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Clover Omnibus (2009)

by CLAMP(Favorite Author)

3.91 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1595821961 (ISBN13: 9781595821966)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Dark Horse

review 1: This graphic novel was a very new and interesting experience for me. This book tells the story of a girl, named sue, who, alone, had one wish: the desire to see a place called Fairy Park, and how her wish was granted. This kind of book would be enjoyed by a person who enjoys visual effects and pictures. In Clover, there aren’t as many words as normal in a comic or graphic novel, but the pictures make up the details even more so than just words. This is because the panels are not always constricted, allowing for a more expansive canvas, because gutters are sometimes used to split images apart, and because of the way the author and illustrator show the changes between actions and different perspectives. In the book the artist does not always constrict the images to an are... morea. On page 63, the artist depicts the girl looking out the window, with two other empty windows next to her. This image illustrates how alone she feels. It is because there is no frame on this segment, it is understood that even though her space is limitless, as shown by the absence of a frame, she still is alone. It could also be seen as though she is looking down on people far below here, and, even though she would be much more important, as the more important people are generally higher up, she only desires to be with others, in order to keep her loneliness at bay. By not including a frame, emphasis was placed on all of the objects visible. This allows the reader to notice that not only is she far away from others, but there is also no one else like her, demonstrated by the way the windows are unoccupied while hers is filled up with her face clearly showing longing for companionship within its depths. In the book, the artist uses gutters to provide greater emphasis on certain things by using gutters like frames to split objects apart to provide greater contrast. On page 184, by using the panels with the speech bubbles in them as gutters, the picture of Ora is given greater importance through its depiction, and through contrast. The speech panels cover up parts of her face and hair, leaving what is important to Sue behind: Ora’s face. Also, the way the pictures is grainy shows Sue’s sadness about Ora’s death, but because the image of Ora is a happy one, the reader can understand that Sue still focuses on the love and happiness Ora brought into her life. The frames running across the entire page also show how Sue’s love for Ora cracked upon her death, but she still managed to persevere. In the book, the artist does a great job or showing movement across different panels. On page 139, when depicting the morphing hand, the artist shows it as unnatural because it is alone and takes up around half of the page in itself. The hand itself changes greatly, and the background subtlety but noticeably gets darker. This can be shown as an evil aura surrounding that hand, which matches up with the unnatural feeling associated with the hand. Movement is also depicted on page 167. Here, it is only shown by the appearing and disappearing of the teleportation cage around them. It is very dramatic as there is very little black on that half of the page not including the craft that they are flying on. This creates emphasis on what is happening in the background to their craft, instead of the actual actions. It uses a more passive action focus rather than an active action focus. In the end, this book was good, however if you enjoy pictures and filling in the blanks between images, than this book would be a good book for a person to read.
review 2: Out of the handful of Clamp series I've read so far, Clover is by far my favorite. In fact, I must look into getting my own copy of the compilation book, as I've nearly ruined the one I checked out from the library. You're probably wondering why I've nearly destroyed the book (actually, it isn't that bad, but it's certainly not in the brand-spanking condition I checked it out in). I can't help reading it, for three main reasons.First, it's one of those stories that needs to be read several times to ensure you've captured all the details. Read it once, and you have a decent idea of what happened. However, the Clamp ladies came up with the ingenious idea to tell the story backward. Not completely backward; more like the Seinfeld episode with the wedding in India backward - in an episodic fashion. In a way this makes Clover even more tragic, blatantly foreshadowing death and destruction.There are three "episodes" that make up Clover, told from the most recent then going back in time. Each involves the same set of characters, revealing how they die, part from each other, fall in love, the promises they make and meet one another. Because we read it in that order, nuances that made no sense in the first chapter make perfect sense by the last.Another reason I keep rereading Clover is the art. Not only can the mangaka tell a story, they can draw one, too. And as I have the 20th aniversary (of Clamp) "omnibus" edition, there happens to be bonus color illustrations that are fantastic. I want to run to Kinko's to make full-sized copies and hang them on the wall. (Sorry, if you heard weird, school-girl-like giggling, it was probably me.)Finally, each "episode" has a poignant poem, lyrics if you will, that flow throughout each chapter. My own brain has already been setting music to the first poem (I just need to find time to write it down). I imagine a soprano part with plenty of colloratura...well, never mind the technical detail, but every time I pick the book up, it's as though music floats into my mind.What I didn't care for too much were certain unexplained minor characters and unexplained situations. It seemed like perhaps there should have been a fourth "episode" that involved some kind of background between one of the protagonists and one of the antagonists (ie, Kazuhiko and Bols). It would have been great to know the history between those two.Also, sometimes it is difficult to tell who is speaking - yet another reason to reread and make sure you go over the dialogue carefully. Of course, it could have just been me that was confused, but personally I think maybe the editors had a dip in the bottle before OKing the book. (Joke! Joking! Don't sue me for liable or slander!)Anyway, Clover is definitely a top-notch manga, full of food for thought, and certainly not your typical shoujo. The girls from Clamp definitely score an A for this piece! less

