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Book Review: One Piece, Vol 10: Let’s Stand Up! by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 10: Let’s Stand Up!     

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: April 4, 2006

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action & Adventure/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Luffy and the others reach the island where Nami has absconded to. Luffy is convinced that she is not the bad person she appears to be, that there must be a reason why she is working with Arlong the Fishman and his pirate crew. When they learn what her true motives are, and how she is working to buy back Coco Village from Arlong’s tyranny, Luffy knows what he has to do -defeat Arlong and free them all!

Luffy, Sanji, Zolo, and a reluctant Usopp head to Arlong Park, where the fishmen are dismissive of them. The fight begins, with their terrible leader nowhere in sight. Unfortunately, Luffy finds himself in quite the predicament when he ends up stuck in the cement, unable to move. To make matters worse, Arlong shows up, and manages to cut out Luffy, cement and all, and hurl him into the water! Oh dear, as everyone knows, those who eat the devil fruit cannot swim! Can they save Luffy from drowning? Matters aren’t helped when Usopp runs off, followed by one of Arlong’s men.

Sanji dives into the water to rescue Luffy but he is attacked by one of the fishmen and has to do battle. Meanwhile, Nojiko (Nami’s sister) and Mr. Genzo have come to the rescue. Nojiko holds Luffy’s head above water, having stretched his neck, while Mr. Genzo presses on his chest to help him breathe. Even so, how long can Luffy hold out like this?

Usopp, in fear for his life, manages to convince his attacker that he is dead, but his conscience gets the better of him, thinking of Luffy and the others, and he decides to stand up to him, come what may! Nami decides the same thing and heads into the fray! Once Luffy is rescued, it’s time that he and Arlong tangle!

This volume of One Piece is about standing up for yourself and for your friends and doing the right thing. Nami has been with Arlong and his nefarious crew for a long time, albeit for good reasons, but she’s also been isolated and abused, becoming mistrustful of people. She learns to let go of that thanks to Luffy, who believes the best of everyone. Usopp, despite his bravado and wild tales, has essentially considered himself to be a coward, afraid to step in, afraid to be hurt. But Luffy has shown him that friends fight for friends, and he is finding his backbone at last.

Luffy’s a good kid, and a good friend and captain. He does not allow injustice to go unpunished, especially when it concerns his friends. It’ll be interesting to see how he develops as the story goes along. Great volume, look forward to the next!

Saturday is Horror Day #161 – Victor Frankenstein

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Victor Frankenstein

A young hunchbacked man with no name (Daniel Radcliffe) works for a circus in Victorian England. Although he is abused, and treated like he’s stupid, he secretly studies the subject that interests him – life – in the form of medical books. And he crushes on one of the ladies in the circus, Lorelei (Jessica Brown Findlay). An accident brings him face to face with a medical student in the audience, Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy), who recognizes the young man’s brilliance and steals him away from the circus. He takes him to his new home, names him Igor, and proceeds to involve him in his experiments, which involve the creation of life itself. Unfortunately for them, a determined policeman, Inspector Turpin (Andrew Scott) is on the case of the missing hunchback and will stop at nothing to find him.

This is the familiar tale of Frankenstein as seen through the eyes of Igor (who, of course, is a completely

original character not from the book). I think it can be considered an origin story as such.  The obsessed Frankenstein manages to find a like-minded patron at the college he somewhat attends, one who is fortunately very wealthy and willing to fund Victor’s research. Having been transformed from being a hunchback, Igor is very grateful for Victor and his friendship. But he begins to wonder about the ethics of what they are doing. Also, who is this Igor he is named after, and where is he?

