|
Tarot Café
Manga Review
I have to say I wasn't a fan of this series at first. I started reading the new novel that came out based on the popular manga series; I thought the writing left a lot to be desired. I was falling asleep, skipping pages, checking out another manga, looking at my emails, surfing on the internet for the manga version of Tarot Café, and that was it. The manga version got me hooked immediately and before I knew it, six hours have gone by, I had missed lunch, and my stinky laundry was still sitting by the door waiting to be washed but on the up side, I had finished five stories from Tarot Café.
 There was nothing that particularly drew me to Tarot Café. It was just one of those times where the mind is rearing to go full speed ahead but there is nothing to go ahead with. Almost as if the fates stepped in, Tarot Café was at the top of my to-be-read stack of books and manga. The novel is like the Tarot Café that Pamela has opened. Nothing special, nothing grand, nothing that stands out but you're just in that mood to be curious and explore something different so you step into her parlor.
Pamela is a clairvoyant. Her mother was a clairvoyant before her and was persecuted to death as a witch. When her mother's enemies left her out in the wilderness to die, Pamela was lucky enough to be rescued by a prince, Ash. As she grew older, she never suspected that Ash was anything but human even though he's never aged. He was beautiful, generous, loving, patient, and chivalrous. The villagers loved him and most importantly, Pamela loved him. When her enemies found out that she is still alive, Ash was killed while protecting her. A drop of his immortal dragon blood from his heart fell on her as he died and she was cursed to live forever without him. In her despair, she agrees to a deal with Satan's son, Belus: If she gathers all the beads from Berial's necklace, he will grant her the one wish that will reunite her with Ash.
 Tarot Café is Pamela's way to collect the Berial beads. What can a small frail immortal witch that is only gifted with sight do? She can't travel the world, exploring every nook and cranny, wasting her time chasing more hay than needles in the haystack. Since she can't use her gift for herself, she might as well use her gift to help others who in turn will use their gifts to search for the beads for her. The human clients that come to her during the day give her the cash that she needs to keep the Tarot Café open but those that come at night are the ones that she looks forward to receiving. They are the ones that can bring her the beads in exchange for her services.
 During the day, you have normal every day clients that want Pamela to tell them about their love life, work, or luck, the mundane stuff. And then there are strange cases like Bryn McMillan's, where the mundane meets the supernatural. As a successful actress, is Bryn willing to give up her family, her fame, and her fortune to join her man in the ranks of the Night Hunt to kill, kidnap, and pillage till the end of all time? When night falls, Pamela's supernatural clients show up. A wish-fulfilling cat, Butterfly, comes to Pamela, hoping that his master can reciprocate his love. He can grant her three wishes but once the three wishes are granted, he dies. His question is: since he has granted two of her three wishes and she's found her soul mate, should he kill her so that he can live or grant her, her third wish and die? A vampire, Calic, blinded since he's lost his soul mate Isabel, encounters her once again after centuries, and wonders if it is possible to hold onto her forever this time.
After centuries without Ash, Pamela looks at her small collection of beads. Love is worth every hardship, difficult soul-searching, and even death for her clients. Pamela wants her love to overcome death; what is her love worth? Patience that surpasses time? Or a steady heart to face what the fates dealt her and will deal her?
Reviewed by Carolyn Whu, May 2009
Below: Illustrations from Tarot Café.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
