The Friday 56 (205) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas vol. 8 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The Beast of Gévaudan is put to rest once and for all as Chloé makes peace with her truest desire—but Vanitas’s troubles continue as both he and Jeanne are struck with certain... ailments of the heart! There’s no time for him to dwell on this rather unwelcome development, though, as Domi is swept away in the machinations of a phantom from his past...

Beginning: "Isn't it time yet, Roland?"

56: "It's all over now...."

Comments: I finally got around to reading volume 8 of The Case Study of Vanitas. I know the quotes are kind of vague, but the rest of the dialogue contained too many spoilers for the current arc. What are you reading this week?

The Friday 56 (197) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas Vol. 7 by Jun Mochizuki

  

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Chloe is ready to begin her revenge plot and get what she has always wanted - that is, until Vanitas and the Chasseurs showed up. But without his book, Vanitas can do little to help, so it's up to Noé and his vampire hunter allies to buy some time, so Vanitas can work a little magic...

Beginning: ""It's all right, Vanitas. I'll win......this time!""

56: "Existence stabilized."

Comments: And I'm finally out of volumes for The Case Study of Vanitas.  This story arc has been a ride, and I'm excited to see how it ends in the next volume. Vol. 8 comes out in May, so the wait won't be too long. My 56 is from a few pages before, since the actual page fifty-six is one big spoiler. What are you reading this week. 

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 6 by Jun Mochizuki

Title: The Case Study of Vanitas

Series: The Case Study of Vanitas #6

Author: Jun Mochizuki
Source/Format: Gift; Paperback
More Details: Manga; Fantasy; Alternative History
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; December 24, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

On the trail of the Beast of Gévaudan, Vanitas and Noé are led to the heart of the incident and the noble house of d'Apchier. There, they discover that a brave, heartrending wish to save a daughter from a vampire's fate became the haunting first cry of the Beast itself...

Note: there may be mild spoilers for volumes 1-5

It has been a couple of months since I last picked up a volume of The Case Study of Vanitas. Last time I checked, volume 5 ended with the main cast stuck in an odd time warp like situation while searching for the truth behind the Beast of Gévaudan's sudden reappearance. There was so much going in this volume, and I almost don’t know where to begin.

It was good.

I still feel excited whenever I step back into this story. Mochizuki’s artwork is, as always, gorgeous and expressive. There’s a perfect balance between visual storytelling and information imparted by dialogue.

From the beginning of the series, there have been a number of mysteries woven into the plot alongside major conflicts, and finally some of those long sought answers are appearing. Volume 6 was no less interesting of course. It was still just as action packed and atmospheric as the previous entries in the series. Plus this one moved the story further into this arc.

The Gévaudan storyline is shaping up to be one of my favorites, second only to the vampire masquerade a few volumes back. One note I forgot to mention when I reviewed volume 5 was that I thought the plot was building toward more backstory. I was right. From the way the world is set up, there has been more than enough evidence shown that there was a major conflict between vampires and other people sometime in the past. Volume 6 dipped its toes into that. There was backstory abound here for some of the key characters in the series—like Jeanne, Ruthven, and Chloe—as well as adding more world building. I’m glad so much of it was delivered with minimal interruption, because it afforded a clearer picture of what happened in the past and what it had to do with the current events. Yet despite the answers provided in volume 6, there are still many outstanding mysteries.

Overall, volume 6 was excellent, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

The Friday 56 (194) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 6 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

On the trail of the Beast of Gévaudan, Vanitas and Noé are led to the heart of the incident and the noble house of d'Apchier. There, they discover that a brave, heartrending wish to save a daughter from a vampire's fate became the haunting first cry of the Beast itself...

Beginning: "It's morning...?"

56: "I became a curse-bearer of my own accord...."

Comments: I finally got around to reading the sixth volume of The Case Study of Vanitas. I enjoyed this entry in the series, and I'm looking forward to volume 7. What are you reading this week?

