The manga is really sweet. Although the summary does not do it justice, once I started reading it, I was enthralled. The characters are likeable, the plot doesn't slow down even after the Koume and Mikage get together... It's really enjoyable.

I should write a summary, but I'm too lazy. Maybe a teaser?

Nineteen-year old Koume works at the Yayoi Publishing House. She's an outspoken girl, who while trying to get revenge on an ex-boyfriend, finds herself saved from that ex-boyfriends anger by a stranger who suddenly appears. She is complaining of the stranger's impertinence when she meets Kotarou, who seems to always be doing odd jobs.

It's then announced that the head of the Tomonaga group (who owns Yayoi Publishing House) is coming to pay a visit. It turns out that he's the same guy who rescued Koume from her ex-boyfriend. Mikage is so passive and stoic so that he can conceal his emotions because when he doesn't, a tiger appears as the embodiment of the emotions Mikage refuses to show; Mikage is, after all, a tiger-master in his family. As for Kotarou, he is the descendent of a family of tiger-tamers who help control the tigers conjured by the tiger-masters' emotions, though he is unable to tame Kotarou's tiger. It turns out that Koume is a tiger-tamer, in actuality, and that she is a distant cousin of Kotarou's, and as the tiger-tamer, she must learn to control the tigers (and Mikage), as well as deal with her growing feelings for him.

I love it.

-Âme Créatrice-

So, even as university has been keeping me busy, Eid celebrations this year have allowed me to catch up on internet fun. So I've been reading lots and lots of manga and playing lots of games. Games I've played include:

• Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble*****
• BeTrapped*****
• Cate West: The Vanishing Files****
• Cate West II: The Velvet Keys*****
• Jojo's Fashion Show***
• Jojo's Fashion Show II: Las Cruces****+0.5
• Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile****
• Agatha Christie: Peril At End House**
• Annie's Millions*
• Dream Sleuth****
• Dream Chronicles***
• Dream Day Wedding**
• Natalie Brooks - Secret of Treasure House****
• Natalie Brooks - Treasure of the Lost Kingdom***
• My Kingdom for the Princess*

The stars list the games' rankings in my opinion, with *****=best game ever! If you notice, Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble and Betrapped have the best ranking! They are simply The Most Awesome Games Ever (capitalized for emphasis). Even guys might enjoy it! They are closely followed by Jojo's Fashion Show II: Las Cruces simply because I love the dress up mode for it - this is a game targetted for girls only, so I doubt guys would enjoy.

In fact, my five stars are games that guys would also enjoy in my opinion. However, most of my games are those that are targetted for girls. Oh well, I'm a girl anyway.

I'd go more in detail in each review for each game, but I'm too lazy. However, for the first time, I enjoy hidden object games, but only those that have a nice plot, of course. Otherwise... Well, it would get one star for boredom, just like Annie's Millions.

This star system is really pretty convenient, actually - I might just keep it!

-Âme Créatrice-

Othello is the title of one of Shakespeare's most popular works. It is also the title of one of the mangas which I have read yesterday.

I won't bother with my own summary description of the manga, so I'll do the lazy way and copy and paste from the One Manga site summary for Othello here (this is also the place where I was able to read it - insert really happy face here!):( Description behind the cut! )

It's a fun, rollicking good read! The romance is not ridiculously fluffy or overdone; it's sweet! Yaya is a cute heroine who you can't help but root for; not like the other heroines who get a little tiring after a while. Nana is also a tough, rough cookie, and she is just plain awesome! Both these characters are actually the same person, but they both grow throughout the story. So does Moriyama, Yaya's love interest, who Nana tries to date repeatedly, but really likes Yaya and so refuses. Yaya is also enamoured of Shohei Shingyoji, the lead singer of her favourite rock band Juliet (who also happens to be Shohei's younger brother), like a fangirl obsessed crush. However, it is not so hateable as she soon learns to look beyond looks and preconceived notions, and eventually no longer fangirls over Shohei, but falls for Moriyama. Can you tell I hate fangirling?

I guess it's because I like strong, empowered heroines rather than those who start as fangirls. The occasional crush is okay, but totally changing your personality for them a la Ginny Weasley? Er, I think not.

