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Reviewed by Craig Johnson Quincy wouldn't have seen this coming in her wildest dreams. What ordinary girl-next-door would? One minute you're sitting down to tea in your kitchen, talking with a friend, and the next - the man of your dreams comes knocking at your door, and he's looking for YOU. Quincy never expected to be swept off her feet by a gorgeous, world-famous pop star, but now that it's happening, she's not sure she's the right one for him. Swept up in the glamorous thrill of it all, Quincy is worried that it's all happening a little too fast, not to mention her concerns that she's really not the right girl to call a sexy superstar her boyfriend. It's a good thing for Joe that his desire to be with her is as strong as his star appeal! The Good: Totally, totally charming. There’s an interesting love triangle between Quincy (the female lead), Brendan (her father’s young business partner), and Joe (the famous US musician) built up, which feels very right – Quincy has some tough decisions to make, yet is a strong enough woman to stand her ground (only conceding to the date with Joe if her brother gets his long-sought-after games console). There’s also an involving – if somewhat cliched – take on the impact of international stardom on the star’s life: “I just want somewhere to rest, I just want to be myself” that sort of thing. Art-wise there are some excellent scenes, very good (and accurate) backdrops of London, very good country scenes evoking the real English countryside, a superb job. The Bad: Like much romantic fiction, you’ve got to take the lead characters’ behaviour with a pinch of salt. Most everyone acts like an idiot, no-one is prepared to admit they have feelings for anyone else at logical moments, it’s left mostly until the end to resolve the triangle properly (although part of it is given closure two-thirds of the way through). The international stardom thing is overplayed – we get the idea almost from the first scene at Quincy’s house in the country, but it’s rammed home time and again. The Ugly: Like most romantic fiction, readers of a certain mindset will be screaming “just make up your bloody mind” and “just tell him you dopey cow” for a hundred pages. The Verdict: One of the better examples of romantic fiction in this range of books, and, indeed, manga as a whole. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
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