In Volume 1, we met Ruby, a student at a prestigious girls’ school who, because of family problems, stays at school over the holidays with only one other student – the alluring and standoffish Steph. As the volume closed, Ruby’s parents tell her that they are divorcing and her mother explains that she’ll need to leave the school, but Ruby believes she has found a way to stay.

She’ll take the scholarship exam. Only…her Latin is grades are really bad. Once again, she turns to Steph. Steph agrees to tutor Ruby. Which causes friction with another student, Liz. Liz is obsessively close to Steph, in fact Ruby saw them kissing.

A White Rose in Bloom, Volume 2,begins as the tension between Liz and Ruby has exploded in public. Each of them bearing the red mark of the other’s anger on their cheeks, they are called in to the Headmistress’s office..and they come precariously close to losing everything.

The fight with Liz uncovers another complication – Liz and Steph are half-sisters and both children of the Headmistress. Ruby’s no dummy, she keeps her mouth closed.  As the exam draws closer, it looks like she might make it after all. Until her father shows up at the school and throws a wrench into the whole works.

Nakamura Asumiko-sensei’s ability to create a narrative that exceeds it’s initial setup. What tension there is between Steph and Ruby is shown, but mentioned only briefly. We can all see it, so can Ruby and Steph…and Liz. Steph is old enough to realize what damage her behavior may cause and smart enough to regret it. Ultimately, it is the fact that Steph and Ruby are both sharp-witted that carries this story through to an end of an arc that was vastly better than I imagined it would be, as I read the chapters in Rakuen Le Paradis magazine.

Whether you enjoy Nakamura-sensei’s art is purely personal, but I have grown fond of her unique style. She’s among a handful of artists whose art I can recognize in any context. I genuinely love the variety of faces showing discombobulation and shock that fill her work.

A White Rose in Bloom has the most conventional set-up, but the unconventional ending and the change that it brings to the heaviness of the opening, makes this series totally worth reading.

Great work by Jocelyne Allen on translation, Kat Adler on adaptation and special high marks to Alia Nagamine on lettering and retouch. It’s always so much more time intensive, but it just looks so good. Fantastic work from the team at Seven Seas.

Ratings:

Art – As I say, YMMV, but 8 for me
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Service – 4 Mildly provocative staging from time to time
Yuri – 7

Overall – 9

I’m honestly so glad you all have a chance to read this quirky schoolgirl Yuri series!