R to L (Japanese Style). A charming tale of a mother/daughter reunion, a burgeoning romance, and a little restaurant in Rome. In exchange for playing "the daughter of an old friend," Olga offers Nicoletta a place to live and an apprenticeship at the restaurant. Nicoletta fits in well among the vibrant personalities at Casetta Dell'Orso. She gets along particularly well with the kindly headwaiter, Claudio, a divorced man who, after years, has still never taken off his wedding ring. As Nicoletta's feelings for Claudio become complicated, she finds a sympathetic ear in Olga, leading the estranged pair to form a friendship neither expected. But as they grow closer, the pressure exerted by the secret they share becomes too much to bear.
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From Publishers Weekly
Telling the story of Nicoletta, a young girl seeking out the mother who left her as a child, Ristorante Paradiso exemplifies the best and worst elements of the slice-of-life genre. The protagonist's mother, Olga, is spirited off to Rome to marry her dream man, Lorenzo, whom she believes would have refused her had she revealed the existence of her child. Fifteen years later, the adult Nicoletta plans to expose her mother by telling Lorenzo the truth. However, it would be a mistake to think that Ono is actually interested in such weighty issues as child abandonment and familial loyalty. Instead, readers are in for a shallow soap opera focused on curiously identical-looking waiters and the women who pine for them. Nicoletta herself at the end of the story sums up the unbelievably cheap development and resolution of the family drama with one perfect descriptor: anticlimactic. On the plus side, for those who can get over the lack of depth and realism, the story offers cute subplots for anyone who has imagined what sort of drama may await in the back rooms of Italian restaurants. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Natsume Ono made her professional debut in 2003 with the webcomic La Quinta Camera. Her next works, not simple and Ristorante Paradiso, met with both critical and popular acclaim. Her current series House of Five Leaves (Saraiya Goyou) is running in IKKI magazine, and Gente (a continuation of Ristorante Paradiso) appears in Erotics F magazine.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully touching story...but not one that will stay with me for long
January 30, 2013
Format:Paperback
Content: no fanservice to worry about, Can't really remember coarse language and expletives
(NO SPOILERS):
By now, you are probably familiar with the basic plot and premise of this manga from the synopsis and the rest of the reviews. So no need to really go into that. This is a standalone manga (no other volumes) which also did give rise to the "Gente" sidestory series. For me, the story was definitely touching and packed with tons of life lessons to learn. Tons of amusing characters as well. But my main issue with this particular manga was that it felt like it was cramming in too much for the amount of pages used. except for a very few, we really didn't get to delve too deeply into some of the other characters, the pacing sometimes felt rushed, and the resolution didn't really satisfy (it's a complete one tho and doesn't leave you hanging...it was just lackluster in my opinion). Now, I do love standalone mangas, too...and actually have an anthology of them...this one just didn't feel as developed and well executed. That said, the story is a very real and relatable story for many, and with tons of good lessons to glean from it.
The artwork is also not the standard commercial manga style, which ironically helps this manga considering it takes place in Italy, not Japan. The cover is a good representation of it...so you can decide if it's your style or not. It does make character age much easier to guess tho haha...and that is somewhat important to the happenings in it.
ALL IN ALL:
It's a good and solid manga...but I feel I will forget it soon enough. Didn't really have any themes, ideas, story plot, ect. that I felt will stay with me in the future. Nor did I really end up sympathizing or "investing" into any of the characters. For me, I'd say it's a decent filler while waiting on the next volume of your favorite series.
(NO SPOILERS):
By now, you are probably familiar with the basic plot and premise of this manga from the synopsis and the rest of the reviews. So no need to really go into that. This is a standalone manga (no other volumes) which also did give rise to the "Gente" sidestory series. For me, the story was definitely touching and packed with tons of life lessons to learn. Tons of amusing characters as well. But my main issue with this particular manga was that it felt like it was cramming in too much for the amount of pages used. except for a very few, we really didn't get to delve too deeply into some of the other characters, the pacing sometimes felt rushed, and the resolution didn't really satisfy (it's a complete one tho and doesn't leave you hanging...it was just lackluster in my opinion). Now, I do love standalone mangas, too...and actually have an anthology of them...this one just didn't feel as developed and well executed. That said, the story is a very real and relatable story for many, and with tons of good lessons to glean from it.
The artwork is also not the standard commercial manga style, which ironically helps this manga considering it takes place in Italy, not Japan. The cover is a good representation of it...so you can decide if it's your style or not. It does make character age much easier to guess tho haha...and that is somewhat important to the happenings in it.
ALL IN ALL:
It's a good and solid manga...but I feel I will forget it soon enough. Didn't really have any themes, ideas, story plot, ect. that I felt will stay with me in the future. Nor did I really end up sympathizing or "investing" into any of the characters. For me, I'd say it's a decent filler while waiting on the next volume of your favorite series.
By April Y.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love this book. This was the first Natsume Ono book I ever read and purchased and it has lead me to buying everything that has been translated into English ever since. It's a wonderful slice of life story about a girl who is trying to reconnect with her mother and also the daily life stories of a charming restaurant in Rome. The animation series based on this book is also a great watch if you enjoyed this book.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By mpanzell
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Well plotted paired with a unique art style, Natsume Ono's Ristorante Paradiso was wonderful! I wish there were more than just one.
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