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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Going into its fourth volume, Sand Chronicles immediately delivers a reminder that its focus is on the inexorable passage of time--that life goes on, no matter what happens. Ann receives a call letting her know that Fuji has vanished without a word to his family, and the story lingers on that briefly, while she remembers their last conversation and talks to other characters about his disappearance, but time is already passing and her world is changing without him--and without her, back home. When she arrives back in Shimane for the winter holidays, Fuji's absence isn't the only noticeable change. Shika has become part of Ann's group of friends there, and more significantly, people are starting to notice that she might be interested in Ann's boyfriend, Daigo. The two key plotlines in this volume are the mystery of where Fuji's gone (and why he's not contacting anyone) and the stresses that Ann and Daigo's relationship is under as they continue living in different places. Ann's holiday visits home from Tokyo are long enough for them to feel the distance between them but not be able to do much about it, and they're having trouble communicating. Meanwhile, Shika--who's bearing up under pressure from her family's secrets and her brother's absence--is finding it harder to deny her feelings for Daigo when she perceives Ann to be treating him badly. The relationships in Sand Chronicles continue to be beautifully developed. The story doesn't shrink away from following characters' emotional progressions, and doesn't reduce anything to black and white. Ann and Daigo are both presented as genuinely struggling and hurting, as well as sometimes hurting each other, and while it's clear that they care about each other, it's also not treated as inevitable that their romance will survive the literal and emotional distance between them. Similarly, Shika is never written as being a bad person or a bad friend for her interest in Daigo; she doesn't get as much 'onscreen' time as Ann, Daigo, or Fuji, but her crush is treated believably. Still highly recommended. This is an incredible piece of work. Volume 4 of Sand Chronicles includes a two-page glossary of terms and cultural notes at the end of the book. Review copy provided by VIZ Media. 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 |
1 September 2010
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