Book Review- Black Butler vol 8 by Yana Toboso

Title: Black Butler vol 8

 Author:  Yana Toboso

Series:  Black Butler #8

Published: January 2012 by Yen Press

Length: 192 pages

Warnings: Violence, non suggestive situations made suggestive by the artwork 14+

Source: Carrefour (bought in France)

Other info: Reviews of other books in the series are here.

Summary : When one curtain falls upon the big top stage, another rises behind the scenes, as young Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his virtuoso butler, Sebastian, face off against the villain behind the missing children. But as Sebastian, under orders from his master, single-handedly draws the gruesome tale to its sad conclusion on one front, battle lines are drawn on another! With the masterless Phantomhive Manor under attack from the Noah’s Ark Circus and Sebastian nowhere nearby to protect its inhabitants, is Ciel’s home once again headed for the same tragedy that took the lives of the young earl’s parents?

Review: So, the circus troupe are storming Phantomhive Manor. Luckily, the servants are around to take care of things. Meanwhile, Sebastian and Ciel bring the circus arc to a close. Volume seven left with the toupe  planning to invade the manor. Volume 8 starts with this actually happens. And then the three servents...they...yeah.

Character development definitely happens. Well, not so much development, more like seeing the side of these characters that we’ve never seen before. We get Finny beating up the circus’s strong man, Mey-rin showing off her incredible sniper skills, and Bard whipping out a machine gun that has been casually kept in the kitchen. Because, you know, every servant has to be able to do these kinds of things.

Sadly, after this amazing show of badassery, once the arc comes to a close, there’s huge character regression. Back to stupid, crying, useless, comic relief charcters they go.

New character alert! Two shinigami turn up, sorting out the bloodbath at Phantomhive Manor.  It’s nice how even though he appears for six pages, everyone falls in love with Ronald Knox and his mad fun personality. Oh, and William turns up again. So fun. I wish we saw more of the shinigami.

I feel so bad for Doll. At first, I didn’t care for her. Then, in volume 7, she’s so happy and funny that I fell in love with her. And then the guy she’s slightly in love with (Ciel) tells her something that really kills the mood.

The final chapter is completely different. We meet Nina Hopkins, dressmaker to the Middlefords and the Phantomhives. Nina, her being racy (removing her skirt to reveal bloomer/short-y things) and Sebastian stopping her from seeing Ciel’s brand provides welcome comic relief, before we are treated to, most likely, another dark and gory storyline in volume 9.

The art, once again, is extremely detailed. I love Yana’s style, which works for comic and serious storylines. The cover to chapter 36 (Ciel and Doll) is beautiful in black and white, and the colour version (which you can find on the internet) is even better. On a less  properly appreciating art note, I love Undertaker’s boots.

Overall:  Strength 5 tea to a volume that includes a little bit of every reason why I love this manga.

Links: Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads | Publisher website | 

Book hop #8

Welcome to Death Books and Tea!
Here we review books for young adults, normally dystopian, horror, paranormal romance, that thread of things. We also read a lot of manga, and occasionally read other types of books, possibly because our book club is shadowing an award or something like that.
Thank you for coming from Crazy for Books if you're new to this site, and if you're an old follower thank you for coming back!
Please settle down, have tea and cake with us, and if you like this blog, please follow us!

Now for this weeks question...

If you were given the chance to spend one day in a fictional world (from a book), which book would it be from and what would that place be?

Doesn't this sound kind of familiar...oh well... Once again, the world of Black Butler, by Yana Toboso. (review of volumes 1&2 can be found here) Demons, shinigami, chainsaws, zombies, circuses and tea in the Victorian era? Love.

Now your turn...leave a link and I'll stop by at some point in the distant future...

 PS At time of writing, DBT has 75 followers. I promise to do a giveaway if we ever reach 100!

