleakness of her immediate future and barrenness of the landscape.

Nonfiction Recommendation #1 : Girls Who Bite Back: Witches, Mutants, Slayers and Freaks by Emily Pohl-Weary. This book is a commentary on the rise of strong female characters in popular culture, covering graphic novels, movies, and television.

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

This novel spoke to me on such a personal level, it was almost scary at times. I thoroughly enjoyed this book – the characters, the weird references to 1990s British pop culture that I usually didn’t get, the wildly inventive cursing, and (of course) the humour. One perfect example : "The rich, divorced-by-cruel-wife Mark Darcy --quite tall-- was standing with his back to the room, scrutizing the contents of the Alconbury's booksheleves . . . It struck me as pretty ridiculous to be called Mr. Darcy and to stand on your own looking snooty at a party. It's like being called Heathcliff and insisting on spending the entire evening in the garden, shouting 'Cathy' and banging your head against a tree."

Bridget is a 32-year-old career girl who lives in London and is pining for a boyfriend. This novel, written in diary form, chronicles just over one year in her life, during which she loses a total of 72 pounds (but gains a total of 74); quits her job in publishing because she shagged her boss; demonstrates that she is an appallingly bad public speaker; starts a career as a television reporter; finds herself caught between two sets of friends – the Singletons and the Smug Marrieds (whose dinner parties offer ever-new opportunities for humiliation); and is finally asked out by a normal, kind, and very handsome man called Mark Darcy. This novel did cause a bit of a commotion when it was first published in England in 1996, because it was one of the first to openly and without apology talk about the fact that there were – are - hundreds, if not thousands, of thirty-something career women who are still Singletons, and who are starting to worry because they haven’t found The One yet. Bridget Jones is a wonderful role model, in a weird anti-herione sort of way, because no matter how horrible her situation becomes, she pulls herself together and convinces herself that everything will be better in the morning. Even though I thought this book was wonderfully hilarious, I will admit that I was frightened at times, because I am worried I might end up like Bridget. Yes, I do tend to over-exaggerate things, since I am only a twenty-something and do not live in London; however, I have been a Singleton for more than three years, and fear that that lifestyle won’t change even after I finish all my schooling. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy Bridget’s escapades and the movie versions of the books as well.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider reading:

Fiction Recommendation #1 : Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Like Bridget Jones’s Diary, this book is a light, funny novel set in England. Rebecca writes for a financial planning magazine, yet has huge credit card debt from which she cannot seem to break free. Hilarity and chaos ensues.
Fiction Recommendation #2 : Bridget Jones’s Guide to Life by Helen Fielding. This slim volume is a collection of some of the original newspaper columns Fielding wrote about Bridget, which prompted her to write a full-length novel in the first place.
Nonfiction Recommendation #1 : Becoming a Goddess of Inner Poise: Spirituality for the Bridget Jones in All of Us by Donna Freitas. For those readers who completely identify with Bridget, but have failed in capturing their own Mr. Darcy, then this self-help book may be right for them.

Laughter Through Tears

While reading Mermaid, I stumbled across this list, arguing why Unicorns are better than zombies. Well, after reading it, I had such a laugh. I hope you enjoy it as well. :)

And I need a laugh because an acquaintance of mine died last week. Her death was a surprise, as it usually is when the person is 16 years old. What pissed me off the most was not her death, ironically, because life is unplanned and we have to accept that; nor the 2-block-long line I had to stand in in 20 degree cold in order to fit into the smallest funeral home ever; nor the photos of she and I together in a 2003 production of Guys and Dolls; what made me mad was that many of her female schoolmates and friends were standing with me in only short skirts, no pantyhose, and long-sleeved sweaters. It's like they were courting death.

Kaitlyn Miller 1990-2007

Introducing the Book

In my class last Monday, I was introduced to this wonderful clip at YouTube.com. Take a minute to view this - it's a wonderful way to see what an impact the Book had on people when it was invented.

What Kind of Reader are you?

I discovered this quiz from reading The Well Dressed Librarian. After completing it, I discovered I was a 'Dedicated Reader.' (Hmm...)

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Fad Reader
Book Snob
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

I encourage you to take the quiz and learn what kind of reader you are. It'll be fun!

The Paid Companion by Amanda Quick

I did not enjoy The Paid Companion because of its stereotypical characters, overused dialogue, and (concurrently) overly-complicated and very weak plot. While I can see that some people wouldn’t find these items a problem, I definitely did. The books I enjoy reading have to keep my interest, and I was very bored while reading this book, and looked forward to the end. I hope that those readers who read Quick on a regular basis have also found other authors to try, for I would pity anyone who only reads these bodice-rippers. I don’t plan to read any more books by this author, though I have listed recommendations below, for those readers who do like Quick.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider :
Fiction Recommendation #1 : With This Ring by Amanda Quick. An earlier novel by Quick, which has the same basic characters and storyline as The Pain Companion.

