Glass Wings

A collection of stories in which characters are afflicted with some sort of physical and/or mental ailment, but regardless of all the obstacles and interferences, love prevails against the odds.

Grade 9 Up–This collection of stories all touching on the power of love has promise but never really takes off. The settings and backgrounds of the stories are ignored in favor of mere presentation of characters, ornamentally drawn with ribbons and frills. In the title piece, readers meet a tiny waif who has just attempted suicide. Her ethereal soul mate, Ruri, promises devotion, despite being infected with Death Blood–a plot mention that is meant to add danger but only comes up once in a while. A sorceress tries to steal Ruri away, and later a young soldier seeking vengeance for his dead sister tries to murder them. Although readers are expected to root for the young lovers because–apparently–they are so mangarific, the other two characters have far more emotionally connecting backstories. Sadly, the final author's note tells of an intriguing plotline involving the sorceress that is never even approached. The remaining pieces continue the strange theme of individuals falling for people who resemble their dead lovers, and then wanting to kill them. In general the artwork is overdone with each figure too stylized and each article of clothing bejeweled to the max. Scenery, never manga's strong suit, appears only as an afterthought, to the detriment of the story's pacing.–John Leighton, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
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