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砂時計 [Sunadokei] #9
Sand Chronicles, Vol. 9
Can the sands of time heal all wounds?
Twelve-year-old Ann and her divorced mother move from big city Tokyo to her mother's rural hometown. As the years pass, Ann learns to trust and depend on her new friends--Daigo and aristocratic siblings Fuji and Shika. But when Ann moves back to Tokyo to be with her father, will she be able to maintain a long-distance relationship with Daigo?
What were our parents like at our age? We'll never really know... But now you can get a glimpse into the teenage years of the mothers of Ann, Daigo, Fuji and Shika. How was their destiny shaped? Plus, Ann's little sister visits Shika--and Ann's ex-fiancé!--in New York City.
Twelve-year-old Ann and her divorced mother move from big city Tokyo to her mother's rural hometown. As the years pass, Ann learns to trust and depend on her new friends--Daigo and aristocratic siblings Fuji and Shika. But when Ann moves back to Tokyo to be with her father, will she be able to maintain a long-distance relationship with Daigo?
What were our parents like at our age? We'll never really know... But now you can get a glimpse into the teenage years of the mothers of Ann, Daigo, Fuji and Shika. How was their destiny shaped? Plus, Ann's little sister visits Shika--and Ann's ex-fiancé!--in New York City.
200 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2006
About the author
Hinako Ashihara
75 books121 followersPseudonym of Ritsuko Matsumoto, Japanese manga artist.
Debut with "Sono Hanashi okotowari shimasu" in 1994 on Bessatsu Shoujo Comics.
Japanese name: 芦原妃名子
Debut with "Sono Hanashi okotowari shimasu" in 1994 on Bessatsu Shoujo Comics.
Japanese name: 芦原妃名子
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
February 19, 2013
Really just bonus content, since the main storyline of Sand Chronicles wrapped up in volume 8. Here, there are three stories: a long one starring Ann's mother, Miwako, as a teenager, another longish one with Ann's former fiance and little sister, and a very short story starring Fuji as a teenager. The story with Ann's fiance is forced and unnecessary. Frankly, I was happy to see the back of him by the time he exited the story, and I really didn't need anymore. The Fuji story is a nice Christmas bit, and although very short it does add to his character a bit. The best story by far is Miwako's. The main Sand Chronicles story had tended to idealize small town life in Shimane, and it was nice to see it as Miwako must have. Stifling, unforgiving, and painfully gossipy. After reading this story, you can't blame Miwako for running away as fast as she could, even if it didn't end well. You'd probably want to get away, too, if neighbors spent years gossiping about an incident where you, as a child, escorted a stranger to a police station. How old Miwako is at the time is never stated, but my guess is that she must have been, at best, twelve or thirteen. So the fact that her neighbors feel free to inflate the incident into her seducing (!) and running away with an older man for months (!!) until the police have to bring her home is bizarre and creepy. I kind of wish the author had spent some time explaining why that particular neighbor was so weirdly hateful towards Miwako, but I suppose some people are just like that.
Is it worth reading? Yes and no. The story with Ann's former fiance is pointless, dull, and really not something that I was at all interested in. But Miwako's story, and the Fuji bit are really nice fits with the overall story arc. Probably only for people who really loved Sand Chronicles overall, though.
Is it worth reading? Yes and no. The story with Ann's former fiance is pointless, dull, and really not something that I was at all interested in. But Miwako's story, and the Fuji bit are really nice fits with the overall story arc. Probably only for people who really loved Sand Chronicles overall, though.
November 2, 2021
Esperaba menos, pero las historias extra de este tomo me han gustado.
Read
January 17, 2024Okay, this shall be where I part ways with 'Sand Chronicles'
(o´・ω・｀)ﾉ~~
(o´・ω・｀)ﾉ~~
September 15, 2021
I usually don’t like side stories or short stories but surprisingly, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
The first story was about Ann, Daigo, and Fuji’s mothers… I really liked the analogy about the bird in a cage. Daigo’s mother saying that Miwa built a cage around her every where she went, really resonated with me. I hope Miwa feels free now.
