Coffee Prince, ep. 15-17

Um. I embarrassingly spent all of yesterday moping because I finished watching Coffee Prince and didn't have new episodes to look forward to. I am also seriously contemplating doing a rewatch just because it makes me so happy.

Hi, my name is Oyce and I am completely obsessed!

( Spoilers )

In conclusion, for those of you wondering how in the world I lost my head so quickly, this is an incredibly adorable show. Though I wouldn't quite call it feminist, it does a lot of interesting things with the usual romance tropes. I also love all the characters in it, and though I absolutely ADORE the main romance, the secondary one is also great, which I gather is usually not the case. That, and I love how the show focuses on non-romantic relationships as well.

Also: OMG SO CUTE!

Abdel-Fattah, Randa - Does My Head Look Big in This?

Amal has just decided to wear the hijab full-time. She used to go to an Islamic high school, but now she's in a trendy prep school, and she doesn't know what people's reactions will be, much less how her crush Adam will react.

This is a really cute and snappy book about faith, fashion, friendship, and... I can't think of another word starting with "f." I like how it stays with the voice and tropes of YA books for girls; it's breezy and slangy, and I love Amal's flightiness and her seriousness. I also like how the author explores the many different dimensions of being Muslim in Australia; Amal's got her way, but she's a part of a community, so you know she doesn't represent All Muslims or even All Muslim Teenage Girls.

That said, Abdel-Fattah tries too hard sometimes, which makes the book somewhat anvilicious at times. I could have used with a few less protestations that there is no one single way to practice Islam, or that all Muslims are not terrorists, or how wearing the hijab is not anti-feminist, particularly when Amal's arguing with Adam. I think the book would have been much better had the author stuck with showing those points instead of lecturing, although I get her impulse to do so.

That said, this is still really fun to read. I laughed out loud during a lot of the book, and while some of the obstacles feel too easily resolved, I very much liked Amal and her conviction and her very steady sense of herself. I also just love getting books about girls of color that get to be fun and breezy and YA chicklit-ish without the angst, like Melissa de la Cruz's Fresh Off the Boat. Amal's background is extremely important to her, but so are things like arranging her scarf so it frames her face just so, her friends' love lives, and all the minutiae that make up a teenager's life.

I also liked how Abdel-Fattah made an effort to make Amal's social circle multi-racial and multi-cultural; it was mostly just in the background.

Recommended despite the occasional clumsiness, and I'm looking forward to what Abdel-Fattah writes next.

Links:
- shewhohashope's review

Tamura Yumi - Basara, vol. 01-03

In post-apocalyptic Japan, Sarasa is the twin sister of Tatara, the prophesied "child of destiny" who is supposed to restore the country and rescue it from the tyrannical ruler. Sadly, he dies. To keep up her people's spirits, Sarasa disguises herself as Tatara.

Along the way, she meets a cute guy named Shuri. Shuri knows she's a girl. Unfortunately, Shuri is also the dread Red King, one of the sons of aforementioned tyrannical ruler. Shuri doesn't know Sarasa is Tatara; Sarasa doesn't know Shuri is the Red King. Angst ensues.

So far, I don't have much of an impression, as the plot has just started to get going. So far, there have been pretty men in masks, cross-dressing, decapitated heads, and pirates. The art is very eighties, but I am hoping the story will end up dragging me in.

Reserving judgment until I read more.