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Reviews (see all)

Mike

Out of the handful of Clamp series I've read so far, Clover is by far my favorite. In fact, I must look into getting my own copy of the compilation book, as I've nearly ruined the one I checked out from the library. You're probably wondering why I've nearly destroyed the book (actually, it isn't that bad, but it's certainly not in the brand-spanking condition I checked it out in). I can't help reading it, for three main reasons.First, it's one of those stories that needs to be read several times to ensure you've captured all the details. Read it once, and you have a decent idea of what happened. However, the Clamp ladies came up with the ingenious idea to tell the story backward. Not completely backward; more like the Seinfeld episode with the wedding in India backward - in an episodic fashion. In a way this makes Clover even more tragic, blatantly foreshadowing death and destruction.There are three "episodes" that make up Clover, told from the most recent then going back in time. Each involves the same set of characters, revealing how they die, part from each other, fall in love, the promises they make and meet one another. Because we read it in that order, nuances that made no sense in the first chapter make perfect sense by the last.Another reason I keep rereading Clover is the art. Not only can the mangaka tell a story, they can draw one, too. And as I have the 20th aniversary (of Clamp) "omnibus" edition, there happens to be bonus color illustrations that are fantastic. I want to run to Kinko's to make full-sized copies and hang them on the wall. (Sorry, if you heard weird, school-girl-like giggling, it was probably me.)Finally, each "episode" has a poignant poem, lyrics if you will, that flow throughout each chapter. My own brain has already been setting music to the first poem (I just need to find time to write it down). I imagine a soprano part with plenty of colloratura...well, never mind the technical detail, but every time I pick the book up, it's as though music floats into my mind.What I didn't care for too much were certain unexplained minor characters and unexplained situations. It seemed like perhaps there should have been a fourth "episode" that involved some kind of background between one of the protagonists and one of the antagonists (ie, Kazuhiko and Bols). It would have been great to know the history between those two.Also, sometimes it is difficult to tell who is speaking - yet another reason to reread and make sure you go over the dialogue carefully. Of course, it could have just been me that was confused, but personally I think maybe the editors had a dip in the bottle before OKing the book. (Joke! Joking! Don't sue me for liable or slander!)Anyway, Clover is definitely a top-notch manga, full of food for thought, and certainly not your typical shoujo. The girls from Clamp definitely score an A for this piece!

xizErain

The artwork is heartbreaking beautiful, but it left me wanting. I understand that more volumes were intended but never completed, and the ending, or lack of, shows that. Still, I'm glad I read this, though I think the four volumes could have very easily been one. I found myself flipping past pages, because they were repeat after repeat of the same lines. For dramatic effect, to bring out the emotions they wanted to evoke, but it was a bit too much for me. But gorgeous art, and although this was my first CLAMP, it won't be my last.

chris

un poco enredada :)

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