The 2nd story was about that prick Keiichiro, that Ann was briefly engaged to… I didn’t really like this story. It was boring. Plus, I don’t like him. And even after reading this short story, I still don’t like him!
And there was a 3rd bonus (even shorter) story about the Tsukishima family and Christmas. It was sweet, 17 year old Fuji asking Santa or Buddha for a future with Ann… Too bad, Santa already gave that to Daigo, so here’s your cousin instead LOL.
The first story was about Ann, Daigo, and Fuji’s mothers… I really liked the analogy about the bird in a cage. Daigo’s mother saying that Miwa built a cage around her every where she went, really resonated with me. I hope Miwa feels free now.
The 2nd story was about that prick Keiichiro, that Ann was briefly engaged to… I didn’t really like this story. It was boring. Plus, I don’t like him. And even after reading this short story, I still don’t like him!
And there was a 3rd bonus (even shorter) story about the Tsukishima family and Christmas. It was sweet, 17 year old Fuji asking Santa or Buddha for a future with Ann… Too bad, Santa already gave that to Daigo, so here’s your cousin instead LOL.
November 29, 2010
I love this series, but I found this volume to be kinda pointless. Seeing some insight into the teenage years of Ann, Daigo, Fuji and Shika's moms was interesting, but predictable. Ann's mom was depressed a lot as a teen, Daigo's mom was sweet and caring, and Fuji and Shika mom thinks too much of herself. Overall, I enjoyed their story, but it didn't add much to what we already knew about the characters.
I really didn't like the plotline with Ann's sister meeting up with Ann's ex-fiance at all. It wasn't very believable and I couldn't find it comical because I can't stand Ann's ex-fiance. He was so hateful to her! Why try and redeem him with a cute story?
I wish there had been a sidestory about Fuji or Ann's sister minus anyone else.
I really didn't like the plotline with Ann's sister meeting up with Ann's ex-fiance at all. It wasn't very believable and I couldn't find it comical because I can't stand Ann's ex-fiance. He was so hateful to her! Why try and redeem him with a cute story?
I wish there had been a sidestory about Fuji or Ann's sister minus anyone else.
January 4, 2023
volume 1->10 (no spoilers)
FR
Pour commencer l'année 2023; j'avais envie de me relire quelque chose que j'aime, une lecture doudou.
Alors, clairement, ce manga ne peut techniquement pas entrer dans cette catégorie réellement, parce que on parle notamment de suicide. Mais c'est une lecture très nostalgique pour moi.
Je l'avais découvert à un moment assez compliqué pour moi, et bizarrement, j'étais tombée totalement amoureuse de l'histoire, malgré la difficulté, malgré les personnages dont je ne supporte pas forcément ce qu'ils.elles disent/font.
Et malgré les défauts, malgré ce que moi, je n'aime pas...
C'est toujours un coup de coeur. Je suis toujours amoureuse.
Mon avis n'a pas changé. Je n'aime toujours pas les mêmes choses. Et j'adore toujours les mêmes choses.
Je ne peux pas le recommander à tout le monde, au vu des sujets. Mais si vous pouvez gérer les cw, n'hésitez pas !
ENG
To start the year 2023; I wanted to re-read something I like, a cuddly reading.
So, clearly, this manga cannot technically fit into this category really, because we are talking about suicide in particular. But it's a very nostalgic read for me.
I had discovered it at a time that was quite complicated for me, and oddly, I had fallen totally in love with the story, despite the difficulty, despite the characters of whom I don't necessarily support what they say/do.
And despite the flaws, despite what I don't like...
It's always a crush. I'm still in love.
My opinion has not changed. I still don't like the same things. And I still love the same things.
I cannot recommend it to everyone, given the subjects. But if you can handle the cws, don't hesitate !
FR
Pour commencer l'année 2023; j'avais envie de me relire quelque chose que j'aime, une lecture doudou.
Alors, clairement, ce manga ne peut techniquement pas entrer dans cette catégorie réellement, parce que on parle notamment de suicide. Mais c'est une lecture très nostalgique pour moi.
