Natsume's Book of Friends, Vol. 8
Registered by 
GoryDetails
of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 8/7/2011
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
GoryDetails of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 8/7/2011 This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
I've been enjoying this series about a lonely teenager who can see spirits since I first stumbled across it, and have been picking up more volumes as I find them. I pre-ordered this one as soon as it was available, and it only just arrived (probably the last Borders order I'll receive before the company goes under, alas). It tends to be a gentle series, with touches of humor, creepiness, and poignancy, and I like it very much.
Later: While most of the stories in this series are episodic and can be enjoyed without having read the previous volumes, this book does touch on the fallout from the events of Volume Seven. Still, the story-so-far page should be enough to help newcomers catch up.
Here, we see Natsume with his two school friends Nishimura and Kitamoto - who rescue him after a prank-loving yokai pushes him off a bridge. They don't know about the yokai yet; nor do Natsume's guardians the Fujiwaras, and Natsume wants to spare them all the knowledge; he's still afraid to trust that they won't cast him out for being so odd if they find out.
But he does have two other friends, Tanuma and Taki, each of whom is sensitive to yokai in their own ways. It's nice to see him make friends after his troubled life so far, and there's hope that he'll open up to the other people close to him.
Later on, Tanuma is himself the target of yokai interest - seldom a good thing - and Natsume tries to rescue him. Once that's cleared up, another yokai invades the Fujiwara home, reminding poor Natsume that his "gift" may bring trouble to those near him... He recalls the many times someone offered him a home only to send him away as his odd behavior made them nervous or angry. This shows why he's so desperate to seem normal to his new family, even when hiding the yokai interactions becomes impossible...
There's a really sweet ending to that chapter, which made me happy-teary. And Natsume's adventures continue!
[There's an anime adaptation; I've watched several episodes and found it just as charming as the manga. Recommended! And the TV Tropes page is quite entertaining.]
Later: While most of the stories in this series are episodic and can be enjoyed without having read the previous volumes, this book does touch on the fallout from the events of Volume Seven. Still, the story-so-far page should be enough to help newcomers catch up.
Here, we see Natsume with his two school friends Nishimura and Kitamoto - who rescue him after a prank-loving yokai pushes him off a bridge. They don't know about the yokai yet; nor do Natsume's guardians the Fujiwaras, and Natsume wants to spare them all the knowledge; he's still afraid to trust that they won't cast him out for being so odd if they find out.
But he does have two other friends, Tanuma and Taki, each of whom is sensitive to yokai in their own ways. It's nice to see him make friends after his troubled life so far, and there's hope that he'll open up to the other people close to him.
Later on, Tanuma is himself the target of yokai interest - seldom a good thing - and Natsume tries to rescue him. Once that's cleared up, another yokai invades the Fujiwara home, reminding poor Natsume that his "gift" may bring trouble to those near him... He recalls the many times someone offered him a home only to send him away as his odd behavior made them nervous or angry. This shows why he's so desperate to seem normal to his new family, even when hiding the yokai interactions becomes impossible...
There's a really sweet ending to that chapter, which made me happy-teary. And Natsume's adventures continue!
[There's an anime adaptation; I've watched several episodes and found it just as charming as the manga. Recommended! And the TV Tropes page is quite entertaining.]
Journal Entry 2 by GoryDetails at Greeley Park in Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, March 17, 2017
GoryDetails at Greeley Park in Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, March 17, 2017
I plan to leave this book near the Stone House at Greeley Park at around 2; hope the finder enjoys it![See other recent releases in NH here.]
*** Released for the 2017 Celebrate the Irish release challenge, for the green cover. ***