Book Review-Black Butler vol 3 by Yana Toboso

 Title: Black Butler vol 3

 Author: Yana Toboso

Series: Black Butler #3

 Published: 26 October 2010 by Yen Press. Originally published 2007

 Length: 177 pages

Warnings: violence, profanity, gore, minor fanservice

Other info: There’s currently ten volumes out. Four in English. Volume five should be coming out this month.

Summary from Amazon: Terrorizing its populace, Jack the Ripper has shaken London to its very core. But when Sebastian Michaelis, singular butler of the Phantomhive house, lays bare the madman's true identity, all that is left for him to do is eliminate the perpetrator in the name of the Queen and Phantomhive. But inhumanly efficient skills don't guarantee victory when the opponent is just as supernaturally gifted! And though Sebastian may be able to save Ciel from physical harm in the battle that ensues, will the young earl ever recover from the emotional scars it will leave on his heart?

Review: SPOILERS FOR VOL.S 1 AND 2 BUT NOT FOR 3. IF YOU'VE NOT READ THESE TWO, SEE MY REVIEW FOR THEM HERE.

First up, love the cover. Sebastian + cutlery = awesome (but possibly not so if you're on the receiving end of said cutlery)  

This volume continues the fight between Grell, the red death loving Death God/Grim reaper, and Sebastian, the butler from hell who serves a twelve year old boy. The first chapter is half full of action and half flashback of Madame Red's life. The second chapter is more flashback and more action. My favourite part of this chapter is Grell comparing his and Sebastian's relationship to that of Romeo and Juliet- i.e. a complete failure, and Grell quoting Shakespeare, even though it’s pretty obvious that "Wherefore art thou, Sebastian darling" does not work as well as with Romeo.

In the third chapter we get flashbacks of the Phantomhive servants failing at their jobs, even more chainsaw vs. Sebastian action and the introduction of a new death god, William T Spears. Really, half of this volume seems to be made up of speed lines. So much happens.

The fourth chapter is a fitting conclusion to the Jack the Ripper arc, which I can't tell you about without spoilers. The art is especially pretty in this, though some parts are completely random and unexplained, like the flowers that appear out of nowhere.

The final chapter is a filler one, which simply moves us on to the next story arc. It begins with Ciel (the twelve years old with the demon butler) waking up from a nightmare, because he read Edgar Allan Poe before sleeping (random side note: I read Poe when I was twelve before bed and I did not get nightmares). We then meet Lady Middleford, Lizzie's (Ciel's fiancée) mother, who takes a tour of the house, demonstrating the Phantomhive servants' skills at ruining things. She then challenges Ciel to a hunting match. He then protects Lizzie from a bear, which proves to Lady Middleford that he will be a worthy son in law (side note- if he lives long enough. What with being kidnapped and dragged into murder investigations, it’s not really certain as to whether or not Ciel will live to a marriage-able age. Just saying.) And it turns out Sebastian kills the bear with his silverware trick. I must say how much I love Sebastian's silverware trick. Everyone returns to the manner and Lady Middleford wishes Ciel a happy thirteenth birthday. It ends with snow, and the quick introductions of two Indians, leading onto the next story arc/volume.

The story is a good mix of serious scenes, action, and comic relief. The action scenes are well drawn (much better than I could do), but some parts are so busy that it’s hard to work out where to look first.

Another problem I had is with the translation. Take Sebastian's catchphrase, 'aku made shitsuji desu'. I get that they're translating it literally to 'I am merely a butler', but nobody would actually say that. It’s much more fun, more suggestive of his true nature and would simply flow much better if he said 'I am one hell of a butler'. Or maybe it’s just me being too used to the anime subs. But really, manga translators should always think about colloquialism when translating.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed this volume. It packs a lot into it, the art, the story, and the dialogue. It’s mostly serious, but gets interspersed with enough comic relief to stop it being boring. Also, it gets an extra half strength(not that they actually exist) because it features all the coolest characters-Grell, Undertaker, William, Lau, Madame Red, and Edgar Allan Poe.