Je l'avais découvert à un moment assez compliqué pour moi, et bizarrement, j'étais tombée totalement amoureuse de l'histoire, malgré la difficulté, malgré les personnages dont je ne supporte pas forcément ce qu'ils.elles disent/font.
Et malgré les défauts, malgré ce que moi, je n'aime pas...
C'est toujours un coup de coeur. Je suis toujours amoureuse.
Mon avis n'a pas changé. Je n'aime toujours pas les mêmes choses. Et j'adore toujours les mêmes choses.
Je ne peux pas le recommander à tout le monde, au vu des sujets. Mais si vous pouvez gérer les cw, n'hésitez pas !
ENG
To start the year 2023; I wanted to re-read something I like, a cuddly reading.
So, clearly, this manga cannot technically fit into this category really, because we are talking about suicide in particular. But it's a very nostalgic read for me.
I had discovered it at a time that was quite complicated for me, and oddly, I had fallen totally in love with the story, despite the difficulty, despite the characters of whom I don't necessarily support what they say/do.
And despite the flaws, despite what I don't like...
It's always a crush. I'm still in love.
My opinion has not changed. I still don't like the same things. And I still love the same things.
I cannot recommend it to everyone, given the subjects. But if you can handle the cws, don't hesitate !
September 30, 2017
Hinako Ashihara proves once again that all characters are not monsters in her 9th installment of the The Sand Chronicles series. On this 9th volume, Hinako Ashihara focuses on the history of other characters-- most of them are characters that we don't even know are there. One good example is Hiroko Konami, Daigo's mother. From her eyes, Hinako Ashihara will make you experience Miwako's, Ann's mom, story. Its powerful impact to the reading experience is we, readers, get to see how everyone's opinions of Miwako affect her even though she tries her best to ignore them. Her fragility starts from somewhere, and we can all see it in this volume. Not only does Hinako Ashihara focuses on one character, but she also let us glimpse into the life of characters like Sakura, Ann's ex-fiance.
This 9th volume is surely a delight to readers like me who have fallen deeply in love with the world of The Sand Chronicles.
This 9th volume is surely a delight to readers like me who have fallen deeply in love with the world of The Sand Chronicles.
November 9, 2024
This volume and volume 10 are strictly bonus content. Having read both, imo I found they were very optional additions to the main story.
For this one specifically, I did enjoy the first part which was about Ann's mom and Daigo's mom as a teenagers and it does give some interesting content about their high school years and gives some insights on how Miwako's mental health was steadily degrading over time.
The second part was about Sakura and.... I really just could not give a cr*p about what happens to that chauvinistic asshole. I don't understand why the author felt the need for that guy to get some kind of epilogue... It was also framed in a way to attempt at redeeming his character and make you somehow empathize and even root for him? To me, it just felt very lackluster and I got bored reading it.
All in all, the first part was okay as optional bonus content, but the second part honestly brought absolutely nothing to this otherwise amazing manga series.
For this one specifically, I did enjoy the first part which was about Ann's mom and Daigo's mom as a teenagers and it does give some interesting content about their high school years and gives some insights on how Miwako's mental health was steadily degrading over time.
The second part was about Sakura and.... I really just could not give a cr*p about what happens to that chauvinistic asshole. I don't understand why the author felt the need for that guy to get some kind of epilogue... It was also framed in a way to attempt at redeeming his character and make you somehow empathize and even root for him? To me, it just felt very lackluster and I got bored reading it.
All in all, the first part was okay as optional bonus content, but the second part honestly brought absolutely nothing to this otherwise amazing manga series.
October 28, 2021
Bueno, un poco más y ME MUERO leyendo el anterior tomo (que es el final real), y eso que ya lo había leído hace años (pero no recordaba casi nada). Este tomo (que tampoco es el último) recopila algunas historias de personajes diversos del manga, y tiene un punto muy adorable y algo melancólico, como el resto de la obra, vaya.
Resulta que la serie acaba en el tomo 10, y yo lo acabo de descubrir como…15 años (¡!) después de leérmela por primera vez. Al parecer ese último tomo también es de historias extra, pero me ha hecho gracia mi actitud adolescente de “pos ya estaría”. Y no, no tengo el tomo 10 y ahora ando desesperada.
