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Reviewed by Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane Tenma's long journey for justice, Johan and Nina's search for identity--all roads converge on the mysterious "Red Rose Mansion." Is Nina prepared to confront the dark memories this cursed house will awaken in her subconscious? If Tenma gets there in time, will he find a clue that will help him save the life of his ex-fiancée Eva? Or will Johan, as always, remain several steps ahead of everyone? As the back cover blurb suggests, Monster is building to its climax. Dr. Tenma is back on the move, racing to locate Eva before one of Johan's men makes good on his threat to kill her. Nina, meanwhile, has been so overwhelmed by setting foot inside the Red Rose Mansion that she and Dieter have spent the last three months staying with a man who found them there after she collapsed. But the odds are against someone else just happening to be at the place that may hold the key to so many mysteries, which suggests that he has a connection of his own. This series does enjoy its many layers of stories, and in this volume we get another one. The children's books authored by Franz Bonaparta (with his impressive collection of pseudonyms) reflect the worldview that shaped the twins' lives, and may have been responsible for Johan becoming the monster; here we see another reflection of the unfolding story, in the form of the puppet shows put on by Nina's mysterious benefactor. Where the books center around monsters and demons, the puppets act out the story of those who hunt the monsters. The differences and parallels between the twins come into clearer focus as well, as Nina tries to piece together her memory of their childhood before they were separated. ("If I was there," she asks, "in that place, at that time...would I have become the monster?") As you may have gathered, this is more of a psychological installment than an action-packed one, but things are very much coming together. There'll be plenty of action to come as things heat up for the finale. Four volumes to go! Comment on this review of Monster v14 on the Manga Life Forums. |
6 October 2009
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