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Title: The Recipe for Gertrude #2

Author:  Nari Kusakawa

Publisher:  CMX

ISBN:  9781401211110

May Contain Spoilers

Gertrude is a demon made, Frankenstein-like, of parts stolen from other demons.  Constantly attacked by irate  demons that want bits of their bodies returned, he’s been looking for the Recipe for Gertrude, a spell book with instructions to create a man-made demon.  He figures once the book is destroyed, the other demons will leave him alone.  There’s just one problem; somebody magically lifted the words from the book, and etched them onto Sahara Susugi’s bones. 

I found the first volume of The Recipe for Gertrude to lack focus and had a hard time finishing it.  It did improve at the end, with the introduction of Sahara’s creepy brother, Kyusaku.  This volume was much more engaging, as Gertrude and Sahara begin a battle of wits to keep the recipe out of Kyusaku’s hands. 

Hypnotized by her brother, Sahara is held captive and separated from Gertrude.  Believing her legs are broken from the elevator fall in the previous installment, Sahara has been bed-ridden for two weeks with Kyusaku tending to her every need.  Unfortunately, he’s also making certain that she and Gertrude don’t speak to each other again.  Kyusaku is a sinister character, and he effectively isolated Sahara from every one she knows.  Her parents aren’t even any help, because Kyusaku has been manipulating them as well.  When she manages to shake off the effects of the hypnosis, she’s confused and hurt to learn that Kyusaku isn’t the loving brother she remembers from her childhood.  She wonders, tearfully, when he changed, and when the lies began.  Her realization that he’s no longer the person she remembers had me feeling a little blue.

I liked their journey to Encyclopedia!  A 30 story building just crammed with books?!  Now, that’s my kind of place.  The entrance into the store was a little too reminiscent of Harry Potter, but the notion that the storekeepers as so starved for knowledge that they’ll devour their customers to learn new things was a nice touch.

I’m still not a huge fan of Nari Kusakawa’s art.  It’s so dark and comes across to me as cluttered.  The illustrations are far from elegant, but I didn’t have a problem following along with the plot, so I guess they are doing what they are supposed to.  I dislike the characters’ faces the most.  They all have ugly oval heads with goofy looking eyebrows. 

The second volume of The Recipe for Gertrude was a huge improvement over the first.  There’s a coherent plot, and with Sahara fighting to keep the recipe out of her brother’s hands, I was even engaged in the story.  I don’t think the book is especially romantic, but I do enjoy the interaction between the spunky Sahara and Gertrude.

Also includes a bonus story, The Tryst.

Grade: B-

Rated for Everyone