 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | DIGITAL MANGA PUBLISHING | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | AKIRA SUGANO / ETSUMI NNOMIYA | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | ENGLISH / B&W / COLOR | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 200 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | YA | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 08/12/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 09/23/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | HOLLY ELLINGWOOD |
Clear Skies is a charming stand alone novel that both entertains with its comedy and touches the heart with the underlying romance and family bonds in this unique story about love and family. The Obinata siblings have lived rough and hard lives but are a tight knit family. The eldest works as an editor for a manga publisher, the next one is a boxer, the younger a soft spoken and kindly soul, while the last one prefers to dress up in girls clothes and act younger than his age due to his indelibly cute nature. That interesting family dynamic gets thrown a curve ball when Shuu shows up on their doorstep. An old classmate with history with the eldest brother Taiga, the star writer and pleasant man says he has married the family’s rough and wandering wild eldest sister and is now their newest family member. He also has a “son” of his own, the scary looking Yuuta who seems to be more of a yakuza than family. But as they live with the Obinata siblings, family is about to find a whole new way to define itself in this heartwarming tale filled with love and laughter. Although all their lives are turned upside down, connections are made, obstacles overcome and bonding occurs. But when the truth comes out about Shuu’s presence there, many things may be torn asunder. This all new larger family that has come to depend on each other faces being pulled asunder. The story is a touching one. The different relationships between the siblings and their new “father” and his “son” are each explored to reveal poignant character interactions and revelations. The main focus however remains on Taiga the eldest and his hidden past with Shuu. Old feelings long buried are threatening to overflow and if it will forge this family closer or pull it apart. Along with the potential relationship between Shuu and Taiga, there is also an intriguing dynamic between the rough Yuuta and the youngest and same aged member of the family, the girlish boy Mayumi. It would have been great to know how that relationship would have evolved further. The illustrations that lightly pepper the novel are endearing. And it even has a full color cover page of one of the more dramatic scenes in the book.
IN SUMMARY:
You’ll find yourself amused and moved by the funny yet poignant story of Clear Skies, a tale that shows what truly binds a family is love. |
