[.ca] Clover 1 (ISBN 1892213664)

^.^:
Clover seems to be one of CLAMP's lesser known works, but I find it to be one of their better works. The story is interestig and presented in an appealing way through beautiful art. As with most of most of CLAMP's manga, Clover includes interesting character relationships, including a gay couple(one partner being much older than the other)so if you're not into that sort of thing you should probobly stay away from this manga(or CLAMP in general, as most of their works contain controversial relationships). Clover is a futuristic fantasy filled with emotion centered around a few psychic youths who are feared and restrained by the government for fear of their powers. There is a good deal of action but more than that it is a character-driven emotional drama. The first two volumes are one complete story, the third is a prequel, and the fourth is a prequel to the prequel. All in all The characters, story, and art make it a great read.

Unusual, yet so Good:
I've read many of CLAMP's works both in translated Japanese (from a person who uses translations right out of the book) and some edited out Manga. This made me speechless. I thought it would be another sugar-coated bubbly fun manga like Card Captor Sakura. I was wrong. It sends out a message and a story so unusual, it makes you think. If your into the more happy stuff, don't read this. This is more of the heavy-weighted serious manga. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because some translations were wrong, as in names. That bothers me slightly, but get it anyway. It's good.

Clover:
In my opinion, Clover is simply beautiful. The use of heavy contrasts between black and white, and the songs in the book are just beautiful, and the whole story is deep and sad. I would recommend buying 1 and 2 together, as they are a story in themselves. Actually, I bought 4 first, then 3, and finally 1 and 2. Why? Because, 4 is actually the one that happens first, chronologically. 4 is the prequel to 3, and 3 happens before 1. It makes a little more sense to buy it like that, I think. It explains who Ora (Oruha) is before you read 1, so you don't end up wondering. The only thing I can slate it for is the font they used- Times New Roman?! I HATE that font. Also, my colour pages fell out easily.. maybe I shouldnt have stared at them so much ^_^;;

presentation counts:
Clover # 4 is short, like all other books in the four-part series, but that hardly matters at all. In the last intstallment of Clover, an unusually light-hearted Kuzuhiko, Ora, and Sue all have cameo roles, although the story features Ran (C), and his brother, A. Gingetsu gets a large part as well, but not as great as I expected after reading the summary. Reading through #4 the first time left me feeling slightly let down, because I had the impression that the story would be a follow-up on the breif appearance Ran and Gingetsu had in the first book. (I haven't read 2 or 3.)I was annoyed, because Clover is one of the more expensive mangas and I felt I could have invested my money more wisely. But then I went through it a second time and realized that it was good as a prequel, as well. The presentation is in very crip chairascuro (black and white), which gives it a very classical feeling. (I'm aware manga is typically printed in black and white anyways, but Clover has heavy contrast and large areas filled in with simple black or white, aka negative space.) This may appear cheap- but in actuality it's skillful oraganization and presentation that makes Clover so unique, and aesthetically pleasing. In truth, screentoning (using little dots for shading) would lessen the somber, repessive tension that emphasizes the theme of captivity so well. In the end, I was glad I bought Clover, although I'm still irritated by the length. And on a very practical note- the frosty dustjacket for the book is beautiful, but has a tendency to tear, even when you're trying to be careful. I know someone who is a nut when it comes to the caretaking of her books, and yet the cover had an almost full vertical rip in the front. When she lent it to me, I carried it in a backpack that held the rest of my books, and took out only to find that the cover had ripped all the way around. The corners of the books get wrinkled easily too, on account of the material- the best thing to do seems to be to remove the dust jacket when you're carrying clover, and then replace it when on the shelf. Either that, or handle sparingly. I also reccommend purchase online- few Clover books that have been leafed thorugh by customers at the store are left intact. (it's just that fragile.)

Catching your eye with the slightest of movements:
This eye captivating heart wrenching backwards told series from clamp is a masterful work of art with a fanciful, romantic, tragic, adventure, story set to literally unfold before your eyes in the pages. The world setting in the book is completely unique and fans of CLAMP will find that the art style in the book is a captivating contrast from what fans normally see from this group of artists, who usually pack more images onto one page than you thought it was possible to fit. Clover is a subtle artful work beautifully written (although I'm sure some of this was lost in translation). The contrast of black and white pages at times containing only one or a few small images create a uniquely beautiful and fragmented journey. The series is not chronological in regards to the story so readers may find it hard to follow, but trust me if you read it, it will come together and once you start you can simply have to get the whole series with it's unique lay out, beautiful character designs, and captivating story that leaves you with a hint of mystery and wanting of more. The words that tie the story together are beautiful, but they can get a touch repetitive at times, still there is so much poetry and precise placement of the words in the book you really can't ignore how well written the series is. CLAMP's trade mark Alice in Wonder Land references appear in full force in the book and are and amusing tie into the story. This must own series is an all encompassing piece of art with a unique subtle style that sets it apart and above the rest. The intriguing relationships that tie the characters together really seem to reach out of the story and grab your interest, like a professional dancer, catching your eye with the slightest of movements, Clover is a true treasure in art, poetry and story telling