The film is very creative in sets and design, the writing and directing are good, but, at least for me, it didn’t quite make it. Something fell just a little flat, although I’m not sure I can put my finger on what. Perhaps it didn’t quite make me believe, didn’t ground me in its reality. While Daniel Radcliffe is good as Igor, his transition from supposed circus idiot to brilliant biologist was a little too quick to be really believable. McAvoy’s Frankenstein is a little two-dimensional, and reveals nothing of the person beneath until we get to the story of his brother at the end, and that’s just too little too late. Andrew Scott’s Inspector Turpin (sorry, I keep wanting to say Moriarity lol) is sufficiently obsessed and off his rocker  as well as being a religious fanatic who thinks they are doing the work of Satan, but he doesn’t ring quite true to me.

At what I believe to be the heart of this story is the question of science vs morality – just because we know how to do it, should we? Or are there things that are better left alone, such as the creation of life? Of course, there is no definitive answer as this is the lead-in to the Frankenstein story itself, which explores that theme as well.  Was it worth watching. Yes, but it wasn’t quite the film I had hoped for, despite a great cast. I’ll give this film 3.5 Stars.

Book Review: Cries Unheard: Why Children Kill: The Story of Mary Bell by Gitta Sereny

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Cries Unheard: Why Children Kill: The Story of Mary Bell     

Author: Gitta Sereny

Publisher: Metropolitan Books

American release date: April 13, 1999

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Criminology/416 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

In 1968, Mary Bell (age eleven) and Norma Bell (age thirteen) were arrested for the murder of two little boys – Martin Brown (age four) and Brian Howe (age 3). The arrests shocked Great Britain, as well as the rest of the world. Children killing children? What was wrong with these girls? The world looked on in horror as they were sent to trial. Norma Bell (no relation to Mary) was acquitted of the crimes, but Mary was convicted and incarcerated. Of course, they didn’t send her to prison right away, that came later. The judge who sentenced her called her a monster. Was it possible for such a young child to be a monster? Or was there more to the story that no one bothered to look into?

Gitta Sereny covered the trial when it happened. Her first book on the subject was The Case of Mary Bell. She never lost touch with Mary, even after her release in 1980. Mary wanted to be left alone, and refused offers from various sources for her story. It wasn’t until after the death of her mother, Betty Bell, that Gitta contacted her again and she agreed to talk to her and to tell her story. This is her story.

To say she came from a troubled home would be an understatement. Mary’s mother was seventeen when she had her and immediately wanted “the thing” taken away. During the first four years of Mary’s life, she tried to kill her four times. From the ages of four to eight, she allowed her to be sexually abused (Betty was a prostitute). But no one took any of that into consideration when they tried her as if she were an adult.

I remember reading about the case in the newspaper back in 1968 and I was shocked, of course (I am just a little older than Mary myself). I’ve never forgotten about what happened, so when I found out about this book, I had to read it. It made me reevaluate what I thought about Mary and what she did. She should have never been tried, she should have been helped. Her cries for help fell on deaf ears, though.  At her tender age, children have no concept of the finality of death. The biggest reason why Norma Bell was acquitted and Mary convicted had to do with their support systems – Norma’s family was there for her, and Mary’s was not.

Major reforms need to happen in regard to children who commit such crimes below a certain age. Another case that is mentioned in the book has to do with the torture and murder of young James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys. They too received early release from their life sentences. Today Mary lives with her daughter and her partner in anonymity. She is not the child she once was. I can’t help but admire her resilience and strength after all she has been through, especially with her horrible mother. This book is important for us to gain an understanding and show compassion for children, who don’t always know what they are doing.  They aren’t adults and should not be treated that way, even if they commit adult crimes. We shouldn’t let their cries go unheard.

Book Review: Spy x Family, Vol 11 by Tatsuya Endo

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Spy x Family, Vol 11       

Author: Tatsuya Endo

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: March 19, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Comedy manga/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Loid Forger, aka Twilight, has a cover as a psychiatrist at a local hospital where he is loved by patients and staff alike. But there is one man who does not care for Loid at all – Chief Medical Director, Gerald Gorey.  Fiona, aka Nightfall, points out that Gorey is not only envious of Loid, but he has also been grumbling about him. This could be bad. Loid has to do his best to make the director look more competent than he himself is, which will be no easy task!

