Title: The Lapis Lazuli Crown
Mangaka: Natsuna Kawase
Volume: One
Publisher: CMX
In the Kingdom of Savarin 20% of the population are magic users and stones are the conduits of these magical powers. Lapis Lazuli is the protective stone of the Kingdom.
18 year old Miel Violette lives in the capital city of Zala. The middle daughter in an aristocratic family who, up until two generations ago, were famed for being Palace Sorcerers. Miel is an awkward yet strong-willed teenager. She does not have confidence in her own magical powers which she has inherited and she has, what she views as, a freakish physical strength. Miel seems to want to go unnoticed in life not drawing too much attention to herself. Desiring to fit in to this predetermined ideal of what a girl should look and act like she hopes to snag a 'man of position'. But fitting in to that ideal is hard for her and she wonders if she should have been born a boy.
She tries to hide her strength and her not-so-good magic abilities, but one day she meets a stranger named, Radi, who finds her fascinating and sees her as having great potential. He views her flaws as honest mistakes and encourages her to train. He is also totally impressed by her brute strength.
The two seem to really enjoy each other.
We learn that Radi is actually prince Radian. Of course Miel is totaly impressed by this but there are also moments of imbaresment and blushing for having acted in a not-so-traditional manner in his pressence. But even as Radian he continues to encourage her.
The two have quickly developed feelings for each other and Miel decides to go to magic school and make her way to the Palace as a sorcerer. It is her hope that she will one day be by Radian's side and be a protection for him.
My take on the book is that Miel has not decided to work real hard on her magic and being her self so that she can win Radian the Prince. Her change of attitude and direction is a result of the love and encouragement of Radi. This is not a story about how to win a guy in position it is a really great manga about Miel, the embodiment of the Lapis Lazuli stone of protection. Like the stone her purpose is to protect the Kingdom. And like the stone, she is in ways soft and fragile but at the same time she contains immense power. The power she struggles to control but is determined to. Not because she is trying to win the favor of the Prince but because this guy she met on the street saw her as she was and encouraged her and she desires to be for him what he has been for her.
Lapis Lazuli Crown's art is really well done and as you would expect from shojo manga the characters are cute/pretty. It is my understanding that this series is only two volumes long so following it wont be too much of an investment. My favorite aspect of the book, along with the art (which surprises me), is how the two main characters encourage each other.
Lapis Lazuli Crown is raited (E) for Everyone. I will totaly be giving this to my 7 year old daughter to read. I let you know what she thinks.
(Review copy was provided by the publisher)