Adoro este manga <3
Resulta que la serie acaba en el tomo 10, y yo lo acabo de descubrir como…15 años (¡!) después de leérmela por primera vez. Al parecer ese último tomo también es de historias extra, pero me ha hecho gracia mi actitud adolescente de “pos ya estaría”. Y no, no tengo el tomo 10 y ahora ando desesperada.
Adoro este manga <3
June 14, 2024
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/pQREVpbRfpY
I feel bad for giving such a low rating for this volume, but the only thing I REALLY enjoyed was the last chapter.
I had no desire to see Sakura again or what he was even up to, which bummed me out a little bit since we had Shika and Chi together.
The first story WAS good, but I found it so sad after how hopeful the actual ending of this main story was. 😭
I guess I did enjoy seeing more of how Daigo's mom was though and feel that was a highlight maybe for this volume?
So I guess saying that, I'll give this volume three stars even though originally it was two stars. I don't recommend reading it directly after the end of volume eight though. 😅
I feel bad for giving such a low rating for this volume, but the only thing I REALLY enjoyed was the last chapter.
I had no desire to see Sakura again or what he was even up to, which bummed me out a little bit since we had Shika and Chi together.
The first story WAS good, but I found it so sad after how hopeful the actual ending of this main story was. 😭
I guess I did enjoy seeing more of how Daigo's mom was though and feel that was a highlight maybe for this volume?
So I guess saying that, I'll give this volume three stars even though originally it was two stars. I don't recommend reading it directly after the end of volume eight though. 😅
December 19, 2018
I felt a little let down with this volume. While I liked the stories - don't get me wrong, I really liked getting to see Ann's mother and some of the history and also the other stories - I still was disappointed with how the series ended in 8 and left this really as just so much bonus content. I would have liked more to the main storyline itself.
Still, while this was not my favorite manga, I liked this volume well enough. I just felt...confused by it all.
Still, while this was not my favorite manga, I liked this volume well enough. I just felt...confused by it all.
March 20, 2018
It was nice to have some fun, cute stories after all the turmoil Ann went through.
December 1, 2021
I wonder if Sakura the douchecanoe is ever gonna change
April 26, 2022
Chapter 16
March 14, 2023
This volume was not part of the main story, but I enjoyed the side stories a lot :)
May 19, 2025
3.5
bonus volume with some extra stories, not a big if the ex fiancee, but the story about the mother was nice extra.
bonus volume with some extra stories, not a big if the ex fiancee, but the story about the mother was nice extra.
March 2, 2026
*This is not a review*
No one wanted to see Sakura again. Literally no one.
No one wanted to see Sakura again. Literally no one.
March 23, 2017
Good volume.
Read
April 5, 2025Me ha costado dios y ayuda acabarlo jesús.
Mucho hombre que no me interesaba y poca Shiika en los los caps 2 y 3, pero bueno. Es que vamos a NY y me tienes que hablar del ex prometido?? En vez de mi chica? Okayy... Veo lo que intentaba explicar con él (?) pero girl idk, es un pavo bastante misógino así que lol.
Ah y la historia de las madres ha estado interesante, aunque es la que más me ha costado ups (culpa del bloqueo que se me está formando).
Enfin, solo espero que el último me sea un pelín más ameno.
Mucho hombre que no me interesaba y poca Shiika en los los caps 2 y 3, pero bueno. Es que vamos a NY y me tienes que hablar del ex prometido?? En vez de mi chica? Okayy... Veo lo que intentaba explicar con él (?) pero girl idk, es un pavo bastante misógino así que lol.
Ah y la historia de las madres ha estado interesante, aunque es la que más me ha costado ups (culpa del bloqueo que se me está formando).
Enfin, solo espero que el último me sea un pelín más ameno.
