by Hiroaki Samura, 176 pages Rin doesn't want to perpetuate the cycle of hatred and revenge, but neither can she just walk away from one of the men directly responsible for her tragic past. But her need for some kind of closure may only make her own situation more precarious, as he now has something he wants to protect, too, and will do whatever he must in order to preserve it.
History threatens to repeat itself in more ways than one. Credit must go to Rin for trying to look ahead as well as behind, and then to Manji for seeing the only path open to them with any chance of achieving her wish. This is a painful, powerful volume as we relive the horrors of two years ago through Rin's traumatized memories and watch the present unravel and threaten to cast the past's long shadow into the future. Throughout, Samura's action is kinetic, his perspectives surprising, and his figures appealingly believable whatever the panel point-of-view (the man clearly knows his anatomy well).
by David Guterson, 460 pages When local fisherman Carl Heine is found dead in his own net, the unnerved, wary eyes of his 1950s Washington community quickly fall on the head of another fisherman, Kabuo Miyamoto. Local newsman and war veteran Ishmael Chambers doggedly follows the ensuing trial, but his motives are soon revealed to extend far beyond mere journalistic interest. As one man's life hangs in the balance, another's reaches a crossroad.
I enjoyed this quiet, lyrical tale of racism, lost love, and war's lasting effects set in the Pacific Northwest in the years following World War II. As the links between the variously scarred characters are slowly revealed, a picture of a dark, often-neglected chapter in American history takes shape alongside a very personal journey through adolescence, first love, and the often bitter, character-shaping lessons that come with growing up. A puzzling mystery, tense courtroom drama, bittersweet love story, and snapshot of cultural history all rolled into one atmospheric tale, Snow Falling on Cedars reminds me a little of Faulkner's Intruder in the Dust and Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird with just a pinch of Rose's Twelve Angry Men. Very nice.
The book also has the distinction of having been banned (it was our in-house book discussion title in celebration of Banned Books Week!) as well as of winning the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award.
by Karuho Shiina, 185 pages Ryu's birthday is coming up and Chizu can't wait, but not just because she wants to see him open the present she bought him. As Yano breaks up with her possessive boyfriend and Kurumi finally accepts Sawako as a rival for Kazehaya, unvoiced and unrequited feelings take center stage.
Sawako learns that friendship and love are both complicated as she examines her own heart and observes those of the people around her. The reader can sympathize, as she thinks she wants everything to work out a certain way, too. But reality rarely fits so neatly into our expectations, and Sawako, being the open-minded, loving person she is, chooses to be ok with that and do what she can to support those closest to her, whatever happens.
by Hiroaki Samura, 170 pages Manji decides Rin needs to improve her fighting skills if she's going to be of any use to herself or him. But it's while he sleeps that she learns from another just how weak she is and how far she has yet to go if she ever means to see her revenge completed.
Not just one, but two ghosts from the past fall across Rin's path this volume. She barely has time to recover from one encounter before she's stunned by another. Both experiences muddy her already confused desires. What does she really want from those who've wronged her? How far must she go to find justice for her parents? For herself? And where does it all end? Meanwhile, all Manji can do is keep a worried, watchful eye on her and hope he notices before she does something reckless...like run off to confront her demons alone.
by Mi-Kyung Yun, 180 pages Biryeom, god of the wind, adds his hand to the players at this mysterious game of hearts and souls as Mui asks Soah to trust him no matter what happens. But as long as the water god keeps secrets from her, and as long as the emperor and his pawns plot against them, fulfilling that request won't be easy. For how can she trust a man who suddenly doesn't even remember who she is?
If Mui would just get over his pride and be honest with Soah about his situation, there'd be a lot less misunderstanding between them. With the emperor pulling Yeo-Wa's desperate, fragile strings--and her slipping Haebek amnesia-inducing aphrodisiacs--the opportunities for mending are fewer and farther between than ever. I hope Yun clears the air a little--and lets us curiosity-filled readers in on at least some of the secrets--soon.