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 5 by Jun Mochizuki

 Title: The Case Study of Vanitas

Series: The Case Study of Vanitas #5

Author: Jun Mochizuki
Source/Format: Gift; Paperback
More Details: Altenative History; Fantasy; Manga
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; January 22, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Long ago, France was terrorized by The Beast of Gévaudan, who indiscriminately murdered hundreds. Before the creature could be stopped, the Beast vanished into thin air. Now, on the streets of nineteenth century Paris, news breaks of the Beast's gruesome return. As Noé and Vanitas rush to learn more about the Beast and its connection to vampirekind, none other than the Holy Knight, Astolfo, and Jeanne, the Hellfire Witch, stand in their way...

I’m steadily working my way through the current volumes of The Case Study of Vanitas. I’m on to number five, and it is a bit of a departure from the calmer chapters at the end of the previous volume. I guess you could say that it was the calm before the storm. The story takes on a darker tone, as the plot takes the main characters out of Paris. A lot of backstory is revealed for characters like Noe. There was even a little more about Jeanne (the Hellfire Witch), as some of her backstory is revealed through the exploration of her connection to the beast stalking Gévaudan.

The events of volume five once again demonstrated the murky morality in play with the characters of the series. Most of them are secretive and morally ambiguous, and so the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. It’s one of the strong suits of The Case Study of Vanitas. They’re characters you can care about and get invested in, who sometimes mean well, who think they’re doing right—and sometimes have the justification for it—but their secrets, motivations, and methods by which they get to that conclusion makes for situations that rarely have simple explanations or solutions.

There was plenty of action and mystery in this volume, which I greatly enjoyed. I also liked how Mochizuki incorporated real-world influences here. Such as how the Beast of Gévaudan was incorporated into the story so that it fit with the overall lore established in previous volumes—and as I was reading I thought the name sounded somewhat familiar, so I did google it.

Overall, this was another great volume, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

The Friday 56 (187) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 5 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Long ago, France was terrorized by The Beast of Gévaudan, who indiscriminately murdered hundreds. Before the creature could be stopped, the Beast vanished into thin air. Now, on the streets of nineteenth century Paris, news breaks of the Beast's gruesome return. As Noé and Vanitas rush to learn more about the Beast and its connection to vampirekind, none other than the Holy Knight, Astolfo, and Jeanne, the Hellfire Witch, stand in their way...

Beginning: ""--Hm? Go back for your hat and parasol?""

56: ""We'll take this to Gévaudan.""

Comments: I finally read volume five of The Case Study of Vanitas, and I really enjoyed it. What are you reading this week?

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 4 by Jun Mochizuki

Title: The Case Study of Vanitas
Series: The Case Study of Vanitas volume #4
Author: Jun Mochizuki
Source/Format: Gift; Paperback
More Details: Fantasy; Alternative History; Manga
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; November 22, 2017

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Deep within the bowels of Paris, Noé and Vanitas race through the catacombs with an elite team of chasseurs, the Church's anti-vampire unit, in hot pursuit. Their search for the missing vampires takes the pair down a path all too familiar to Vanitas, bringing them face-to-face with not only an overwhelming curse-bearer, but also with Vanitas's past. Confronted by the horrific menace, what will Noé and Vanitas fight for, and whom will they save...?

I had some arcs to get through last month, so I didn’t have as much time to read anything else. It wasn’t until recently that I finally got around to reading volume 4 of The Case Study of Vanitas. This series is so good so far.

I’m enjoying the story, as well as the way Mochizuki created this alternative version of Paris. The illustration of the setting is just perfection, and the way the various locations are used to set the tone of a scene creates a very atmospheric reading experience. I liked all the real-world details and history incorporated into the story. It seamlessly fit with the fantastical elements—like vampires and Astermite (a type of stone that also went through rewriting during the “Babel incident”)—and there are layers of complexity to the series, which is only just beginning to be explored in-depth.