February 14, 2022
"wherever miwa went, she built a cage around herself. that’s the kind of person she was."
when i was reading the main series, it struck me that the relationship ann had with her mother was similar to the relationship i have with mine—i felt that my mum is also “weak”, and because of that, sometimes i’m also scared. but seeing the brief glimpses of miwa’s character in this volume, it turns out that i’m a lot more like her than i thought.
this series is, more than anything, thought-provoking. i can see myself going through the same struggles these characters did. we were introduced to ann’s mother at the low point in her life, and i forgot that once, she was also a teenager. it makes me question if one day my life would turn out that way too—whether the vibrant days of my youth will fade away into dull, monotone ones.
when i was reading the main series, it struck me that the relationship ann had with her mother was similar to the relationship i have with mine—i felt that my mum is also “weak”, and because of that, sometimes i’m also scared. but seeing the brief glimpses of miwa’s character in this volume, it turns out that i’m a lot more like her than i thought.
this series is, more than anything, thought-provoking. i can see myself going through the same struggles these characters did. we were introduced to ann’s mother at the low point in her life, and i forgot that once, she was also a teenager. it makes me question if one day my life would turn out that way too—whether the vibrant days of my youth will fade away into dull, monotone ones.
March 7, 2017
This is mostly epilogue and it's super sad and heart felt. Ugh. Closer. That's a thing.
August 28, 2011
The first of two bonus volumes, Volume 9 presents two stories. The first shows Ann, Daigo, Fuji and Shika's mothers when they were young. Miwako (Ann's mother) is frightfully beautiful. She is also as nice as can be. She gives and gives but never takes. Naturally, her kindness and beauty invokes nothing but suspicion and jealousy amongst her peers. Hiroko (Daigo's mother) is one of the few who recognizes Miwa's goodness as well as her fragility. Hiroko cares for Miwa and also fears for her. Miwa wants nothing more than to escape the small town gossips. She thinks that a big city like Tokyo will solve her problems. Miwa leaves Shimane for Tokyo while Hiroko remains. Hiroko is plain both in looks and aspirations. She's happy to remain in Shimane, get married, and have babies. Soon after Miwa leaves, Shizuyo (Fuji's mother appears). She's a whirlwind. Beautiful, bold, arrogant, opinionated. Nothing misses her eye. Yet Hiroko likes her, admires her. It seems like Shizuyo knows exactly the trap she's walking into and is happy to do it anyway.
I enjoyed reading about the characters' mothers. I can see where Ann and Daigo get many parts of their personalities from. Fuji and Shika are less like their mother, but her hardness and boldness had a great impact on their childhoods.
The final story features Chi, Ann's little sister. When she's about 9, she goes to New York City by herself to visit Shika (who moved there from Canada). Chi is left alone in Shika's apartment while Shika goes to work, with strict instructions not to leave. Hardly an hour later, Chi takes off from the apartment (a misunderstanding more than pure disobedience). She gets lost and the only place in English she can remember is the company where Sakura, Ann's ex-fiance works. A taxi cab driver drops her off. Our old friend Sakura is finally getting what's coming to him. He was just placed on leave so he can learn to play well with others. He also has a horrible cold. Chi is the last person he wants to see. Blissfully unaware of Sakura's annoyance, Chi convinces him to take her to his apartment until Shika can pick her up. Then Chi and Shika drag him along sightseeing the next few days. Sakura never changes. Still sullen and hating everybody, but Chi and Shika's exuberance opened up a tiny window in his mind that might make him willing to let his guard down.
It was fun to see more of Chi. She's such a happy little girl. So different from Ann. I wonder if Ann was like that before her mother died. I also loved seeing Shika. She is confident and self-sufficient away from Japan. She blossomed.
This was a fun volume. The stories certainly aren't necessary to the main plot, but it's a joy revisiting favorite characters.
I enjoyed reading about the characters' mothers. I can see where Ann and Daigo get many parts of their personalities from. Fuji and Shika are less like their mother, but her hardness and boldness had a great impact on their childhoods.
