A bride's story

*Starred Review* Life is busy in nineteenth-century Central Asia for 20-year-old Amir as she settles into her new role as a bride and gets to know her 12-year-old husband, Karluk. But her happiness is threatened when her nomadic family decide they need her back, seeing a more profitable marriage arrangement. Mori's artistic skill and love for this time period are evident in every pen stroke of this lush hardcover manga. The highly detailed clothes, rugs, and woodwork of the Caucasus region are brought to vibrant life, encouraging readers to linger over the panels. A five-page fox hunt, told entirely through movements, immerses readers in the quiet attention of the highly tuned skills on display. By the end of this first volume, the plot is only beginning to bloom, but there is ample enjoyment in watching the small, everyday activities that make up the family's life laundry, hunting, raising children. Amir's cheerfulness is infectious, both to her new family and to readers. There is some nudity, and the age difference between Amir and her husband might raise eyebrows, but the strong female characters and unique historical setting make this manga a terrific addition to teen or adult collections.--Wildsmith, Sno. Copyright 2010 Booklist