WRAPPED UP IN BOOKS

Gravitation vol. 9 was turned in last Monday, right on time; I've started Legal Drug volume 2 for the end of the month. The plan is to follow it with the next Ai Yori Aoshi and Gravitaton books by the end of July, because the third Clamp School Paranormal Investigators novel is due at the end of August--which means I need to get as much of The Everlasting done as humanly possible, too, in case the Tokyopop work sucks that entire month away from me.

I finished reading Grosse Pointe Girl, and I wasn't as happy with this edition as I was with the slimmer one Sarah published locally. They took out one of the more effective chapters, where the girls go to Mexico on a senior trip or somesuch, and they are nearly raped by a cabbie. It leant some teeth to the book and gave some consequences to their behavior. Plus, the final chapter of the high school reunion, originally presented as a poem, felt more tacked on in the longer version and infused with pop psychology that didn't ring true. It's still a good book, don't get me wrong, I just didn't feel as satisfied with it. (For a view of someone who totally disagrees, check Ian Shaugnessy's Falling Is Funny for 6/2.)

I have started reading the Paradise Kiss manga, though, and am really enjoying it. Ai Yazawa's misfit art students are more well-rounded than I would have expected from a punk-rock fashion comic. They are used comically, to be sure, but they are also real people and the story has honest emotions. One of the better soap opera mangas to be imported to the States, up there with Peach Girl, Ai Yori Aoshi, and Sensual Phrase.

Current Soundtrack: Thunderclap Newman, Hollywood Dream; Belle & Sebastian, Tigermilk

golightly@confessions123.com * The Website