Yor Forger, aka Thorn Princess, comes up against an opponent who calls himself Steel-Gut Gullickson! She takes him down but hurts her hands in the process! She gives her family a cover story about a fire door. With unfortunate timing, Yuri Briar unexpectedly has the day off and comes to spend it with his sister. Alarmed at her injuries, he berates Loid that he has to help her (although he always does).  Yuri is determined to hold a competition – him against Loid – to prove which of them is more useful to Yor.

The Red Circus is an extremist group who have largely disbanded. But rumors have arisen that the leader is back in the country. What could they be up to? Meanwhile, some of the classes at Eden Academy are taking a field trip to the Berlint Museum, including Anya’s class. Having read Loid’s mind regarding his relationship with his Chief Medical Director, Anya determines to apply those techniques to Damien Desmond, aka Sy-on Boy.  But these plans go awry when terrorists board the bus and take it over!  Loid is out of town on assignment, and Anya has no way of contacting Yor. The terrorists know exactly who they’ve kidnapped, and they plan to make use of who these kids’ parents are! Things don’t look good for Anya and Sy-on Boy and the other kids!

I just love this series so much! In the first story, poor Loid has to mask his usual brilliance in order to keep the peace, no easy task! The second story made me laugh, with Yuri competing with Loid to help Yor (and he is just no competition for him). The last story is the best, with Anya using her abilities as an empath to her advantage so she can remain calm in a crisis, which the others mistake for her having nerves of steel. Whatever works, right? If you like the manga, you’ll like the anime. I just ordered Season 1 on Blu Ray.  I have pre-ordered the next volume and hope there will be more after that. At some point, I expect all the secrets to come out. At that point, they can create a whole new crime-fighting Forger family, not to mention I believe the Forgers will become a real family and not just a pretend one.

Book Review: In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires by Radu Florescu and Raymond T McNally

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In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires (revised)    

Author: Radu Florescu and Raymond T McNally

Publisher: Mariner Books

American release date: October 31, 1994

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/History/320 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Everyone has heard of the infamous vampire Count Dracula, immortalized by Bram Stoker in his novel Dracula, first published in 1896. But not everyone knows that there was a real Dracula, Vlad Dracula, aka Vlad Tepes, a Wallachian prince who lived in the 15th century, a powerful ruler who was both feared and admired by people of his time. (And yes, Transylvania is a real place!)

Dracula experts Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally have taken their original book, first published in 1972, and completely revised and updated it. The real Dracula’s story is a fascinating one, filled with violence and intrigue. The authors explore his life and the circumstances that molded his character. The things he did were often cruel, but at the same time he was a product of his times, a violent era filled with wars and shifting political and religious allegiances. It’s hard to know who to trust when even your own family conspires against you, and survival depends on caution and knowing when to act. There is no doubt he did some terrible things, especially impaling many people, innocent women and children among them. But even to this day, he is revered as a hero by people in his own country.

This book delves into his life, as well as the life of author Bram Stoker, who brought the Romanian prince back to life, so to speak, in the form of his vampire count.  Did you know that Stoker was gay? Besides being an author, he was a long-time manager of the famous actor Henry Irving, whom he also had a crush on. In the section on Stoker, the authors talk about the research that went into the writing of Stoker’s novel. They also discuss the vampire on stage, in fiction, and on film.  The appendixes include stories about Dracula told by people of various nationalities. For example, there are the Turkish ambassadors who appeared before him, wearing turbans. When Dracula requested they remove the turbans, the men said they could not for national reasons. So Dracula assisted them in their desire to keep them on by driving nails through the turbans into their heads and sent them back to their sultan. (Keep in mind, Dracula had good reason not to like the sultan, and had been held hostage by him for five years as a boy).

This book was very fascinating, and is a must-have for anyone who enjoys history and Dracula, whether the real one or the fictional one.  These authors are foremost in their field for a reason.

Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 13 Review

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Assassination Classroom, Vol 13       

Author: Yusei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: December 6, 2016

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Action Adventure Manga//200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Still holding the students of Class 3E hostage, the Grim Reaper watches as Karasuma comes to the rescue, seemingly undeterred by the traps the Reaper has laid. So then he unleashes what he believes to be his ultimate weapon – Irina! But she is also being used as bait, and he explodes the ceiling on both of them. Irina is pinned under the rubble, but Karasuma fails to be ensnared. Still in contact with Koro Sensei and the students, he explains what happened and intends to move on, but they plead for him to help Irina, explaining how she is still young herself and the product of her upbringing. He should be understanding and forgive her.

The Grim Reaper turns his attention back to his hostages and is shocked and dismayed to find they’ve escaped!  But how? Frustrated, he detonates the collars around their necks. Turnabout being fair play, now Irina is being used as bait… for the Grim Reaper. When he takes it, Karasuma is ready, and now the two of them are going to face off! Will it be to the death?

Koro Sensei decides to play career counselor to his students, asking them what they plan to do for a vocation – assuming they assassinate him, of course. If they don’t, then no one has a future, do they? The students make some surprising choices, including Nagisa, who feels he should become a professional assassin!

Nagisa’s classmates and teacher are unaware of his horrific home life with his controlling mother. She decides she wants him out of Class 3E, for his own good, no matter what it takes. Not only is she abusive, but she has treated him like a girl for years, wishing she’d had a daughter instead of a son. She decides she will talk to Nagisa’s home room teacher and get him transferred to the main building, despite Nagisa’s efforts to dissuade her from going there. What can they do? Unfortunately, Karasuma is unavailable, and Irina is a poor choice, as they discover. That only leads Koro Sensei, which is cause for great concern, despite his attempts to disguise himself as Karasuma. During the interview, it quickly becomes apparent how unstable Nagisa’s mother really is. Just when it seems that maybe everything will turn out all right after they return home, his mother drugs him and takes him to the classroom in the dead of night, demanding her son burn it down with his own two hands! This can’t end well, can it?

It’s time for the School Festival! Class A is determined to get revenge on Class E, and everyone is stoked to find out how the two rivals will fare against one another.  Koro Sensei’s students feel they are at a disadvantage, being isolated on the mountain as they are. Who will want to trudge up there for cheap eats? But Koro Sensei shows them how to turn disadvantages to advantages!

This volume of the series sees the students deal with the Grim Reaper once and for all… hopefully.  They are able to utilize the skills they’ve learned from Koro Sensei so far and learn some more. We learn a lot about Irina’s backstory and what has made her what she is. It’s easy to forget she’s not much more than a child herself, one who’s had to grow up in a harsh environment and make difficult choices. Karasuma is beginning to change as well. Perhaps he’s not as hard as he appears to be. Nagisa’s mother is just nuts. What he has to deal with is horrible. I wonder if he becomes an assassin, will she be his first target?

I love the ingenuity of Koro Sensei and the class as they brainstorm how to do well in the upcoming festival, which continues into the next volume. This was a lot of fun, looking forward to seeing what they are able to do, and hopefully outsell Class A, even if they cheat (which of course they will)

Book Review: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

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The Hobbit       

Author: JRR Tolkien

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

American release date: January 1, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Hardcover/Epic Fantasy/314 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who lives in a hole in the ground in a place called The Shire, along with a number of other hobbits, some of whom are related to Bilbo. He leads a rather peaceful existence there. He loves his meals, and he loves his pipe, and he loves the quiet pace of life in The Shire. Then one day he meets an old man with a staff, a pointy blue hat, a long gray cloak and a long white beard. The man identifies himself as Gandalf, a wizard, whom Bilbo vaguely remembers meeting some years before and recalls he shot off spectacular fireworks. Gandalf prophesies that Mr. Baggins will have great adventures. Bilbo politely scoffs and says no thank you, he is not that sort of hobbit, but little is he aware that the adventures are about to begin…

