“That brute! He’s on a mission to make my life miserable!” (Library Wars, Vol.1, Sentences 1 &2).
“In the near future, the federal government creates a committee to rid society of books it deems unsuitable. The libraries vow to protect their collections, and with the help of local governments, form a military group to defend themselves–the Library Forces!
Iku Kasahara has dreamed of joining the Library Defense Force ever since one of its soldiers stepped in to protect her favorite book from being confiscated in a bookstore when she was younger. But now that she’s finally a recruit, she’s finding her dream job to be a bit of a nightmare. Especially since her hard-hearted drill instructor seems to have it in for her” (Goodreads synopsis).
Krystal’s Review:
It’s been a while since I read this series, but I absolutely loved it. There’s also an anime version out, but (as is the usual) the books are WAY better. The thing I love most about manga books are the characters’ expressions; the artists really sell the emotions and personalities of the characters. This series is set in a dystopian future, but actually covers a lot of topics that are important to us librarians–specifically censorship. Censorship is against our core values; we believe that everyone deserves the right to read what they want without fear of repercussions. With a stubborn determination to always uphold her values, Kasahara personifies what every librarian wishes to be.
The building relationship between Kasahara and her drill instructor, Dojo, is equal parts hilarious, embarrassing, and heart-warming. She’s also on a quest to find her “prince”–the soldier who saved her book when she was younger. My favorite scene is definitely the scene where she punches the “bear”. During a camping trip, the new recruits get initiated and Kasahara doesn’t react in typical fashion–only one other person has the same reaction as her.
If you are looking for a new manga series to read, pick up this one…you won’t regret it!
Krystal
