Book Review – “Chain Mail: Addicted To You”

This is the next TokyoPop PopFiction series to launch, and it should be hitting store shelves tomorrow.

General Information

Title: Chain Mail: Addicted To You
Author: Hiroshi Ishizaki
Original Publication Date: January 2, 2007
ISBN: 159816581X
Cover Price: $7.99 US, $10.49 Can
Buy from: Amazon.com
or Amazon.ca

Premise

In this teen thriller, the events in a fictitious world begin to become disturbingly similar to those of the real world.

High Point

The end of part two.

Low Point

The revealing omission of certain perspectives.

The Scores

I’ve never seen this premise before, and the resolution should be new to the target audience of teens. That counts as original to me. I give it 5 out of 6.

The imagery is pretty light. Details were either used to establish this in real Tokyo locations, or to give something important to the story. A few more details could have helped increase the reader’s challenge in solving the mystery. I give it 4 out of 6.

The story is told from a certain set of perspectives early on, and then shifts to other perspectives later. Some plot elements are revealed by that shift, but I still feel like rereading from the start to look for the clues I suspect were right under my nose. I give it 5 out of 6.

The characterization was clear with some characters, while others were deliberately and necessarily ambiguous. I give it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response was well done, with some truly disturbing moments mixed in with teenage girl angst. I’d have preferred less of that angst, but the teen audience this is targeted at may disagree. I give it 4 out of 6.

The editing was a little too tight. It’s a very closed world, with very few red herrings to filter out while solving the mystery. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a pretty good story, and a departure from the swords and sorcery of the rest of the PopFiction line to date. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, Chain Mail: Addicted To You receives 30 out of 42.

Additional Notes and Comments

The next series to launch in the Tokyopop Popfiction line will be The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadows this March. Expect a review of that, too.