Spellbinder by Helen Stringer

Goodreads: Spellbinder

Series: Spellbinder #1

Published: 2009

Source: Purchased

Summary: The gift to see ghosts runs in twelve-year-old Belladonna Johnson’s family, but she never appreciated it until the day the ghosts disappear.  Knowing only that she has to find someone called the Spellbinder, Belladonna and her friend Steve will travel to the Other World and face down a formidable foe in the hopes of preventing the spirits of the dead from vanishing forever.

Review: Armed with a unique premise and a sympathetic heroine, Stringer presents an adventure sure to keep readers flipping pages long after bedtime.  A generous helping of cryptic messages and secret explorations keeps the plot moving along while references to myth and history give the story a enough to ground it in the real world.  Stringer makes it seem quite plausible that readers can encounter dragons and their treasure on the corner, or a passageway to another world in an old, forgotten building.

The subject of the story may initially seem macabre, but the book manages to present seeing ghosts as quite a normal event.  Belladonna interacts with them as she would living people, treating them with respect and developing friendships with them.  Her gift proves especially useful as she can interact with her parents, victims of a fatal car crash.  Readers who dislike scary stories (such as myself) or who feel uncomfortable spending time with books that have an unhealthy fascination with death should therefore not fear to pick up Spellbinder.  Talking with ghosts proves simply a springboard for an otherwise not untypical fantasy adventure.

Though readers will recognize elements of standard fantasy plots—an ancient evil awakened, an alchemist with more to him than meets the eye—Stringer adds enough action and mystery to keep the story moving along.  The main characters, Belladonna and Steve, also help as their normality makes them relatable and their intelligence and good humor makes them likeable. 

The other characters, unfortunately, could use a little more originality.  The majority of the book seems populated by women, most of them strong personalities who command respect through their coldness or severity.  For awhile, it seemed as if I were reading about various projections of the same character.  Belladonna proves that females can be strong without trying to be intimidating or without adopting a sarcastic attitude; why don’t more of the adult characters follow her lead?

The lack of diversified femininity was the one flaw that stuck out to while reading.  Otherwise, I found myself completely engrossed by the mystery and magic of Spellbinder.  It ends conclusively enough that I will feel satisfied if I never find the sequel; however, I would like to enter Belladonna’s unique world sometime again.  

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi

Translated by William Flanagan

Goodreads: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1

Series: Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition #1

Published: 1992

Source: Gift

Summary: Usagi Tsukino lives the life of a normal fourteen-year-old until the day a talking cat named Luna informs her that her true identity is Sailor Moon, a guardian whose mission is to find the Legendary Silver Crystal and the long-lost Moon Princess.  Fighting evil is not easy, however, and Sailor Moon will need to find all the allies she can.

Review: Years ago I watched the anime Sailor Moon and loved it, although now I realize it is sometimes rather cheesy.  Thus, I found myself opening the manga with a sense of nostalgia.  Reading manga is still rather new to me (my first foray into manga was Habemus Papam!), but immediately I found myself transported back into a magical world where girls have the power to save the day--and usually do it in style.

Now that I have the chance the revisit the series, it seems clear to me that the characters are its real strength.  Takeuchi takes care to present each of the sailor scouts as normal girls who have interests, flaws, and talents with which readers can relate.  They portray different types of femininity, but the series never presents one as superior to the other.  Athletic girls, bookish girls, pretty girls, and girls who just like to eat sweets and sleep in--they're all valuable and they all have something to contribute.  Together, they're simply unstoppable.

A really good story needs good presentation, however, and the manga does not disappoint.  It is filled with gorgeous illustrations and I would stop to savor a particularly stunning panel or sometimes flip back just to admire some really great artwork.  The plot is episodic enough that it wants to keep drawing readers through the action (really, I had no idea the anime added so many extra episodes--Sailor Moon meets three of the scouts just in the first volume), so I think it's notable I would sometimes stop.  The translation is sometimes a little funny as characters say things in a more casual or more stilted way than I would have imagined the situation would warrant.  However, it never jarred me out of the story.

I'm not sure the manga has reignited my old love for Sailor Moon, but I'm interested enough that I hope I can continue through the series.  The anime diverges in some places from the manga, so I'm looking forward to discovering the author's original story.