To celebrate, I'll share one of my best finds from the last few months.
I would have to say the best find I have made in the realm of books is actually a manga series called Pandora Hearts. If you love Alice in Wonderland, this one just might be for you as there are constant references!
Don't click any of the links to images or there will be spoilers!
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The first volume starts off with a mystery--what is 15-year-old Oz Vessalius's great sin? Who is buried under the mysterious stone cross? What is so special about the pocket watch hanging on the cross? When Oz is dropped into the nightmarish Abyss
and meets a cute girl with a temper, Alice,
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it seems as if things are going to become fairly normal for a manga story. However, the plot is absolutely byzantine, with new mysteries worthy of Agatha Christie constantly being introduced and weaving into the others. Who is Alice and how did she become the "Bloody Black Rabbit?" Why are her memories shattered so that she has no recollection of anything but her name? Who is beheading members of the Nightray family? Why does Oz's father say that Oz should never have been born? And what on earth caused the Tragedy of Sablier?
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I could go on for paragraphs, but I will leave it for you to read and discover all of the mysteries and their truly surprising solutions for yourself.
I read the manga here
The characters are very interesting on their own, and the reader will soon learn that nothing and no one is what they seem! My favourite is Xerxes Break (Mad Hatter), who has as many layers as an onion, with a lot of odd, creepy, and endearing habits that make him into a real show-stealer.
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I will say, though, that this is a series I would recommend for people 14 and up. It is dark and sad and at times pretty gory and disturbing, especially later in the series. Some readers warn others not to read it because their hearts will be broken. I can understand that.
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Also, my husband and I both agree that listening to the music from the anime version (it covers only a few volumes of the manga, which has 20 volumes) really adds to the reading experience. The soundtrack is so beautiful that The Precious asked me what ballet it is from, and my mama was sure it was the soundtrack from a blockbuster movie!
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You can listen here. Be sure to listen to the last track first as it is the tune from the music box inside the pocketwatch and it really sets the tone for the whole series. "Will" and "Contractor" are both very good too. For just the gorgeous violin theme, listen to "Turn."
Pandora Hearts Original Soundtrack
So there it is. My 300th post and my latest book (series) recommendation. Almost all images come from the anime, which is worth watching too, because they're so nice and colourful. Hope you enjoyed it, and that you enjoy the series as much as I do.
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