Gertrude no Recipe
- Genre: comedy fantasy romance supernatural
- Author: kusakawa nari
- Artist(s):
- Year: Jul 5, 2001 to Oct 4, 2003
- Original Publisher:
- Status： Finished
...
Show More
Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 11 votes)
5 stars
5(45%)
4 stars
3(27%)
3 stars
2(18%)
2 stars
1(9%)
1 stars
0(0%)
Popular Reviews
I can't believe I didn't write a review on The Recipe for Gertrude once I finished! I truly enjoyed this book, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. Its plot revolves around a teenage girl named Sahara who meets Gertrude, who appears to be her age and a normal human but is actually a 100-year-old demon. He’s not just any demon; he’s manmade, assembled from parts of other demons. Gertrude was brought back using a spell (or "recipe") that he is trying to find to understand and then destroy. Sahara soon befriends Gertrude, along with two other demons, and sets off on an adventure to find the recipe.
The story felt quite original to me. It’s unlike any manga I’ve read before, and I’ve read a lot. It never got boring, and honestly, I think it took me less than a week to finish, maybe a week and a half at most, because I found all the volumes in the library and checked them out.
What I really appreciated as I went through the story was how it focused mainly on the relationship between the two main characters. Their emotions were palpable, and it was clear they cared for each other, yet it was subtle too. It wasn’t overly mushy or overly dramatic. All the characters were well-drawn. Sahara is refreshing as a protagonist; she’s not one of those perky, let’s-help-people-and-save-the-world types. In fact, sometimes she seemed rather apathetic. The comic-relief characters Puppen and Marionette are very likable, though my personal favorite was Gertrude. Incidentally, for some reason, I always wanted to learn more about the OCD bookkeeper, a very minor character who shows up later in the series.
The art is something you either love or hate. I liked it, but I can see why others might not. It’s flawed in that it doesn’t flow smoothly, and it’s somewhat blocky, certainly off the beaten path compared to what most manga artists aim for to win fans looking for typical beautiful art. The lines are sharp and clean. It’s both appealing and unappealing simultaneously. It improves as the series progresses, but that wasn’t an issue for me since I liked the author’s style anyway.
I rate my enjoyment highly, as I loved this series, and now, after writing this not very lengthy review, I’m eager to reread it. Actually, I may buy her newer series, The Palate of 12 Secret Colors, or at least look into it. But that’s beside the point. The Recipe for Gertrude is likeable. It’s not lovable to everyone, but at least give it a shot and see what you think.