Later, an unexpected knock at his door reveals a dwarf named Dwalin, who makes himself at home in Bilbo’s hole upon admission, and apparently he is very hungry. What else is a good host to be but feed his guest, expected or not. Hmmm, dwarves do eat a lot, don’t they? Another knock and here comes Balin. His arrival is followed by that of Fili and Kili, and then others, last of whom announces himself as Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain. The presence of thirteen dwarves makes his hole seem much smaller than it is, and how quickly they eat their way through his food supplies that were meant to last for some time. Bilbo is beside himself. When he asks why they are there, they say they came to the door with the mark on it, as instructed, but Bilbo sees no such mark and demands to know who instructed them thus. And then Gandalf arrives and the gathering is complete as the wizard proceeds to tell them what’s up. Well, everyone else knows what’s going on, except for Bilbo. Apparently, the dwarves, being thirteen in number, can clearly not embark upon their task without gaining a fourteenth member, as everyone knows thirteen is unlucky, and Gandalf has been kind enough to recommend Mr. Baggins. As what, the confused hobbit asks. Why, as a burglar, they respond.

Now Bilbo, besides being a Baggins is also a Took, and the Tooks have been known to do some adventurous things at times. While the Baggins side of him says no, definitely not, the Took side stirs. Which is why the next morning finds him chasing after Gandalf and the dwarves, waving the contract they’d left for him, in order to join their numbers. And now the adventure begins…

The Hobbit is the first book in an adventure series which will lead to the three books that comprise The Lord of the Rings. As Shakespeare once said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” I believe Bilbo is the last of those, for he was very reluctant to embark upon such an undertaking, not being a burglar at all. But as the adventure progresses, we see the qualities in him that made him the perfect choice for this role, as he rises to each and every occasion, although not without some missteps along the way.

Heroes come in all sizes, and Bilbo Baggins is no exception. While some people claim The Hobbit (and the Lord of the Rings for that matter) to be an allegory, Tolkien says absolutely not, and I have to go with the author rather than mere bystanders. It’s a beautifully written fantasy about hobbits and dwarves, elves and wizards, goblins and shifters, and all manner of creatures. I think it’s mostly about finding the courage within yourself to follow your dreams, to be the best you that you can be.  I love this book. This particular edition is part of a set of four hardcover books that came together in a box. They are compact and beautifully illustrated. I recommend this book for adults and young people alike. Parents can have fun reading this book to their kids.

Book Review: The Way of the Househusband, Vol 11 by Kousuke Oono

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The Way of the Househusband, Vol 11     

Author: Kousuke Oono

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: February 20, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Comedy/168 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Tatsu and Miku head to a theme park for a little fun, but everywhere they go, someone is muscling in on them – none other than Tora, who is there with his sister, Koharu. Everywhere they go, the two couples seem to keep running into each other, with the men trying to outdo each other. Can Miku and Koharu keep these two in check?

Masa is looking for new digs because his landlady is threatening to kick him out if he’s late with the rent again! Tatsu goes with him to do some recon, but the realtors seem kind of shady. The trouble is, Masa doesn’t have a lot of money. Can he make do with what he can afford, with the help of Tatsu? And can he overlook some of the problems?

The small café where Tatsu works during the day becomes a bar at night. A new client who enters the premises is dismayed by the strong Yakuza presence. But he quickly learns that appearances can be deceiving as he pours his heart out to them.

When Miku asks Masa if he’s made any progress at cooking, he offers to cook them something from whatever Tatsu has on hand. When Miku shows off her skills with ramen, Masa knows he can do better, given the chance. Will he manage to impress his boss, or will Tatsu have to school him once again?

Miku’s friend gives her an old camera, and Tatsu suddenly becomes camera-shy, telling her not to point it at him. To please Miku, they head off for a day of photography, and all is well, until something unexpected starts to show up in the photos.

Tatsu doesn’t like the way his clothes smell when dried inside because of the rain so he orders a secret weapon – a professional grade laundry dehumidifier! Tatsu declares war on odors, and that includes Gin!

