Y.S. Stephen - Reader | Casual Observer

  The Decagon House Murders (Volume 1) is based on Yukito Ayatsuji's 1987 mystery novel. The plot is about a university mystery club whose members took a vacation on a remote island where they stayed in a house that happens to be a crime scene. An unknown assailant had killed a family in that house many years ago in a manner that attracted the nation's attention. The manga focuses on the characters within the club, their individual theories about the murder case, as well as the strange happenings that are occurring both on and off the island. LIKES The art is good to look at and the characters are distinct enough. The dialogue flows very well and the background to the story is well-explained. In short, this is a tale that is easy to get into. DISLIKES I find it difficult taking The Decagon House Murders seriously. Apart from the weird codenames that are forced on many of the characters, the plot seemed contrived as some of the situations the characters are put i...

  Championess is the story of Elizabeth and Tess, based on the real-life story of Elizabeth Wilkinson, an 18th-century mixed-race bare-knuckle female boxer living in London. In this graphic novel, we explore how Elizabeth fought against poverty, betrayal, racism, and many other obstacles to establishing herself as one of the best pugilists of that period. LIKES The story flows like a movie. The plot is smooth and there is a bit of surprise sprinkled here and there, keeping me invested all through. Also, the colour scheme fits the overall mood of the story and the fight scenes are dynamic enough to make readers pause long enough to enjoy the art. DISLIKES None. WHO THIS IS FOR Fans of boxing, historical graphic novels, and seekers who want to learn what it takes to build their own stuff amid stiff opposition will find interesting stuff in this book. Many thanks to Legendary Comics for providing a review copy.

  The Secret Of Chocolate is an author's journey through the process of making chocolate. It details the process and procedure of making chocolate confectionery and the care that goes into it. Through the eyes and hands of chocolate makers and cocoa producers, we are able to share the joy of growing a crop that goes into making one of the most delectable treats in the world. THINGS I LOVE IN THIS BOOK The enthusiasm of the author is infectious. It is clear he loves chocolate and the process of making it. Through his eyes, the reader is able to appreciate the efforts and techniques that go into creating some of the most popular treats on the market today. DISLIKES The font choice for this book is not suitable for the eyes. It is curly and requires extra attention to decipher some of the phrases used. It is a poor choice of font, if I may say so. WHO THIS IS FOR If you love chocolate and are curious about the level of creativity and toil that goes into making it, there ...

Crossroads: I Live Where I Like is a graphic novel that retells some parts of the South African apartheid story through the lens of gender and housing. In this book, we see how South African women organised and resisted the government's attempt to bulldoze Crossroads, a settlement created by women who had nowhere to live because of the government's segregation policies. THINGS I LOVE IN THIS BOOK Crossroads contains diverse accounts (more than 50 witnesses) of the atrocities committed during the apartheid period. The book explains the origins of the underhanded tactics used by the government to sow distrust and division within black communities. DISLIKES None. WHO THIS IS FOR Those interested in the historical happenings during the South African apartheid regime will find new perspectives and narratives here. Many thanks to PM Press for providing a review copy.

  The Famous Quartet of Piraeus is a biographical graphic novel that explores the lives and careers of a band of four Greek musicians pre-World War Two. The band is formed in a cafe around 1934 and did go on to record multiple records to critical acclaim. Their success catches the eye of authorities who are displeased at some of the quartet's lyrics. THINGS I LOVE IN THIS BOOK The colour profile complements the story and its timeline. The dialogue is natural and the book does not seem to shy away from uncomfortable themes like infidelity, bribery, drug addiction, etc DISLIKES Some of the Greek words used in the book may be confusing for those unfamiliar with the language. WHO THIS IS FOR The Famous Quartet of Piraeus is for any music enthusiast who loves the historical side of it. Many thanks to Europe Comics for providing a review copy.

"It is helpful to be categorical and unsentimental on this score:... there is no way of parenting that does not inflict some form of psychological damage on children. The most psychotherapised person in the world will not be able to avoid generating neuroses; there is no such thing as a blameless parent. Above the door of the nursery, the most emotionally mature parent should still hand a sign: 'I love you - but I will give you issues.' The Good Enough Parent explains what parents do to sabotage their children and what can be done to mitigate that. This is a book that wants to help parents reconnect with what childhood feels like and how regaining that sort of perspective can help their children. THINGS I LOVE IN THIS BOOK The author does not beat the parents over or claim to hold any particular secret knowledge. All we are being exhorted to do here is to understand what being a child feels like as well as develop an understanding of our own person as a paren...

  "There is no universal truth about happiness. It is subjective and unique to each person. Even as someone poor thinks wealth would make them happy, a few wealthy people might look at their seemingly loving families and feel that being wealthy has robbed them of that love..." Ajibade's Living By The Script is a book that seeks to steer us away from modern definitions of a good life towards our own brand of success. It reads like a manifesto in finding out what success means to us and how to lay hold of it. THINGS TO LOVE IN THIS BOOK This is a self-help book written in a clear and lucid style. The reasonings in the boom are not ambiguous and there are many examples to back up the principles Ajibade wants us to learn about living this one life we have got. DISLIKES Living By The Script falls short of the lofty aims it set out to achieve. While the book is littered with many examples, there are not enough stories from Ajibade's own personal experiences to ...