The final story features Chi, Ann's little sister. When she's about 9, she goes to New York City by herself to visit Shika (who moved there from Canada). Chi is left alone in Shika's apartment while Shika goes to work, with strict instructions not to leave. Hardly an hour later, Chi takes off from the apartment (a misunderstanding more than pure disobedience). She gets lost and the only place in English she can remember is the company where Sakura, Ann's ex-fiance works. A taxi cab driver drops her off. Our old friend Sakura is finally getting what's coming to him. He was just placed on leave so he can learn to play well with others. He also has a horrible cold. Chi is the last person he wants to see. Blissfully unaware of Sakura's annoyance, Chi convinces him to take her to his apartment until Shika can pick her up. Then Chi and Shika drag him along sightseeing the next few days. Sakura never changes. Still sullen and hating everybody, but Chi and Shika's exuberance opened up a tiny window in his mind that might make him willing to let his guard down.
It was fun to see more of Chi. She's such a happy little girl. So different from Ann. I wonder if Ann was like that before her mother died. I also loved seeing Shika. She is confident and self-sufficient away from Japan. She blossomed.
This was a fun volume. The stories certainly aren't necessary to the main plot, but it's a joy revisiting favorite characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2011
A look back into the childhoods of Ann, Daigo, and Shika's mothers, along with a story of Ann's younger sister Chi in New York and a very short story of Christmas in the Tsukishima household.
The high school and young adult years of the mothers of the main characters of Sand Chronicles, helps the reader to understand characters such as Miwako Uekusa and Shizuya Tsukishima, sand also notice how they had either changed or stayed the same over all those years. Told from the perspective from Daigo's mother, it is a touching story of a woman watching and not understanding why her best friend feels that she has to keep herself locked in a cage, never shining the way she should. How she could only stand and watch as her best friend's daughter grieved for her mother, but herself was unable to do anything.
The story that takes place in New York explores the characters of Chi and Ann's ex-fiance. Chi takes after her mother, for the most part, but there are definitely similarities with Ann (such as voice, apparently). Sakura, the ex-fiance, is working himself too hard and Chi stays with him for a day, after getting lost in New York and only knowing where Sakura worked, and Chi tries to take care of him, telling him that he needs to rest once in a while.
'The Present', which is the short Christmas story, shows Fuji being a grinch because there are no Christmas presents in his house, until finally, the Christmas that he is in second grade, he and Shika finally wake up to find a present in a stocking for them.
The high school and young adult years of the mothers of the main characters of Sand Chronicles, helps the reader to understand characters such as Miwako Uekusa and Shizuya Tsukishima, sand also notice how they had either changed or stayed the same over all those years. Told from the perspective from Daigo's mother, it is a touching story of a woman watching and not understanding why her best friend feels that she has to keep herself locked in a cage, never shining the way she should. How she could only stand and watch as her best friend's daughter grieved for her mother, but herself was unable to do anything.
The story that takes place in New York explores the characters of Chi and Ann's ex-fiance. Chi takes after her mother, for the most part, but there are definitely similarities with Ann (such as voice, apparently). Sakura, the ex-fiance, is working himself too hard and Chi stays with him for a day, after getting lost in New York and only knowing where Sakura worked, and Chi tries to take care of him, telling him that he needs to rest once in a while.
'The Present', which is the short Christmas story, shows Fuji being a grinch because there are no Christmas presents in his house, until finally, the Christmas that he is in second grade, he and Shika finally wake up to find a present in a stocking for them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2017
~3.5-4/5
(Contains light spoilers.)
I read this series back when it was being released in the magazines. And so I recently re-read the chapters, and got the chance to pick up the volumes. Thankfully, since the tenth and final volume is super hard to find, volume eight officially ends the main storyline, and the last two are mostly side-stories and extras.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this series. I didn’t know if it would get a nice, happy ending, if it would be realistic, or depressing. It could have gone any way at one point, honestly. But I’m happy with how it turned out. I like the ending that she finally reached, and I liked that she had a lot of time to grow and mature before it happened.
This volume had a lot of side-stories. There were interesting looks at what the main characters parents were like as teenagers, a realistic and odd take on them. Shika takes Chi to New York, where they run into Sakura, and I rather enjoyed that story. There’s an extra from when Fuji and Shika were little about presents.
I do hope to pick up the final volume when I can, but I’m satisfied with how this series ended, and I’m glad I finished it.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
(Contains light spoilers.)
