Arcana, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

So-Young Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 7, 2005

The young orphan girl Inez has a special gift that allows her to communicate with all creatures. A great, unknown destiny awaits her--Inez is the chosen one! She travels to the country's capital, where Inez learns of her mission: She must bring back the guardian dragon that will protect her country's fragile peace from the demon-race, lurking within the shadows.From the creator of TOKYOPOP's Model, comes an epic fantasy quest filled with wizards, dragons, deception and adventure beyond your wildest imagination.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This fantasy manga follows the adventures of Inez, a young adolescent who wanders with her ancient grandfather through a lushly illustrated world of castles, pageantry, mystical wonders and age-old blood feuds. This landscape is seen through the wondering eyes of a girl on the verge of womanhood, who is also blessed with the unexplained ability to communicate with all species of animals. When Inez's gift becomes known to the local powers that be, she is pressed into reluctant service to attempt to lure a guardian dragon to protect the people as the delicately balanced peace with a malevolent race of demons hangs in the balance. With all of those elements in place, a reader could expect a compelling first installment in a fantasy epic of thrilling scope and spectacle. Alas, this is a slow-moving festival of androgynous figures whose genders are undiscernible unless they are referred to by name, and a lengthy backstory that tries but fails to provide depth and intrigue. Perhaps the story will take narrative flight in subsequent volumes, but it's slow going for both fantasy enthusiasts and manga fans in this first volume. (June)
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From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–A complex quest story full of magic and mystery. Inez travels with her grandfather, a 200-year-old wizard, and her canine companion to offer their services to the Emperor. From the beautiful opening scene in which she first encounters snow to the surreal dream sequences scattered throughout the book, Lee's melodramatic fantasy tale is short on explanations but never on style. The art is beautiful, with delicate lines and art nouveau-inspired backdrops and patterns. To add to the mystery, which involves Inez being able to communicate with animals and an epic quest to find a dragon, the characters all look very similar, with long, androgynous limbs and faces. This is a step above the usual manga sword-and-sorcery fantasy. Although there are immediately recognizable characters, such as wizards, demons, and talking animals, the gentle plot and loving relationships make the book unique. Arcana will certainly have cross-over appeal for kids who enjoy fantasy novels like Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series and Christopher Paolini's Inheritance trilogy.–Steev Baker, Kewaskum Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop; First Edition edition (June 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159532481X
• ISBN-13: 978-1595324818
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,347,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of So-Young Lee's best works, August 24, 2005

By 

Saiyu Youkai (Denver CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arcana, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This is the second manga by So-Young Lee i have read. The fisrt one, Model, though, does not compare to Arcana's beauty. Lee's artwork is hauntingly beautiful, in both novels. Though the plot of Arcana is much better than that of Model, and set in a fantastical world, which i personaly prefer.

A youhg girl, Inez(spelling?), has the amazing ability to talk to animals. This gift plays a bigger role in everyone's lives than Inez could possibly imagine. She lives in a mythical land in which it only snows evey hundred years. And with the snow, comes the dragons. With the help of a mysterious item, an old wizard who adopted Inez when she was orphaned, and a pet dog, Inez must set out to rid her country of the dragons.

The art is amazing and the end of the first novel leaves you wanting more. I highly recomend this manga to anyone who is looking for something mystical and dark to read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dreamy Watercolord Imagery, May 6, 2007

By 

Adrienne - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arcana, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This is the first manga that I have read by So-Young Lee. What drew me to it was the combination of the fantasy elements and the exceptional artwork. This is not your usual teeny-bop manga! The drawings are lush, complex, and poetic. The cover artwork really draws you in...

The story itself is a tad slow, with some confusing elements, but this won't stop me from reading the rest of the series. The care that went into the drawings more than makes up for the occasional "Huh?" experienced when reading it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay stuff!, March 6, 2006

By 

J. Alford (Atlanta, GA. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arcana, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This Korean manwha by So-Young Lee, the creator of Model, is a lush fantasy that's sure to make the bishounen-watchers happy. Taking place in an alternate fantasy world, and revolves around a girl named Inez who has the power to talk to animals.

This little Dr. Dolittle is taken to the captiol with her grandfather. Her gramps is actually a two hundred year old wizard, and an old ally of the empire. Just as they arrive at the capitol, it starts to snow, which is something that only is supposed to happen once a century. This signals that a time of darkness is at hand.

The emporer bids for Inez to seek out a race of creatures which will be used as bate to lure ancient dragons to help defend the empire for the oncoming darkness.

Arcana is an interesting story, told mainly from the perspective of a tomboy girl. Inez has to balance her rural upringing along with her new devotion to her royal duties. Inez also has a strange releationship with her sheepdog Zode, who has the power to morph into a human, and might actually be the reincarnation one of Inez's family. There are a few parts in the plot that are a little vague, but it's clear that Lee had meant to grab the reader's attention with rich illustrations and gorgeous scenery. If you were a fan of the early works of Clamp like RG Veda, then Arcana is a sure hit.