From the Bookshelf of Josei and Seinen Readers…

Emma, Vol. 1

Kaoru Mori

Start date: July 1, 2013

Finish date: July 31, 2013

Discussion: Anime

Why we're reading this: Emma was chosen in a poll by the members.
[close] Emma was chosen in a poll by the members.

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What Members Thought

Jul 08, 2013 Mike rated it it was ok

Shelves: manga, starters-sequential-art

My experience with Emma was interesting, as I was introduced to Kaoru Mori via her later long form work (A Bride's Story) and also tracked down several of her shorter works before reading this.

Emma is a love story between members of different classes in an time when social status meant everything. Emma herself is a maid, and a certain young noble gentleman and she shouldn't be thinking about each other the way they are.

The era is obviously well researched and carefully reproduced, and I can cer ...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Kayt O'Bibliophile rated it really liked it

Shelves: graphic-novels, series-review

SERIES REVIEW

In retrospect, it makes sense that I would enjoy the series: set in the Victorian era, gentle humor, non-teenage-drama romance. But I picked up the first book even before I read Sherlock Holmes, when my main graphic novels were action-filled fantasies like Tokyo Mew Mew and Fushigi Yugi. This was...different.

A shy housemaid in Victorian England, Emma is content with her station in life--destitute and taken in by a widow when she was young, Emma has already been given a boost in a cl SERIES REVIEW

In retrospect, it makes sense that I would enjoy the series: set in the Victorian era, gentle humor, non-teenage-drama romance. But I picked up the first book even before I read Sherlock Holmes, when my main graphic novels were action-filled fantasies like Tokyo Mew Mew and Fushigi Yugi. This was...different.

A shy housemaid in Victorian England, Emma is content with her station in life--destitute and taken in by a widow when she was young, Emma has already been given a boost in a class-stratified society. But when she meets the son of a wealthy family, both struggle with their feelings and a world where emotions come after duty.

I am not a particularly romantic person, but Emma is (appropriately) what makes this whole series really work. She's quiet, smart, and incredibly aware of the impropriety of pursuing a relationship with William--and ready to accept that. This is not the story of some stupid teenagers who will toss their brains out the window the minute the dopamine kicks in, or sneaking off at every available moment to make out in a corner. It's heartbreaking, yet incredibly awesome [from a yay-for-brains point of view] to actually see them act according to social mores.

One of the things that stands out in the series is the creator's love of all things Victorian. I don't know enough to comment on historical accuracy (though I can guess that Indian princes probably didn't ride elephants around with any regularity), but this is clearly a series that tries to avoid the trap of inserting modern sensibilities into the past, without period-appropriate responses and repercussions.

The series does, of course, go deeper than just Emma and William. A huge influence on William is his family, newly-rich from hard work and determined to keep up face in front of noble peers; they're interesting characters in and of themselves. A friend from school turns out to be an Indian prince--complete with an elephant and dancing-girl harem--who acts as both advisor and comic relief. Emma's employers have their own history, and you can't help but wish that there were more short stories about all these side characters. ...more

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Jan 19, 2015 Diana Lynn rated it did not like it

Shelves: manga

So far it's nothing special. A monotonous amount of stock characters and a blasé storyline doesn't really make the reader want to keep with the series. I did however like the little add-on at the end. It was funny. The author promises a better second book so I'll give it one more chance before deciding I don't like it. I just wish the characters were better developed and the plot wasn't so tedious. 3/10 ...more

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