I read this series back when it was being released in the magazines. And so I recently re-read the chapters, and got the chance to pick up the volumes. Thankfully, since the tenth and final volume is super hard to find, volume eight officially ends the main storyline, and the last two are mostly side-stories and extras.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this series. I didn’t know if it would get a nice, happy ending, if it would be realistic, or depressing. It could have gone any way at one point, honestly. But I’m happy with how it turned out. I like the ending that she finally reached, and I liked that she had a lot of time to grow and mature before it happened.
This volume had a lot of side-stories. There were interesting looks at what the main characters parents were like as teenagers, a realistic and odd take on them. Shika takes Chi to New York, where they run into Sakura, and I rather enjoyed that story. There’s an extra from when Fuji and Shika were little about presents.
I do hope to pick up the final volume when I can, but I’m satisfied with how this series ended, and I’m glad I finished it.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
February 2, 2016
Generally in manga series, side stories appear occasionally at the end of a volume, basically woven between the main story as stand-alones that follow secondary characters. In this series, the side stories were gathered into two separate volumes at the end of the series. Without the main plot to drive interest, it seems to limit the readership to only the most dedicated.
Volume 9 includes insight into protagonists Ann and Daigo's mothers as they grew up. There's also a story about Ann's ex-fiancé, who is not at all likable--I'm not clear why she agreed to marry him apart from plot convenience. The story here is rather contrived, but I appreciate that the author stayed true to the character rather than have a brief encounter cause a complete personality change.
Volume 9 includes insight into protagonists Ann and Daigo's mothers as they grew up. There's also a story about Ann's ex-fiancé, who is not at all likable--I'm not clear why she agreed to marry him apart from plot convenience. The story here is rather contrived, but I appreciate that the author stayed true to the character rather than have a brief encounter cause a complete personality change.
Read
October 14, 2013Huwooohh. No way! I hate the fact that I only have one volume! Ma perché non lo vendono in Italia? Ma perché?! Io non voglio assolutamente leggerlo su internet, io saro' fedele a Hinako-sama, prometto che comprero' i suoi manga ma se non lo vendono qua i suoi altri titoli, io come faccio? Sì, ho uno solo volume di questo che ho comprato in Filippine (è in versione Inglese, ho trovato solo il Vol. 9 purtroppo) Non lo leggo perché ho bisogno dei altri volumi! Si! Sono disperata ad avere gli altri volumi! Italia, muoviti!
June 27, 2019
Honestly, this series should have ended with volume 8. I mean, the story was pretty much wrapped up. Sure, there was a little that wasn’t resolved with minor characters like Ann’s ex-fiance, but who cares?
The part at the beginning about Ann’s mother was interesting, but still something I could have survived without. The second half, where Ann’s little sister runs into her ex-fiance in New York was pretty pointless. I guess he learned from it, but he was never a major character so I could have cared less. The bottom line? I wasn’t that interested in this one and ended up skimming some of it.
The part at the beginning about Ann’s mother was interesting, but still something I could have survived without. The second half, where Ann’s little sister runs into her ex-fiance in New York was pretty pointless. I guess he learned from it, but he was never a major character so I could have cared less. The bottom line? I wasn’t that interested in this one and ended up skimming some of it.
June 6, 2012
I had stopped reading this series at Volume 8 since the original story ends there. Volume 9&10 were side stories and some background stuff about characters and they pass generations. For example "Ann's mother", Vol.9 was really nice and it had about 3 mini stories the first seeing how Ann's mother (miwako) lived as a child. Really nice insight on why Ann is how she is. Looking forward to the stories in volume 10.
November 4, 2010
Thankfully there is only one volume left. Thankfully I didn't buy this series, but instead relied upon my local library. Sand Chronicles isn't bad. It's just very heavy on the emo and I can only take so much angst before I want to throw the volume across the room (and I can't do that when I don't own the book, so I was tearing my hair out instead).
October 2, 2010
This collects two side stories about characters from the series, which wrapped up its main story in volume 8. The first story (about the mothers of Ann, Daigo, Fuji, and Shika) is the stronger one. Ashihara is so good at creating a bittersweet atmosphere. I'll be looking forward to reading vol. 10 (more side stories, I'm told) when it comes out.
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