Tatsu learns about a new and improved product that has five times the lactic acid bacteria, is good for stress relief, and improves sleep quality. But when he tries to purchase some, he’s told the product is sold out! Of course, he can pay a high price for it on the black market. Tatsu’s mission is to find a source of Yakmil Y – cause he’s gotta have it!

Tatsu and Miku receive thank you gifts in the mail from the hometown tax donation program – marbled matsukata steaks! Miku wants the cooking to commence, but Tatsu tells her that’s not the way to do it. They have to let the steaks rest until dinner the next day. All day, they manage to get through each of their days by remembering the dinner that is to come!

A young reporter visits the Katagi Shopping District, but she is rather brash and impolite in some of her language. When she enters the café where Tatsu works, she immediately accuses everyone of being Yakuza! Time she learned who she is really dealing with!

In Bonus Story 1, Tatsu prepares to take his tea like a gentleman,  and in Bonus Story 2, the young reporter spends some time with Gin. In the third Bonus story, a boss rallies his employees to do their best at Katagy Land!

I never get tired of reading about Tatsu and his adventures, to be honest, so I hope he keeps writing them for a long time to come. I especially like stories with Tatsu and Miku, or Tatsu and Masa, or the three of them together. I loved the first story, with Tatsu and Tora posturing at the theme park, Katkagy Land, which also features in one of the bonus stories.  I’m afraid one of the stories didn’t exactly resonate with me, the one with the Yakmil Y, but I think it was because Tatsu was portrayed as some kind of addict I that one, but that doesn’t mean others won’t enjoy that one too. That didn’t deter me from enjoying the entire book, already pre-ordered the next one!

Book Review: Spy x Family: Family Portrait (Spy x Family Novels) by Aya Yajima

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Spy x Family: Family Portrait (Spy x Family Novels     

Author: Aya Yajima

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: February 20, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/YA Light Novel/Comedy/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The best spy in Westalis is the secret agent whose code name is Twilight, his real name unknown. He is indeed a master of disguise. His new assignment concerns a high-level minister in Ostania, Donovan Desmond, who is believed to be a warmonger. Twilight must find out what Desmond’s plans are before they can come to fruition. But the man is elusive, and rarely goes out among other people. The only sure way to get to him is through the prestigious Eden Academy, which his son attends. But to do so, Twilight needs a wife and child, neither of which he possesses!  And so Twilight has become Loid Forger, and he finds a wife and child – Yor and Anya – both of whom possess skills he is unaware of. The mission is on.

Mission 1:  Anya’s class at Eden Academy is going on an overnight camping trip! While Yor is apprehensive, as Anya hasn’t been anywhere overnight before, Anya realizes this could be very important for her Papa (Anya is a telepath, unknown to both Loid and Yor, and knows about Operation Strix). Anya comes up with her own plan, calling it Operation Camp Friends. But she is also a bit scatterbrained and, by the time they arrive at camp, the plan is forgotten. Everything Anya does seems to irritate Donovan Desmond’s son, Damian. The worst comes when they are assigned to partner for a task and, thanks to Anya, they get lost in the woods!

Mission 2: Yuri Briar is Yor’s younger brother. Yuri adores Yor, who raised him since he was little and sacrificed much for him. He’d do anything for her and is very unhappy with her marriage to Loid Forger, which he doesn’t realize is fake. He also isn’t especially fond of Anya, but he really hates Loid. When Yor asks him to come over, he is overjoyed… until he discovers the reason. But he can’t turn her down, which is how he ends up babysitting Anya.

Mission 3: Franky is in the spy business, an associate of Twilight, who provides him with intel, equipment, and whatever else he might need. But he resents that Loid treats him more like a personal assistant and assumes much, including having Franky walk the family dog, Bond (who can see the future, by the way, unknown to everyone but Anya, who can read his mind).  Franky (who Anya calls Scruffy) finds himself seeing a doctor at the hospital after his last interaction with Twilight. But leaving the hospital, he gets lost and ends up in a courtyard where he hears someone singing. He follows the voice to find a beautiful young woman. Afraid to talk to her at first, he discovers that she is blind, so he grows bolder, and they begin a friendship. Considering the nature of what Franky does, though, can their relationship last?