Anyway, Othello is awesome. Read it you must. 

-Âme Créatrice-

So yeah. I have lots of plot bunnies to finish, and many fics (and original stories, but that's a different story) that I already started but never got around to finishing. So, yeah.

( Here be some spoilers for the plot... )

So I'll get to it, shall I?

-Âme Créatrice-

I've always loved reading stories, so it was only natural that my love of reading (which I credit to a vivid and uncontrollable imagination) would also bring about a love of writing. More so, especially since I love to tell stories. The problem with writing? It requires discipline.

I don't harbour any secret desires of becoming an author (medicine is my true calling), but I do want to write down the stories that come into my head and at least do them justice. Why? Why not? Because I can. And I will. Just as soon as I get some help. And stop procrastinating.

Currently I have two stories in my head. Titles are not confirmed, but I like to call them Summer Eternity and Athene of the Tormented. One deals with teenage friendship, the other with a lonely girl's sense of not belonging.

Links that I think are a great help:

• How To Write A Novel (Wiki Article)
• How To Write A Novel In 100 Days Or Less
• How To Create And Publish A Novel As A Teenager (Wiki Article)
• Justine Larbalestier's Guide To Writing A Novel
• Simon Haynes' Advice on Writing A Novel and on Getting Published
• The Snowflake Method

I'm going to try the Snowflake Method. I think that it's a good way to approach book writing. When you write, you are expressing something you have to say - and for you to express what you want to say, you have to know what you're saying.

-Âme Créatrice-

Well, not quite. I had a lot of help actually, especially from The LJ Reboot. It had lots of tutorials about how to make your own layouts for Livejournal. You know, there's actually a whole lot of people out there willing to help for free. Although this isn't as awesome as many that I've seen on the internet, I think that it's pretty OK for a first try. This one was made using S2 Flexible Squares layout.

Screenshot:



It's pretty addicting, trying to get everything in the right place. As an amateur Photoshop user, I tried to make my own graphics and fit them together. It was annoying, though, trying to tweak the CSS here and there to get a decent layout. In the end, I came out with this, which I thought was rather OK for a first try, although when I showed my parents, they didn't really agree with my taste. Oh well. You can't please everyone.

Anyhow, I'm really happy because I've accomplished something, even if it's not that awesome. Of course, I'll leave it around here for a while, just in case someone actually likes it and decides to use it! That would totally make my day, because I worked hard at tweaking it and it's nice that someone likes it enough to use it (even if it's not the best layout I have seen in my life, to be honest).