This volume was action-packed and further expanded the world with the continued conflict between the protagonists and the church’s anti-vampire Chasseurs. I have to admit that I like the Chasseurs. They’re a tough group, and I liked the way they were portrayed. Roland, in particular, was an entertaining character. He provided a few comical moments, which broke up the tension a little. This volume also explored more of Vanitas’s past, and it was as forlorn as I thought it would be. It only raised more questions about his connection to the Vampire of the Blue Moon as well as how he ended up with The Book. The witty banter between Vanitas and Noé is one my favorite parts of the dialogue. As I’ve mentioned before, their personalities are polar opposites, and that means that they often clash. However some of the best moments were when Noé and Vanitas got along enough to work together, and their dynamic during combat was one of my favorite aspects about volume 4.

A few familiar faces also appeared in volume 4 too. The chapters with Jeanne were kind of cute, before they got serious. Generally speaking, I hope there’ll be more about her character sometime soon.

Volume 4 was fantastic, and I’m looking forward to where the story goes next.

The Friday 56 (186) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 4 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Deep within the bowels of Paris, Noé and Vanitas race through the catacombs with an elite team of chasseurs, the Church's anti-vampire unit, in hot pursuit. Their search for the missing vampires takes the pair down a path all too familiar to Vanitas, bringing them face-to-face with not only an overwhelming curse-bearer, but also with Vanitas's past. Confronted by the horrific menace, what will Noé and Vanitas fight for, and whom will they save...?

Beginning: ""Well? What do you want to do? Will you...come with me too?""

56: ""Do you really understand,  Noé?""

Comments: I finally got around to reading the fourth volume of The Case Study of Vanitas. I really enjoyed the direction the story went in, and I'm looking forward to the next volume. What are you reading this week?

The Friday 56 (184) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas volume 2 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Now installed at a hotel in Paris with the help of Count Orlok, Noé and Vanitas take their awkward partnership on the road...to a vampire masquerade ball! The order of the evening may be small talk and hobnobbing with fellow guests, but the mystery of the curse-bearers is never too far behind. The intrigue swirls as quickly as the dancers twirl, a blue moon ascends upon the guests...and all hell breaks loose!

Beginning: "After Noe left him behind in chapter 3......Murr went back to Orlok."

56: "Borders are believed to have been generated all over the world by the experimental accident known as "Babel." Only vampires, who were created by Babel, are able to cross them."

Comments: I read volume 2 of The Case Study of Vanitas a while ago, but I forgot to do a Friday 56 for it. Volume 2 is one of my favorites so far, because it covers the vampire masquerade ball. The art is totally gorgeous, it kept the story moving, and it revealed more of the vampires side of the story. What are you reading this week? 

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas Volume #3 by Jun Mochizuki

Title: The Case Study of Vanitas
Series: The Case Study of Vanitas #3
Author: Jun Mochizuki 
Source/Format: Christmas gift; Paperback
More Details: Fantasy 
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; November 14, 2017

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The masked ball has ended, but the music plays on. As Noe and Vanitas return disgraced from Altus, the curtain rises on a new battle. News of kidnapped curse-bearers sends the pair to the catacombs beneath the streets of Paris, where a melody of intrigue echoes and a superhuman foe awaits! Humans or vampires: Who will be the hunter, and who the hunted?

**note: there are potential spoilers for volume 1-2, you’ve been warned…**

It’s been a minute since I last read one of the volumes in this series, and I was eager to pick it up again. Volume 3 starts with the end of the masquerade arc, and Mochizuki wasted no time in reminding readers that the story is being narrated by Noe. He’s the only character whose thoughts are ever really seen, and it’s clear that the events so far have already happened and are just being recounted. It is called The Case Study of Vanitas. However, the expressions of the characters in the story presently being shown, are telling enough. Besides it’s still an interesting story regardless.

I’m really into this series so far. With each volume, it seems like the story and the characters get a little more complex as more of the world is slowly revealed. For instance, the “Babel Incident,” keeps coming up. Like with everything else about the series so far, I feel like there’s more to the story than what’s currently being said. The same could be said about the characters. The motivation behind Vanitas’s actions remains pretty murky at this point. However, I do like his interactions with Noe. The two can at times act as a foil to each other, especially when their personalities lead to clashes.

