Death Note - Volumes 1 and 2
Death Note was one the things that inspired this post about the difficulties of comparing books with comics/manga.
I'd been looking for something else to read in the manga line since Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles finished and I'd had Death Note recommended to me, several Halloweens ago while I was on a fencing social. The recommendation came from one of the bar staff at the Landsdowne. And I thought, well if it's good enough that people are singing its praises to random strangers, then it's probably worth a read. I saw Volume 1 on sale at Waterstones so I bought it.
I'm very glad I did. The first volume, while good and solid, is mostly straight forward, mostly just letting us get to know the characters. It wasn't the "OMG so awesome" I'd been lead to believe but I got the second volume.
And it was so worth it.
Because the first volume was spent getting to know the characters, what happens in volume 2 matters so much more.
Like the thing at the TV station where third policeman from left dies and you're sad because you know about him, his quirks and his character.
And when it looks like Light might get caught, I'm not worried about him (I am so over Nietzsche-wannabes*), I'm worried about Inspector Yagami, because finding out is going to kill him. And Light's mother and sister, and they're so nice and he really doesn't deserve them.
Then there's Misa, and you suddenly get why two separate shingami fell for her, and that she's dangerous but she needs help more than anything else.
And while I don't like Light, it's interesting to see him try to stay one step ahead of L, while not having total knowledge of the power of the Death Note. And of course, it's interesting seeing L trying to catch Light, while not knowing what the Death Note can do.
Looking forward to cracking open volume 3.
* Help, spell-check has Nietzsche-wannabes pre-entered on its memory.
I'd been looking for something else to read in the manga line since Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles finished and I'd had Death Note recommended to me, several Halloweens ago while I was on a fencing social. The recommendation came from one of the bar staff at the Landsdowne. And I thought, well if it's good enough that people are singing its praises to random strangers, then it's probably worth a read. I saw Volume 1 on sale at Waterstones so I bought it.
I'm very glad I did. The first volume, while good and solid, is mostly straight forward, mostly just letting us get to know the characters. It wasn't the "OMG so awesome" I'd been lead to believe but I got the second volume.
And it was so worth it.
Because the first volume was spent getting to know the characters, what happens in volume 2 matters so much more.
Like the thing at the TV station where third policeman from left dies and you're sad because you know about him, his quirks and his character.
And when it looks like Light might get caught, I'm not worried about him (I am so over Nietzsche-wannabes*), I'm worried about Inspector Yagami, because finding out is going to kill him. And Light's mother and sister, and they're so nice and he really doesn't deserve them.
Then there's Misa, and you suddenly get why two separate shingami fell for her, and that she's dangerous but she needs help more than anything else.
And while I don't like Light, it's interesting to see him try to stay one step ahead of L, while not having total knowledge of the power of the Death Note. And of course, it's interesting seeing L trying to catch Light, while not knowing what the Death Note can do.
Looking forward to cracking open volume 3.
* Help, spell-check has Nietzsche-wannabes pre-entered on its memory.