Fiction Recommendation #2 : Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. This book would cater to the reader who enjoyed the gentle manners of Regency England. S&S is decidedly better in the areas of character development, plot, and dialogue.

Nonfiction Recommendation #1 : Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders by Josephine Ross. This is a very informative book about Regency Era English Manners, including how to dress and rules on making social calls. If the reader is interested in the finer points of etiquette, this book is for them.

Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson

This latest addition to Mott Davidson’s series involving caterer Goldy Schulz is a wonderful example of an amateur investigator mystery. In Dark Tort, Goldy’s friend is found murdered in a local law firm, and because the victim’s mother is convinced the police aren’t doing enough to find the culprit, she asks Goldy to “find out what happened.” Over the course of her investigation, Goldy uncovers a vast amount of clues and red herrings, to the point where the reader almost has too much information, and one wonders how could this all be a) relevant and b) tied together in the end? Through Mott Davidson’s clever writing and wry humor, everything is resolved at the climax and the main characters are once again restored to their usual states of peace. This book is full of memorable characters and even more memorable recipes, for Mott Davidson includes the recipes for all the dishes Caterer Goldy Schulz prepares in the book. Mott Davidson’s mysteries are a joy to read because her characters are realistic and her plots riveting.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider the following :
Fiction Recommendation #1 : Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke. This is a novel (part of a series) that has a similar premise to Mott Davidson’s books. The main character (Hannah) is a baker who enjoys solving crimes on the side. However, readers may find that this heroine isn’t as interesting at Goldy Schulz. There are plenty of yummy recipes, though.

Fiction Recommendation #2 : Chopping Spree by Diane Mott Davidson. This earlier book finds Goldy catering at a newly renovated shopping mall and investigating the death of a former classmate. Complications arise when her catering assistant, Julian, is arrested for the murder.

Nonfiction Recommendation #1 : Working the Plate: The Art of Food Presentation by Christopher Styler. If you are really into food preparation, then this cook book might be for you. With many different styles given by many different chefs, the reader will learn many different ways of ‘plating.’

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

I had been told by many people that this book (Brown’s first novel to feature Robert Langdon) was better than his immensely popular The DaVinci Code. While I do not now agree with that statement, I will say that this book is just as intense and the ending(s) just as surprising as his later novel. Angels & Demons held my interest from the very beginning, and throughout the course of the novel when the mystery is unfolding before Langdon.

Almost all of the scenes described in Rome and Vatican City I could picture in my mind’s eye not just because of Brown’s wonderful descriptions, but because I had just seen them one month before. While reading, I was very surprised to realize that the main characters were heading for a church, piazza, or monument which I had very recently seen, and in many cases, taken photographs of. This book is a wonderful example of an intricately formed mystery/thriller because the main characters are just as much, if not more so, in the dark as the reader is regarding the murders, terrorism, and kidnappings that happen throughout the novel. When the true criminals are finally revealed at the climax, I felt like the proverbial rug had been pulled from under me; but not in a bad way. I enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to Brown’s next novel featuring Robert Langdon, which I understand will take place in America.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider :
Fiction Recommendation #1 : The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. This is Brown’s next novel, and if readers enjoyed A&D, I’m sure they will also enjoy Da Vinci, since it has the same premise of Langdon rushing to find treasures and save lives while deciphering ancient clues in works of art.

Fiction Recommendation #2 : The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. This novel also deals with ancient items and hidden treasures, this time involving a rare manuscript and its interpretation by four university students.

Nonfiction Recommendation #1 : The Gospel According to the Da Vinci Code: The Truth Behind the Writings of Dan Brown by Kenneth Boa. If you are very interested in the two latest novels by Dan Brown, and wonder at his sources, then this book is for you. The reader will learn about the theories Brown worked into his novels, but Boa does show his negative opinion of Brown often.

Lots of Reading

I've started to read many more blogs lately, and am having trouble keeping up with them and homework and assignments and rehearsal and work. In short, here is a brief post with nothing but "a lick and a promise" for more to come.

So when reading Laura's Blog recently, I learned about this wonderful service for Children's Literature from the University of Illinois. I love the web resources listed for Poetry and Fairy Tales. I encourage you to visit the site and poke around in it, and try to learn something new.

While reading another new blog, The Scattered Librarian, I was reminded of the plan to replace the illustrations in The Little House Books. Full story here. I am disappointed, but I believe The Scattered Librarian said it best.

After watching this video, mentioned by The Laughing Librarian, I still don't understand the context. Perhaps I'm not up on Popular Culture enough. Please let me know if you have figured it out; I would really like to know.

Let the Publishing World Rejoice!!!

And here is the news!!!

Harry Potter will be back twice over this July!!! WOOO HOOO!