Dr. Pepperco

A very elegantly drawn historical manga that charmed me from the start with its bibliophilic main characters and their soft glances. :,) It’s a touch insta-lovey: I feel like the two leads grew attached very quickly, but I can also sort of understand how. There is also a “mystery” sort of aspect that is VERY obvious (literally as it was introduced I guessed what it was and was correct) but honestly? I don’t mind it. The whole thing feels like watching an only show more slightlyyy-historically-inaccurate period show with good juicy drama and I’m vibing with it. show less

We're into the thick of the romance now with some outside forces conspiring against our Hanako and Alice, but they are mostly the victims of their own fretting over the secrets they are keeping from each other, including their growing feelings. So much fretting! It's all overwrought and very pedestrian.

There's a six-page intermission story with a couple of side characters that is far more romantic than all the wallowing happening in the main story.

I would stop reading this series now, but show more I've just discovered that the next volume is the conclusion and my library has it, so I'm going to see how it ends. And hope there is a sequel to the intermission story. show less

A young Japanese woman moves from Nagasaki to England in 1900 in order to meet her favorite author. While she stalks him, she works as a maid for a depressed and suicidal English woman, whose engagement is shadowed by rumors of a shameful relationship with a governess who left the country under a cloud.

All the developments are very predictable as the writing is painfully simplistic and heavy-handed. I should stop here, but I have the second volume on hand from the library, and I'm always show more the optimist . . . show less

Well, at least the series was consistent to the end -- underwhelming as it overflows muchly with angst, fretting, and ultimatums. A couple of side characters want to steal the show, but are left with little to do amongst all the swooning and crying of the main characters.