Notice for Review Requests

I receive review requests weekly. However, my personal schedule is hectic and I no longer review actively. (I also manage another blog called The Toronto Cafe and Food Blog). I do read every request sent but I apologize in advance that I do not reply to them all.

If I do take on a request, I will forewarn that it may take some time before I can review it. I am now looking to review adult fiction and self-help books instead of young adult fiction because I have grown out of it. If you are to request a review for either adult fiction or self-help, I will more likely to give it a shot.

In the meantime, Stop, Drop, and Read! serves as an archive book review blog. When I have the time, I may post a review. Thank you for understanding.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Dramacon: Ultimate Edition by Svetlana Chmokava

Title: Dramacon
Mangaka: Svetlana Chmokava
Age Group: Teens
Series is: Completed with 3 volumes
Volume(s) Reviewing: 1-3
My Rating: 5/5

Christie Leroux is an aspiring writer who is collaborating with her boyfriend in a comic book that they made together. She gets to visit her first anime convention with her friends and sell her comic there. First time as a newbie, she discovers another world as fangirls, anime, and love come rushing all at once!

This is my favourite non-Japanese graphic novel!

[A bit of spoilers ahead!]

In the first volume, it introduces the characters. Christie who wants to enjoy her first convention gets her mood ruined as her boyfriend, Derek, flirts with other girls. She ends up bumping into a good-looking cosplayer named Matt and then goes crying into his arms. This volume focuses upon Christie and her relationship between Derek and her new found feelings for a guy she just met.

The second volume, Christie comes back with a new artist for her comic, Bethany. Here, she gets to meet Matt again after a year. Except... he has a girlfriend now?!! Bethany on the other hand has her work interested in but not Christie's. This volume takes Christie's and Matt's relationship further as they try to work out their situation.

The third volume, the whole gang is back. Although barely in contact with each other the past year, Christie and Matt are closer than ever. Especially after he broke up with his previous girlfriend. Except for some reason...she is still there! Now Bethany is debating on if she should take the offer from the manga publisher. Her mother comes to visit and she freaks out, knowing that she will disapprove! This volume shifts towards Bethany and the expectations that are placed upon her.

[Spoilers end]

Dramacon is filled with adorable chibi fun and romance! Those who have gone to anime conventions would be familiar with the events that happen throughout. And if you haven't, you would want to go to one right after! Every time I finish reading a volume, I just want to have a run-in-romance happening to me every time I go to an anime convention. A cute thing that you would see is referencing towards all celebrities and brand names are altered (I think in case of copyright issues and all) but it just adds more charm to the series!

Readers would notice subtle changes within Chmakova's artwork as volumes go by. They get more defined. I think the mood, especially when it comes to intensity, is depicted quite well through the artwork. You honestly can not help but love Chmakova's own unique style.

I highly, highly recommend this series for all manga and anime fans! I also recommend it to non-manga fans too! It might be an eye opener towards the world of anime and manga! I always try read Dramacon before going to an anime convention, just to set the mood!

Review copy provided by HarperCollins Canada.

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5 comments:

Monster of Books said...

I love this author and this series. I'm also readig her Night School series as well.

Have you read the Bizenghast series??

Diana Dang said...

I only managed to read the first volume of Night School so far. Need to check out the rest!

No I haven't, I was always slightly turned off by the art, lol. But is it really good?

LillianDP said...

Actually, Svet didn't win Rising Stars--although she surely would have, but she's Canadian, and so couldn't enter (it's a US-only contest for weird legal reasons). She was recruited directly by an editor at TP who had read her web comics. :-) But yeah, she's awesome! Nightschool's great, too! (And the art in Bizenghast changes quite a bit as the series progresses, so maybe flip through a later vol. and see if it's more to your taste?)

Diana Dang said...

Oops! Dx I totally thought she won. o-o

Lol, I'll look into it!

Anonymous said...

do you know when i can read this book in russian?