Mission 4: Loid has to make sure his family looks like a normal family to outsiders, so sometimes they have to do typical family things. Today he is taking them to the park for a picnic. While there, they are approached by a young art student, who wants to paint them. When he tells Loid his name, Loid recognizes it at once. This young man is actually a famous artist! Loid is afraid that any painting of the fake Forger family might end up in a very public place, seen by many people, and someone just might be able to blow their cover. What is he to do?

Short Story: In a quaint restaurant in Ostania, some of the staff discuss their feelings about the customers they serve, and how appearances can be deceiving. One of those regulars just happens to be the Forger family.

This book is a novelization of the Spy x Family manga/anime.  As such, I was skeptical but I bought it anyway because, well, it’s Twilight and he is amazing (I have a little Twilight figurine by my laptop 😊) And yes, there is a lot of exposition, because the author couldn’t assume everyone has read the manga and would know everything. Novelizations don’t tend to be as good as the original by nature of being written by someone other than the author. But as I was reading, I found myself slipping deeper and deeper into the way she portrayed the characters. These are not stories we saw in the manga, so it’s fresh material, and I enjoyed them greatly, especially Mission 2, which is saying a lot because I am not a fan of Yuri Briar. Mostly because he wants to kill Loid lol  If he only realized that Loid is Twilight, well…

At any rate, I ended up really liking this book a lot and I hope they do more of these. I understand there are novelizations of other series, such as Demon Slayer and Blue Exorcist, both of which manga I’ve read. I might have to look for those. I do recommend this if you are a fan of Spy X Family.

Book Review: Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Internment Camp to a Life of Service by Connie Goldsmith with Kiyo Sato

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Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Interment Camp to a Life of Service     

Author: Connie Goldsmith with Kiyo Sato

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books

American release date: September 1, 2020

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Historical Biography/136 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

December 7, 1941 was a traumatic occasion for all Americans, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, but especially for those Americans of Japanese heritage. The government, in its overly suspicious infinite wisdom, decided the best thing to do in order to avoid having subversives inside the country, was to round up these citizens and send them to places where they could be closely guarded. For the safety of the nation.

Kiyo Sato was one of nine children of Shinji and Tomomi Sato. Her parents came from Japan and started not only a farm, but a family, in the Sacramento area.  President Franklin Roosevelt signed two executive orders in 1942, ordering the internment of the Japanese Americans on the West Coast.  Perhaps the reasoning was that they were closer to Japan and more likely to be spies. The Satos were sent to a camp in Poston, Arizona. This is their story, as related by Kiyo Sato, the oldest of the nine siblings, to Connie Goldsmith.

Looking back from a great distance, it sems inconceivable that American citizens could be treated this way simply because of their heritage. Many of them had never even been to Japan and couldn’t speak Japanese. Because they had to leave most everything behind, many of them lost their homes, their livelihoods and most of what they owned, including beloved pets. They were only permitted to bring one suitcase per person. One internment camp was an abandoned racetrack, where people slept in the former horse stalls under very unsanitary conditions.

This is a heartbreaking story, and yet it’s also a story of hope and resilience of spirit, and how one family endured and thrived.  The Japanese have a saying: shikata ga nai – accept what cannot be changed. However, it is appalling to me that this ever happened, and year s later the courts agreed that there was no need for this to take place.  The survivors were awarded reparations, but no amount could change what happened or give them that time back. This country should be ashamed of having their version of the German concentration camps, call them what you will. Hard to take the high moral ground after that.

I am privileged to know the niece of Kiyo Sato, Pamela Sato, who is the person who told me about the book. I think all Americans should know what their country is/was capable of – think Guantanamo Bay. I highly recommend this book. Also, Kiyo wrote a book in her own words, Kiyo’s Story, which I intend to read.