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Library Wars: Love & War | Kiiro Yumi | Review


Summary:

In the near future, the Media Betterment Committee (MBC) is formed to censor all offensive and questionable media, by force. In response to this, libraries are reformed to protect patron rights and freedom of expression. Enter Kasahara, a private in the Library Task Force, full of passion, but not a lot of skill. This series follows her personal growth in the Library Task Force as well as the political and emotional turmoil between Libraries and the MBC.

Review:

I originally started reading this because it's about libraries. I had no idea, when I picked up the first book, that there would also be a few love stories involved. Anyone who knows me, knows I don't really care for love stories. That being said, this has been an amazing series to read.* Kiiro Yumi's depictions of the characters are a delight to read and I am fully emotionally invested in these characters. I've almost cried for one of them.

My favorite part about this series is that it covers actual problems contemporary librarians face. Don't get me wrong, so far libraries haven't had to create their own armed forces, but there's so much more than that in these books. We read about librarians not handing over patron records to the police in an investigation. We read about problems librarians have with parents expecting them to be babysitters. Heck, in order to be promoted, the challenges range from sitting at a computer all day inputting new books to keeping a room full grade school kids occupied for story time, to hosting a public forum on questionable books. This series does a masterful job of showing the many roles a librarian can play. This may all sound boring, but there is plenty of action as well. It really is a war between Libraries and the MBC. There are gunfights and raids. 

Of course, the love stories do have to be addressed. Throughout the series the main couple is in denial of their feelings. This could have made the series more of a drama, but Yumi turned it into a comedy. The back and forth between the two makes me, literally, laugh out loud. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me if that's why I enjoy a series with a love story; because it's hilarious. There are other couples in this series and they show so many other kinds of love stories. One is absolutely adorable, another is an interesting meeting of highly intelligent people, and there are more. 

In case you can't tell, I absolutely love this manga. I've even started looking for the anime, the original book by Hiro Arikawa, and the live-action movie. This is an incredibly enjoyable series for people who love books, people who love love-stories, and people who love to laugh. 



*I'm currently waiting to get Volumes 13 & 14. 

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