Sorako

A "normal" young woman, living a "normal" life, mostly aimlessly, looking for an opportunity, but not looking too hard. No big events. Just a march of days. I liked it because it felt very real.

Part of this book was featured in Otaku USA Magazine and I just had to read more of it. It's a quiet story with very nice artwork which gently creeps up on you and sucks you into its world. The protagonist is a young woman named Sorako who is just emerging into adulthood and trying to find her way. Through the mundane details of her life, we are given an incredibly honest depiction of how challenging this time of life can be, I hope to read more from this author.

arrived quickly. Just as described.

Sorako loses her dog, can't find a job, visits her father in the hospital, finds a job, complains about the boring town in which she lives, wants to leave but has no money, tries to learn English (pretty funny), hangs out with a friend who annoys her, breaks up with a boyfriend who doesn't love her, eats an apple, watches movies, complains about her boring life, breaks her leg, briefly diets, tries to read more (although she has "trouble with all the words"), and makes promises that she may or may not keep.Sorako's friend tells her that she is looking at life as a spectator. To the extent that the story has meaning, it comes from Sorako's evolving realization that there are some things you can't see when you look inside life from the outside.There isn't much happening in Sorako, but at the same time a lot is happening. It's just happening in small doses, the way life happens. I can't say Sorako wowed me but it did give me some insight into the character of Sorako. It's a contemplative story that grew on me. It might have particular value to a reader who is sharing Sorako's stage of life.I like the simplicity of the art and the sense of motion it conveys. On the whole, Sorako is a worthwhile introduction to a young conflicted person and the culture in which she lives.

I am not extremely familiar with manga so I jumped on the opportunity to give this a shot when I saw it on NetGalley. Unfortunately, I have to say I was a little underwhelmed, but that may be because I am not a connoisseur. The story is a collection of short stories, but I the main character changed and I found that distracting. Some stories are melancholy and capture indifference that comes with depression, while others are more upbeat. I would have enjoyed the stories more if all the stories were a slice of life of a single character.That being said, I did love the artwork and I do enjoy slice of life style stories. I think they can be effective in forcing the reader to see a slightly different perspective. The stories are certainly believable glimpses into contemporary lives and that was the main redeeming feature I enjoyed.Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion courtesy of NetGalley.Who should read it? Manga fans who are looking for a glimpse to everyday life in JapanSee all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract

'Sorako' is part of the GEN Manga series. This was made to give fans a look at indie manga which is pretty hard to come by. I've read a few of these and this one is my favorite so far.Sorako's story starts with a missing dog, but there is more missing in Sorako's life. She's apathetic about her job, and directionless in her life. Her father is in the hospital, but she doesn't seem to want to spend much time with him. She wants to go overseas and study or get a job, but she makes no move towards it. Simple everyday life makes up this story, and I found it interesting.The art is what really kept me moving along in this. I loved the art. The story was good, but I had trouble being sympathetic for characters that were so apathetic about where they were in life. There are a series of stories, and not much story arc, but I'm still glad I read it.I received a review copy of this manga from Diamond Book Distributors, Gen Manga Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.