/* Cleaned CSS: */ body { background-color: #ffffff; background-image: url("http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w354/fierysue/Layout%20Stuff/HDT-Background.jpg"); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: bottom left; background-attachment: fixed; text-align: center; color: #0001f8; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 20px 0 20px 0; } a, a:link, a:visited { color: #7009bf; text-decoration: none; } a:hover { color: #7009bf; text-decoration: underline; } p, td, blockquote { font-size: 11px; } code, kbd, pre, tt { font-family: monospace; } #content { width: 80%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; background-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: #ffffff; padding: 15px; } #maincontent { margin-top: 15px; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; background-color: #ffffff; color: #0001f8; border-style: solid; border-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; margin-left: 180px; text-align: left; } #sidebar { padding-top: 15px; margin-top: 15px; background-color: #ffffff; border-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; font-size: 11px; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; color: #0001f8; width: 160px; float: left; text-align: left; } #header { padding: 10px 0px 20px 0px; margin: 0px; text-align: center; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 2px; border-style: solid; border-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; background-color: #ffffff; color: #0001f8; } #footer { text-align: center; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 1px; background-color: #ffffff; color: #0001f8; border-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; z-index: 100; clear: both; } /* header -- links to views; title of journal; subtitle of journal */ div#header a, div#header a:link, div#header a:visited, div#footer a, div#footer a:link, div#footer a:visited { color: #7009bf; } div#header a:hover, div#footer a:hover { color: #7009bf; text-decoration: none; } ul.navheader { padding: 0px; margin: 0px; } ul.navheader li { display: inline; padding: 0 3px 0 3px; } .title { font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; top: 10px; } .subtitle{ font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; top: 10px; } /* sidebar */ div#sidebar a, div#sidebar a:link, div#sidebar a:visited{ color: #7009bf; } div#sidebar a:hover { color: #7009bf; text-decoration: none; } .defaultuserpic { text-align: center; } .sbarheader { padding: 0px 5px 0px 5px; } .sbarbody { padding: 0px 5px 0px 5px; } .sbarbody2 { padding: 0 15px 0 15px; } #sidebar_summary li.sbaritem { margin: 0 10px; padding: 3px 0; border-bottom: 1px #ffffff solid; } table.calendar { margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; } .sbarcalendar { border-color: #0001f8; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; text-align: center; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; } .sbarcalendarposts { border-color: #0001f8; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: center; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; } ul.sbarlist { padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px; list-style: none; } li.sbaritem, .tagcloud { padding-left: 15px; list-style: none; } li.sbartitle { padding-left: 15px; list-style: none; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; border-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; } /* maincontent */ .subcontent { } .entry { margin: 0px 10px 10px 30px; padding: 10px; background-color: #ffffff; color: #0001f8; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: left; border-width: 1px; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; } .entry ul li { padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 15px; } .entry ol li { padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 15px; } .userpic { position: relative; float: right; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 5px; margin: 10px; z-index: 15; border-width: 1px; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; } .userpicfriends { position: relative; float: right; padding: 5px; margin: 10px; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; border-color: #ffffff; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; z-index: 15; } .date { line-height: 200%; top: 5px; color: #0001f8; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; } .subject { font-weight: bold; padding: 10px; color: #0001f8; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; } .subject a, .subject a:link, .subject a:visited, .subject a:hover { color: #0001f8; /*color: #7009bf;*/ text-decoration: none; } /*.subject a:hover { color: #7009bf; }*/ .datesubject { background-color: #ffffff; padding: 5px; } .currents, .currentmood, .currentmusic { font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; } .comments { font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px 5px 0px 5px; position: relative; top: 15px; } div.comments a, div.comments a:link, div.comments a:visited{ color: #7009bf; } div.comments a:hover { color: #7009bf; text-decoration: none; } /* maincontent -- entry, reply pages */ .datesubjectcomment { background-color: #ffffff; padding: 5px; margin-top: 20px; } .userpiccomment { position: relative; border-width: 5px; border-style: solid; border-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; top: -30px; left: 0px; padding: 5px; margin: 10px 10px -20px 10px; z-index: 15; float: right; border-width: 1px; border-color: #ffffff; border-style: solid; } .box { border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px 0px; border-color: #ffffff; padding: 10px; clear: right; } input, textarea { background-color: #ffffff; color: #0001f8; } textarea.textbox { width: 95% !important; } .reply { position: relative; margin: 20px 30px 10px 30px; padding: 25px 10px 10px 10px; text-align: left; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 125%; background-color: #ffffff; color: #0001f8; } .replytosubject { font-weight: bold; } .commentreply { position: relative; margin: 10px; font-size: 11px; font-family: "Verdana", sans-serif; color: #0001f8; } .commentbox { border-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; padding: 10px; margin: 10px; background-color: #ffffff; } .datesubjectcomment a:link, .datesubjectcomment a:visited { color: #7009bf; } .datesubjectcomment a:hover { color: #7009bf; } .commentboxpartial { border-color: #ffffff; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; padding: 10px; margin: 10px; background-color: #ffffff; } .commentinfo { background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 10px; width: 100%; } /* maincontent -- year/achive pages */ ul.year { text-align: center; padding-bottom: 40px; } ul.year li { display: inline; } table.yeartable { margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; } table.yeartable td.yeardate, table.yeartable td.yearday { border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: #ffffff; } table.yeartable td.yearday { background-color: #ffffff; text-align: center; } td.yearmonth { border-style: none; } /* footer */ ul.navfooter{ padding: 0px; margin: 0px; } ul.navfooter li { display: inline; margin: 0 5px 0 5px; } .clearfoot { clear: both; } /* misc */ .clear { height: 15px; } .skiplinks { text-align: center; } .headerimage { /* for formatting header image */ } .separator{ /* for formatting separators between entries */ height: 35px; } * html div.subcontent { /* fixes an IE reply page bug */ height: 1%; clear: none; } * html div.box#commentform { /* fixes an IE reply page bug */ position: absolute; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff; }

This is love! So that's it! That's the code! Anyway, I'm hosting the graphics on Photobucket, and they're in their right folder, so I don't think the graphics will break any time soon. As of last time I checked, this layout worked fine with Mozilla Firefox and Safari (I don't use Internet Explorer any more). Blue roses are pretty.

