Chain Mail: Addicted to You [Paperback]

Hiroshi Ishizaki (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2007

Four disillusioned Tokyo teenagers who have never met are suddenly drawn together by a mysterious chain mail message sent to their cell phones. In the tradition of classical Japanese tanka poetry, each teen takes on a role in the intriguing and absorbing narrative: the schoolgirl stalked by an older boy; her mysterious stalker; the schoolgirl's boyfriend; and the female detective. Written from each character's point of view, Chain Mail carries the reader on a suspenseful adventure juxtaposing teenage angst against a colorful Tokyo backdrop in an unforgettable tale that blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy. “Richly plotted to play on the love young adults have for thrills and chills; not a single weak link binding it together.” â€"ActiveAnime.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 209 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (January 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159816581X
• ISBN-13: 978-1598165814
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,221,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Chain Mail, October 12, 2011

By 

LunaMoth (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chain Mail: Addicted to You (Paperback)

At first if you look at the publisher you will see Tokyopop. You may also know that Tokyopop is one of the main providers of Manga to America. So when i saw that this was a full out novel i was a bit apprehensive, though i am glad i gave it a chance!

Chain Mail is about four teens living very different lives, yet brought together by a single chain mail on thier cells. The theme is a role playing game, where they each take a part and type on a forum about thier character, inter playing with the other girls characters to create thier own novel. However when one girl stops posting the fantasy world they have created is about to get very real.

I felt the story was very original, i had to keep reading, i was THAT sucked into it. Each of the charaters had thier own personality and vibe that made me like each of them. The characters they also chose to portray where quite well done too, like the 'stalker' character, creepy! i myself would have been terrified of some of the stuff that came out of the persons mind.

The writing was fluid, easy to read and was told from the view of the four girls so you got a view of what each was thinking and that made for a really good perspective without giving too much time to one person or another. The ending was also unexpected and the twists were appreciated, since if you pay attention there is a great message about loneliness and acceptance. Even if Tokyopop is a manga distributor and even if novels like this don't make it big, i really hope more come forth because i really, really enjoyed it and i would recommend it to others.

4.0 out of 5 stars Do you want to be part of a fictional world?, May 26, 2011

By 

Leigh I - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chain Mail: Addicted to You (Paperback)

That's the first thing the story asks. Despite the rather odd question, the story begins rather unoriginally. However, once you get past the explanations, Chain Mail: Addicted to You, by Hiroshi Ishizaki, grabs you by the collar and drags you on a fast ride that doesn't let up until the end of the book. One of the interesting aspects is that this book is written from three different points of view. Each character is very unique and well written - the lonely Sawako, the overshadowed Mayumi, and the cynical Mai. Overall, I was very impressed with the broad spectrum of writing styles used in the story to express the thoughts of the different characters, both in the world of Japan and the world of Chain Mail.

I didn't really have any problems with the book, myself. However, I could see that there is one thing that others might have a problem with. That is the translation of the book. I personally commend Richard Kim for maintaining the integrity of the novel. For others, therein lies the problem. Because the story was originally written in Japanese and takes place in Tokyo, there are many Japanese elements that American readers might not necessarily understand. Regardless, the book does explain what most of these terms mean.

Overall, the book reads quickly and is sufficiently interesting. The ending is rather confusing, and the twist at the end almost seems like a throwaway. It's a little hard to get into the book, especially if you don't understand many of the references. Once you get into the book, it's hard to put down. It's an interesting and insightful look into story writing, the Japanese culture, and the dark side of the teenage mind.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Links in the Chain, January 19, 2007

By 

Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chain Mail: Addicted to You (Paperback)

Sawako, an overachieving junior high school student, is extremely lonely. Her mother is gone, her father distant, and her friends are non-existant. When she receives an email on her cell phone inviting her to be a part of an interactive story, she jumps at the chance to belong - even though the message came from someone she does not know.

Two other junior high girls receive similar emails on their phones: Mayumi, who lives in the shadow of her intelligent and athletic best friend, and Mai, who would rather go clubbing (for the music, not necessarily the scene) than deal with the high expectations of diplomat family.

They develop a story about a young girl, her tutor, her stalker, and a detective. Each girl writes for a certain character and posts their chapters at the website. The mysterious Yukari, the girl who started it all, writes the role of the stalker. As the story's suspense escalates, life begins to imitate art. Suddenly, Sawako goes missing in both stories, leaving the other girls to wonder what happened to her - and if it will happen to them next.

Chain Mail: Addicted to You by Hiroshi Ishizaki embraces the story-within-a-story format from the very beginning, and keeps raising the stakes until the vey end. Cell phones are ever-present, making this cautionary tale ultra-contemporary. While racing through the book to find out who done it, American readers will subconsciously learn about Japanese culture and schooling.

Chain Mail comes courtesy of Pop Fiction, a new teen fiction imprint from TokyoPop.