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  • Stepping on Roses


    Rating:
    4
    Image of Stepping on Roses, Vol. 1
    Author / Artist: 
    Rinko Ueda
    Publisher: 
    Viz Media
    Volumes: 
    5 (ongoing)

    A rags-to-riches romance from the creator of Tail of the Moon! Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi's financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition--he'll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi pull off fooling high society into thinking she's a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth it to give everything up for this sham of a marriage?

    Stepping on Roses, Vol. 1

    Reviewer's Rating: 
    0
    Pull Quote: 
    When it comes to frothy romance manga, there are allowances most readers are always prepared to make. Realism? Unnecessary. Depth? Optional. Cliché? Bring it on! In return, these readers ask for just one thing: Romance–heart-stopping, unrestrained, no holds barred romance. Unfortunately, though Stepping on Roses takes full advantage of its readers’ generosity, it fails to deliver on its end of the bargain.

    Stepping on Roses Volume 1

    Reviewer's Rating: 
    3
    Pull Quote: 
    In Stepping on Roses, Rinko Ueda gives her fans what they adore: a sweet love story with a historical backdrop. While it's a bit formulaic, this Meiji Era Cinderella story will charm anyone who's got a weakness for cute guys, ditzy but good-hearted heroines and fairy tales that give you the warm fuzzies.

    Manga of the Month: Stepping on Roses Vol. 1&2 - Rinko Ueda

    Reviewer's Rating: 
    4
    Pull Quote: 
    This series has all the trappings of a traditional historical romance. A pauper maiden rescued by a rich noble, marrying only for inheritance, but wait, we can't fall in love! The introduction of a love triangle is another cliché plot element. It's stereotypical romance roles, and the plot is somewhat predictable. Although, if I've come to the correct deduction, things are going to get mighty interesting when all character backgrounds are revealed.

    Stepping on Roses Volume 2

    Reviewer's Rating: 
    0
    Pull Quote: 
    In my review of the first volume of this series, I noted that it had an absolute ass as the hero, and wondered if the writer might be doing a parody of those sorts of stories, where it turns out that the right guy for the heroine actually *is* the nice guy after all, and that the jerk is just a jerk. I imagine those readers who have read further on in this series were pointing at me and laughing. Of course, it's nothing like that.