-Âme Créatrice-

Nothing much to say, except - Why do I have to take IELTS? Or rather, Studying for IELTS is a pain.

I guess distinctions in English and English Literature in IGCSE, plue the fact I am a compulsive writer who not only livejournals but also writes fanfiction and original fiction on an almost daily basis or rather whenever I get to use the computer doesn't really count.

-Âme Créatrice-

About 1/3 No Kareshi: I found this story cute! A must read, and a new favourite! Click here to read it!

( Spoilers, anyone? )

This is the innocent romance that all young girls love! Hence, it is a new favourite! I adore it.

-Âme Créatrice-

Of all the remaining four mangas I was too read - Love Celeb, Hana Kimi, Tokyo Crazy Paradise and Power - I enjoyed Hana Kimi the most.

I also have seen an alarming trend in manga where the girl pretends to be a boy. Hence, this type of gender bender is becoming really tiring for me. However, I think both Power and Hana Kimi are more enjoyable. Their characters are much more interesting that OHSHC which seem to focus only on Tamaki. DOn't get me wrong, he's a nice enough guy, but he's so - I don't know, if you take away his 'my granny no like me mommy', he seems - well, he seems childish and impetuous and truthfully, I prefer the other characters.

Although I didn't really like that homosexuality was too overly concentrated on. I mean, except for Mizuki and Izumi's relationship, nearly all the other relationships featured boy/boy love. I'm not really against it, but I don't really condone it either. Eh, well. Something always spoils the best of mangas.

Anyway, Love Celeb was very mature-ish and I'm not sure whether I approved the final pairing - although I must admit, some parts were funny! I didn't finish Tokyo Crazy Paradise - I had to drag myself through it the whole time and I'm still not through. Strange though, because I found Gokusen a rare delight (they have similar themes: yakuza and hiding an important secret about yourself), but I guess it's partly because of the whole 'I'm fourteen and know about sex thing' - not too comfortable about some of the scenes because they're fourteen - if they were at least eighteen it'd be more believable and comfortable - for me, at least. Or maybe I found the heroine, Tsukasa Kozuki, a little too silly at points (much like Tamaki, which could explain my couldn't-care-less opinion of him).

Well, I'm too lazy to write an overview of all of them, anyway. I guess I'm jaded by manga, having read so many already! Still hope to do something for Wallflower, Hana Yori Dango and Gokusen, though, especially Wallflower and Gokusen (Gokusen even more!) because I've enjoyed these the most. Aside from First Girl, of course. And You're My Girlfriend. Those put the A in awesome, and made the grade. Of course, over time, tastes change, so maybe in ten years I won't like them so much? Or maybe I won't even care about manga at all - the latter is equally likely. Oh well.

-Âme Créatrice-

I am currently obsessed with Nightwish. This is getting to be annoying, but I can't help it if they are so awesome that I love them!

Listen to this song (She Is My Sin) and tell me you hate them.



Link to YouTube here.

( Lyrics... )

-Âme Créatrice-

I was searching Youtube for nice songs and I found one here. I found it by clicking 'Related Videos' from While Your Lips Are Red (Nightwish) and it turns out that the singer, Tarja Turunen used to be part of Nightwish. The song is pretty interesting and haunting, even if I prefer While Your Lips Are Red. The song is called Die Alive.



( Lyrics... )

-Âme Créatrice-

I haven't finished Tokyo Crazy Paradise! For some reason this manga is taking forever to finish reading! I swear, I'm just ready to chuck it out because it's taking so long. Anyway, I finished 7th period Is A Secret, which is so adorably cute and extremely short and easy to read, and I'll come up with a synopsis later, after I've finished my manga list.

