A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori
*A YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens 2012*
I was first drawn to this book by the absolutely stunning artwork. Mori is such a talented artist. I was amazed by the detials she was able to put into the clothing and landscapes.
A Bride's Story is a historical fiction manga, set in the early 1800s on the central Asian silk road. Amira is a 20 year old girl who has recently been given in marriage to a boy 8 years her junior. While this may sound awkward to our modern ears, his maturity and leadership make it believable. Amira is a super cool chick who is an expert horsewoman, can shoot a hawk out of the sky with her bow and arrow, and is generally just the nicest person around. When her old family decides they need her back so she can be married off to a more politically affluent family, her new family and town rally for a big throwdown. Dotted with little day to day experiences of life during this time period, I found myself entranced by the characters and the lifestyle. The character of Mr. Smith, an Englishman living in the area in order to conduct research, helps give clarity on certain cultural habits and beliefs.
Romance, cool horsebackriding, great fights, and some awesome shots with a bow make this a great read. It's worth it just for the illustrations!
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