I also enjoyed the part of the story that was spent in Altus, which is still one of my favorite locations in this series so far. Plus a little more of the vampire politics was discussed before the story moved on. Even though there were plenty of revelations and plot twists here, I still have a lot of questions regarding the truth of the situation with the curse-bearers.

Speaking of vampires, I continue to be fan of how they’re portrayed in The Case Study of Vanitas. Part of that is due to how powers are set up in this series. The action sequences are always great, and the art is consistently gorgeous. There was also, finally, a conflict where the world formula revisions were directly shown for more than a few panels (and by characters other than Vanitas). The uses seem to vary—like the ability of The Book of Vanitas, and how some vampires can create fire and others can create ice.

Volume 3 is also the beginning of the next arc, and it gets off to an exciting start. The Chasseurs (vampire hunters) were finally introduced in this volume, and I’m excited to see where that part of the story goes.

All-in-all, I’m having a lot of fun reading this series.

The Friday 56 (180) & Book Beginnings: The Case Study of Vanitas Volume 3 by Jun Mochizuki

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The masked ball has ended, but the music plays on. As Noe and Vanitas return disgraced from Altus, the curtain rises on a new battle. News of kidnapped curse-bearers sends the pair to the catacombs beneath the streets of Paris, where a melody of intrigue echoes and a superhuman foe awaits! Humans or vampires: Who will be the hunter, and who the hunted?

Beginning: "All too easily, memories of the beginning summon memories of the end."

56: "It's Tarte......Tatin!"

Comments: I finally got around to reading the third volume of The Case Study of Vanitas. I really enjoyed this volume, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one sometime soon. What are you reading this week?

Review: The Case Study of Vanitas Volume 2 by Jun Mochizuki

Title: The Case Study of Vanitas
Series: The Case Study of Vanitas #2
Author: Jun Mochizuki
Source/Format: Gift; Paperback
More Details: Manga; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Yen Press; May 23, 2017

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Now installed at a hotel in Paris with the help of Count Orlok, Noé and Vanitas take their awkward partnership on the road...to a vampire masquerade ball! The order of the evening may be small talk and hobnobbing with fellow guests, but the mystery of the curse-bearers is never too far behind. The intrigue swirls as quickly as the dancers twirl, a blue moon ascends upon the guests...and all hell breaks loose!

Well…that escalated quickly. If you know anything about Pandora’s Hearts, there was tragedy all over the place in that series. Now, some of the darker themes of The Case Study of Vanitas are starting to show through. While the first volume was already exciting enough, it was more of an introduction to the story, characters, and world. While volume two, on the other hand, starts the next arc of the story. It also ramps up the action and world building as Noe and Vanitas take on more curse-bearers set against the dazzling backdrop of a masquerade ball.

So far, Mochizuki’s take on vampires is proving to be one of my favorites. They have some of the usual traits—super strength, immortality—but they don’t need to drink blood to live (it seems like more of an indulgence, so far) and they live in another world entirely. The artwork for Altus Paris was gorgeous. I loved the style of the city, and how different it was from the steampunk Paris the story began in—just by changing one aspect about the sky. I also liked the details about names. Names have meaning and importance. It comes up all the time in fiction, in particular fairy tales or stories based on them (think Spinning Silver, The Cruel Prince, and most stories involving fairies). Names, true names, have power in this story, and I was surprised at how closely linked it was to curse-bearers. I’m looking forward to seeing how that develops later on.

I also enjoyed how quickly volume 2 delved into talking more about the world, and mentioned some occurrence called Babel. I found this quote—“Babel really was an astounding incident, wasn’t it? Rewriting the principles of the world like that…”—pretty interesting since the magic-type system in this world is related to world formula revisions.

As for the events in this volume, it presented some interesting questions as to the source of curse-bearers themselves. It also fleshed-out the dynamic between the dual protagonist, and it directly showcased more of the vampire society/politics that were hinted about in the last volume. That also included the introduction of a few new characters.

With the way the twists keep coming, The Case Study of Vanitas is shaping up to be one of my favorite series. The current arc of the story isn’t over quite yet, and now more than ever I’m excited to read volume 3.