I've also started an original novel based on inspiration from all the manga I was reading. Of course, all the Japanese names are anglicised - no, I should say they were changed into English; for example, Ren Kaneda becomes Lauren Kane, like I posted in my top-secret livejournal post!

Also, to add to my distractions, I have been sucked into a vortex of Draco/Ginny fanfiction for Harry Potter. Gah, I'm still annoyed how J.K. Rowling ended the story with that forced epilogue that made no sense whatsoever. I have an epic fanfic idea where Rose and Hugo are actually Harry's children with Hermione, and Ginny's only child with Harry is Albus Severus (such a ridiculous name, and I can only think of it together, although nothing compares to the epic sadness of awful baby names as Renesmee - what did Stephenie Meyer think when she created such an awful Mary-Sue. The whole of Breaking Dawn was like a really bad fanfic! But enough of ranting. I know how awful writing can be. It was probably writer's block. After all, I haven't successfully written a book, who am I to say anything? And my bias might partly be due to Jacob, who is the best, most developed character in the whole series, being cast off with an infant after pining for Bella, which seems as if he's imprinted on second-best, and Jacob certainly doesn't deserve that. At least if he was paired with Leah, who is prickly and feisty and has some edge, the romance wouldn't be so weird. Plus, some fanfictions I have read really does credit to the Blackwater ship, and thus I have become a fan of Blackwater!) and that Harry secretly is in love with Hermione, and has divorced Ginny, who pines after Draco, and Ron? Well, even if Luna's married, he will be the tragic hero who pines after another woman -

Darn, Ron-in-my-fanfic is so depressing, so much that I've begun to love him there, because he stays with Hermione to help cover for her and Harry and act as father to the little tykes to cover his sorrow at Luna being married off.

Actually the fanfic idea is pretty canon-compliant, but it's such a long time since I've read HP, and I honestly don't really care for it. Ever since sixth book with Dumbledore dying and the long-winded beginning there I've begun to feel depressed with it, and the awful epilogue just was the kiss of death. I loved Snape's memory in the seventh book, though - I could never hate Snape again, because Snape, with all his twisted flaws and sick human being personality, is actually very vulnerable and shows that there is a reason for the way he acts. It was misguided love, and though not all his actions are forgivable, they can certainly be understood.

Now I've ranted about HP and Twilight. I need to finish up the manga, darn it! And write the story! Especially since I'll be stuck in real world working at a hospital, which is awesome!

And I totally need to download the song While Your Lips Are Still Red by Nightwish. Darned awesome song. Really inspiring! I think they're my new favourite band! I should check out some other songs they have!



( Lyrics to the song... )

The YouTube link is here, if you don't want to check it out here.

-Âme Créatrice-

Well, I wanted a break from all those long mangas (I finished Love Celeb), so I started reading 7th Period Is A Secret.

It seems promising!

-Âme Créatrice-

Original post here.

( Wallflower meme... )

-Âme Créatrice-

So I've already read half of the manga I wanted to read. Well, sort of, because I didn't really complete the last on the list under this LJ cut. The first was because I was really disgusted with it, the second because I felt apathy towards it. Sometimes you read a manga you really love, and sometimes you read a manga you really despise (e.g. Love Luck and It's Love. Weird. They both have the word 'Love' in their title. Makes me think), and sometimes you come across a manga that doesn't grab you and you end up not reading it.

Anyway, my two cents (or more, if it's worth more, of course):

( Backstage Prince, PxP, It's Love and Shinshi Doumei Cross... )

So, four more manga to go. I really hope they do not disappoint me!

As for reading manhwa, I will tread more carefully now.

-Âme Créatrice-

Thought I might keep a list handy for memories. Too lazy to comment on all of them anyway (that's if I finish all):

• Backstage Prince
• Shinshi Doumei Cross
• Hana Kimi
• It's Love
• Love Celeb
• Power
• PxP
• Tokyo Crazy Paradise

This should last me a few days!

-Âme Créatrice-

I am so happy! I have found a really cute manga to erase memory of that horrendous Love Luck!

( It's called You're My Girlfriend, and... )

It is the witty way that the author/illustrator develops the plot that makes this one of the cutest (although regrettably short) mangas written! It's hilarious and cute, and it's too bad it's finished! Perfect for when you're short of time and you need something cute and uplifting to lift your spirits and make you feel like the giddy romantic you are.

