The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow
by Fuyumi Ono
by Fuyumi Ono
THE TWELVE KINGDOMS: SEA OF SHADOW by Fuyumi Ono
Category: Manga/Comics/Pop Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 3/13/07
Publisher: TokyoPop
Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman
Rating: 4 Stars
Yoko Nakajima is the perfect daughter. She’s a good student, she always does what she’s told, she never complains, she
never calls attention to herself -- perfect. Except for her red hair that stands out everywhere in Japan, but no one can
explain that one. Aside from that, she’s perfect. So, when she starts falling asleep in class, it’s surprising to everyone. If it
weren’t for those terrifying dreams, maybe she could get some sleep at night. And then when a strange man shows up at
school, and windows start exploding, and Keiko (the strange man) commands her to accept his undying loyalty…
Somehow landing in a foreign world after falling through the moon seems almost normal. Except that there is absolutely
nothing normal about any of it!
Yoko is attacked by monsters, gets thrown in jail, learns to steal, fights with a sword she has never learned how to use, and
the only person she knows, Keiko, is nowhere to be found. All Yoko knows now is that she’s the only person she can
trust. And her hopes of getting home grow smaller and smaller every day. But she can’t stop searching -- for Keiko, for
home, for herself.
This book started with a pop, and then dropped to a slow buildup. It was a little frustrating. Yoko, as well, bothered me in
the beginning. Perhaps it was more of a traditional depiction of a young Japanese girl, and having been raised to be
extremely independent, I got irritated. That all being said, the end of the book redeemed everything for me. I loved where it
went! I want to read more. Also, there’s a lot of interesting discussion of languages and symbols and Japanese characters.
I’m sure I could have learned a lot from it, if my brain had some basis of prior knowledge.
Category: Manga/Comics/Pop Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 3/13/07
Publisher: TokyoPop
Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman
Rating: 4 Stars
Yoko Nakajima is the perfect daughter. She’s a good student, she always does what she’s told, she never complains, she
never calls attention to herself -- perfect. Except for her red hair that stands out everywhere in Japan, but no one can
explain that one. Aside from that, she’s perfect. So, when she starts falling asleep in class, it’s surprising to everyone. If it
weren’t for those terrifying dreams, maybe she could get some sleep at night. And then when a strange man shows up at
school, and windows start exploding, and Keiko (the strange man) commands her to accept his undying loyalty…
Somehow landing in a foreign world after falling through the moon seems almost normal. Except that there is absolutely
nothing normal about any of it!
Yoko is attacked by monsters, gets thrown in jail, learns to steal, fights with a sword she has never learned how to use, and
the only person she knows, Keiko, is nowhere to be found. All Yoko knows now is that she’s the only person she can
trust. And her hopes of getting home grow smaller and smaller every day. But she can’t stop searching -- for Keiko, for
home, for herself.
This book started with a pop, and then dropped to a slow buildup. It was a little frustrating. Yoko, as well, bothered me in
the beginning. Perhaps it was more of a traditional depiction of a young Japanese girl, and having been raised to be
extremely independent, I got irritated. That all being said, the end of the book redeemed everything for me. I loved where it
went! I want to read more. Also, there’s a lot of interesting discussion of languages and symbols and Japanese characters.
I’m sure I could have learned a lot from it, if my brain had some basis of prior knowledge.