Overall:  Strength 4.5 tea because of everything I said above. (The picture shows 5 because that’s how you rounding to the nearest whole number works).

In my Mailbox (1)

In my Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Story Siren, in which we show off what new books we have received each week.

This week, I got:

·         Nura: rise of the Yokai Clan vol 1 by Hiroshi Shiibashi

·         Black Butler vol 3 by Yana Toboso

·         Loveless vol 1 by Yun Kouga

·         Matched by Ally Condie

·         Revolution by Jennifer Donnely

·         The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

·         The Gates by Samuel Johnson

·         Ghost of a Chance by Rhiannon Lassiter

I have already read Black Butler 3 and really enjoyed it. I’m especially looking forwards to Revolution and Matched, because I’ve heard great things about them, and The Gates because it seems original.

Not sure exactly when I’ll get time to read them....oh well....

Nina xxx

Ps. Katy's internet is down, and she's not sure when she'll be back.  Apologies for lack of reviews on her part. She's written them, and doesn't know when she'll be able to post.

Book Review-Black Butler vols 1&2 by Yana Toboso

Title:Black Butler
Author: Yana Toboso
Series: Black Butler #1&2
Published by: Yen Press 2009/10
Length; 192 and 194 pages

Warnings: Guns, violence, profanity, m/m fanservice, 14+
Other facts: It is also known as Kuroshitsuji. It was published in a shonen, or teen boy's, magazine in Japan in 2006. Yen Press translated  and published it in English. Yana Tosobo has also written Rust Blaster.An anime series and two musicals have been created. The 5th volume comes out in english in may. there are at least 10 volumes in Japan.
Summary from Goodreads: When a terrible fire claims his parents, Ciel Phantomhive must step up as the head of his father's company and as Earl Phantomhive. It would be a lot for the young boy to handle were it not for his faithful butler, Sebastian. Ever at Ciel's side, it seems there's little Sebastian can't do, whether it's saving a dinner party gone awry or probing the dark secrets of London's underbelly. He's almost too good to be true...or at least, too good to be human...
Review: I won’t normally review two books in one review, but seeing as not much really happens in volume one , I m going to so you get the full idea of this manga. The first half of volume 1 is simply introductions, showing the servants being useless and Sebastian being forced to sort them out. The action doesn’t really get going properly until half way through, but when it does, it is rendered perfectly. Volume 2 follows Ciel and Sebastian investigating the jack the ripper killings, ending in the beginning of a fight between jack the ripper and Sebastian that is continued in volume 3. I really like the characters. Sebastian is the butler from hell - literally, he's a demon who's catchphrase is "I am one hell of a butler"- who will make you cake, show off amazing tea pouring skills and kill any enemies in amusing and ironic ways. Ceil is really sweet, although you don't really find out much about his back-story- you find out in the anime though. The rest of the characters are very clichéd, the useless gardener, stupid maid and creepy undertaker, but with distinctive personalities and are very likeable. Some of these characters are pure comedy relief, which is amusing although it can be hard to believe they belong in the same world as the serious things they accompany. I like its setting, Victorian England, and the vague historical accuracy, even though some aspects are questionable: fake eyelashes and chainsaws, anyone? It’s been well translated, even though a lot of the puns require you to read the translation notes as you go along, or you may feel a little lost. Be warned though, there is a fair bit of undertones of  Sebastian and Ciel in...erm, questionable clothes, positions and situations- this  and a certain scene involving a corset and cross dressing springs to mind. The fanservice mentioned above , whilst being awesome as fanservice in anymanga is, detracts a lot from the point of the story.However, the artwork is beautiful and the action scenes are so awesome. The whole series is a mix of history, supernatural, horror,fan service, a little gallows humour, and a lot of crack.


Overall:I give this strength 5 tea because while the subtle SebastianxCiel undertones slightly distract a lot from the main story, in a good way, overall this is one hell of a manga.

Nina xxx