I mean, I am.

-Âme Créatrice-

I've been having generally wonderfully experiences with manga/anime that I forget that there are some that are flat out annoying. I mean, Wallflower was awesome (mainly because of the kick-behind Sunako), and First Girl was as vivid as it was imaginative. Gokusen was made of win, and it wasn't a full romance but more of a slice of life story - super awesome, and super cool. Hana Yori Dango was sweet, although I wish that the love triangle was played less (because the side stories make Rui somewhat petty and unfair, thinking awful thoughts about Tsukasa and giving him a greater crush on Tsukushi, which I found heartbreaking because I wanted him to be happy, but with someone other than Tsukushi). I'm hoping OHSHC will play the romance between Tamaki and Haruhi well, because it can become awkward too easily (especially since there are many other possible couplings that Haruhi can be a part of, including Mori and Kyoya, both of which would make awesome pairings. Somehow, unless Tamaki becomes less idiotic, I can't see it long-term, because Haruhi doesn't seem the kind to stand for it, but it can't be too soon, because that just seems forced and weird).

However, I have been shockingly displeased with Love Luck.

( Even the spoilers are not worth reading... )

My verdict: The plot is beyond awful and makes no sense. The ending is unfinished and many things are left unanswered. Such as, how could Suzuki still remain enamoured of Dan after he reverts to awful harassing mode? Or why on earth Dan chooses to harass Suzuki so awfully (trust me, they didn't bicker. Dan was flat out annoying and made numerous hurtful and insulting comments to Suzuki)? And how on earth did Dan and Yamato even switch bodies due to the accident to begin with? That never ever happened before! (At first I thought, relatives, but no, it was obvious they weren't related despite sharing surnames.)

You like this kind of romance? Good for you. Not worth reading for me.

-Âme Créatrice-

Today, I got bored of reading OHSHC, so instead I looked at the top 50 manga on One Manga. I came across one of them, called First Girl. It's very much a sort of Ruritanian romance novel, except that it is a manga instead of a novel like The Prisoner of Zenda was.

Warning! This manga is said to be mature and requires parental guidance! (One Manga said it, not me.) Considering the amount of sex scenes they have - well, there's nothing too graphic, but still.

( For those who don't know, a Ruritanian romance is... )

Of course, for die-hard romantics like me, they are made of awesome (according to die-hard romantics, of course).

Anyway, what about First Girl?

( Heavy dosage of spoilers about First Girl... )

There are many themes recurrent in the story, which lends an air to the manga. 

Themes

• Romance - through the relationships of
  • Leon and Miu.
  • Miu and the men who love her, but as Marianna put it, "Can never have her completely," (due to her heart being given to someone else. The men include Yusuru, Isaac, Juan and Ricardo.
  • Ricardo and Marianna.
  • Leon's third brother with the priest's daughter.
  • Yoakim with Leon's mother and Mito.
  • Mito and Pio.
• Roses - which play an important part in the story. Roses are often referred to, symbolising the Rosas family.
• Tango - the tango is referred to many times in the story, especially by Leon, Marianna and Isaac. It is a dance of passion, where a man leads the woman, and it described as making love, etc. etc. There is more information about tango here.
  • Miu is taught the tango by her mother, who went to Dorentia to learn the tango.
  • The tango is the dance that Miu and Leon perform on their first meeting.
  • Miu tries to forget her pain through dance.
  • Miu has a short-lived relationship with Isaac, who is a tango dancer.
  • The 'tango of life' that Miu and Leon dance at the end before Ricardo attempts to execute them proves, according to Juan, that they were destined for each other.

My verdict: fresh and different, with a romance that is as gripping as it is exhilarating. The beginning was a little rocky (as the romance was sudden and somewhat rushed), but the ending was satisfying and sweet.

-Âme Créatrice-

A friend of mine (Simon) had recommended it to me. And I adore it!

( OSHSC according to Âme Créatrice... )

Anyway, it's awesome! I highly recommend (if not for all the pretty boys - oh dear, how shallow I am becoming!), and if you're a girl, you'll like it.

Simon is so smart!

-Âme Créatrice-