Volume 1 introduced us to Hanako, a Japanese woman who has traveled to England from far-off Japan to meet her favorite author, during Victoria’s reign. To support herself, Hanako has taken up being a maid, and she is hired to be the personal maid for the daughter of a Duke, Alice. Alice is not sickly at all, but there is something melancholy about her. Alice promises to introduce Hanako to Victor Franks, Hanako’s favorite author.  We learn that Alice has previously fallen in love with her governess. As Volume 1 closes, it is apparent to Alice’s fiance, Edward, that Alice’s feelings for Hanako are heading in the same direction.

In Volume 2 of Sayonara Rose Garden (さよならローズガーデン), Alice is struggling to keep it together and Hanako is struggling to understand her. When she learns of Alice’s love affair with her old governess, Hanako is completely accepting…only now she has a secret she is keeping from Alice! When Hanako takes ill, Alice discovers her secret and is, frankly, shocked, They have something unexpected in common, but what does it mean for them? Alice, moved to try and figure out what they are to one another gives up her last secret, and introduces Hanako to Victor Franks, at last.

As I said, in Volume 1, this book feels at times like it was originally intended to be a penny dreadful or horror set in Victorian England. It’s not. It is a bit melodramatic, several of the “secrets” were either hinted at broadly or plainly given away to us, so only Alice or Hanako who feel surprise. That aside, there’s any number of times where the conversations around Hanako and Alice feel as if they might become darker…they certainly could do…but they don’t. Instead we’re allowed to focus entirely on the drama between Alice and Hanako and the even more dramatic struggles Alice is having with herself.

Dr. Pepperco’s art is solid, a little lightly melodramatic or over-decorated as needed to give this “Victorian England” color. Clothing is carefully rendered, faces are less so. But the story is solid and I’m still enjoying it.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Service – 3
Yuri – 6

Overall – 7

Luckily you too will be able to enjoy this series very soon, as Seven Seas has licensed it! Goodbye, My Rose Garden Volume1 is heading our way in spring. I’ll look forward to your reactions.

In Volume 1, we met Akira, a high school student who tended to avoid other people and Pure the transfer student who calmly informs Akira that in 7 years, they will be lovers. In Volume 2, we watch Akira warm up to the other girl. The book ends as Pure confesses her feeling (once again) in front of the whole school. Akira, finally ready to reciprocate Pure’s  feelings, runs after her, only to find her…gone.

In Strawberry Fields wo Mou Ichido, Volume 3 ( ストロベリー・フィールズをもう一度), we find out that we’ve been reading a book about time-travel all along. Pure wasn’t making it up – she came from a future in which they had been lovers. So, why was she traveling backwards at all? Because Akira’s brother Ruri had caused the timeline to diverge from its original path.

Ruri meets a woman, Sumire, with the ability to reverse time and hopes that, by using her power, he can save his mother from dying in an accident and keep his family together. But the more they meddle, the further away they get from his desired outcome. And, Sumire realizes that if he brings his mother back, he and Akira will never be born. So they decide to try to re-establish the right timeline. Pure discovers their time machine and reverses time to find Akira again.

We see alternate timelines with Pure and Akira missing each other over and over, then further alternate timelines where one or the other of them is hurt in an accident, but they stick together and eventually they manage to find their original timeline…or one that is functionally the same. They do indeed become lovers and while Mom remains deceased. Ruri and Akira are never going to be friends with their Dad’s new wife, but they do like their younger half-sister. Pure and Akira are married and they live happily every after, as we see in a short epilogue.

Because I hadn’t really taken the time-travel thing seriously at the beginning, this book took me three readthroughs to make it make sense. And then I double checked myself against the author’s note, where the correct order is laid out. The alternate timelines in the middle of volume three confused me the first time around and I almost gave it up as a series that was just messy…until it all clicked. Then I re-read it to make sure I caught everything that was said. I don’t think I’ve given too many books that kind of time, honestly. And I’m not entirely sure this series was worth it.  The plot felt like it had been run through a blender a bit with a lot of exposition at the end. The author’s note felt exactly like a waiter “explaining” food that was pointlessly overcomplicated. ^_^;

But the girls get each other and it does end with a big old wedding (which makes no sense, but why would we insist on sense now?) which was kind of nice so I let it go and just enjoyed the whole mess for what it was. The art was nice enough.

Ratings: 

Art – 7
Story – 7
Character – 7
Service – 2
Yuri – 6

Overall – 7

Not super memorable except for the whole time-travel thing, but it was a pleasant diversion.

In Volume 1, we met Nanoha and Chidori, two high school students who are keeping a secret from their friends – they are going out with each other.

In Hana ni Arashi, Volume 2 (はなにあらし) they keep that secret while their friends talk about their futures, about boys, about what they want for themselves. They share umbrellas in the rain and Chidori comforts Nanoha when thunder upsets her. And they tell each other how they feel.

There is little to no conflict. Shogakukan’s Shonen Sunday magazine isn’t ready for nuance in their Yuri, yet, apparently. Kobachi Ruka’s school life story is relaxing and gentle. Little to no conflict arises and most of the emotions are rooted in sentimentality for a simpler time of life. But, through all this Chidori and Nanoha are, and remain, a couple.

I have no idea yet if this story will evolve, but I can tell you that it continues. It’s already up to volume 6 in Japan!

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 6
Characters – 6
Yuri – 3
Service – 1, mostly on principle

Overall – 6

Volume 3 is in my cart and I’ll give it at least one more chance to do something. I have no objection to nice kids being nice, but this relationship not developing is not super riveting.