How did I get it: The library.
Why did I read it: I haven’t read anything by Kaori Yuki in a long time and I was really intrigued by this manga series’ premise.
How I would rate it: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Summary:
Lucille and his orchestra encounter a town overrun with the worst kind of audience: the Living Dead! Well, not really. They’re people who have been turned into doll-like zombies. And they are definitely not a crowd to take lightly. Can a group of roving musicians use their skills to calm the beasts? Or is this curtains for the Royal Orchestra?!
Review: What works so well in manga like those produced by Kaori Yuki is that the peculiar and off-beat is always treated as fairly common place. Having a virus turn people into monstrous flesh-eating dolls is quite a strange notion, but it was also a really refreshing one. While it isn’t too different from zombies, the addition of musical cures as well as creepy musicians was decidedly unique and really held my interest.
The darkness of the world being presented was also pretty invigorating for me. The external and internal struggles both minor and major characters faced were haunting and fairly gripping. I was amused by the gender confusion that occurred from time to time when it came to Lucille and another one of the main characters although I think that’s likely to get old quickly if it continues in every volume. Since the Grand Guignol Orchestra seems to only be a 5 volume series, I also hope the next installment will provide a bit more background and substance to the story as a whole.
In conclusion, the first volume of the Grand Guignol Orchestra was very enjoyable in a random and odd sort of way that I greatly appreciated.
Pingback: Reader’s Progress #41 | CSI: Librarian