Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 9 by Bisco Hatori


Book Jacket

In this screwball romantic comedy, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids' school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school's swankiest, all-male club--as a boy!  There she discovers just how wealthy the six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else...

In middle school, Tamaki Suoh must entice the coldhearted twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, to join his newly created Host Club.  But in order to get them to accept his proposal, he must first best them at their own game.

Review

A volume that starts with Hitachiin twin backstory?  Le duh.  I loved it.  I really connect to their contradictory desires--to be known but to be unknowable, to be understood but mysterious.  I was worried they were going to make Tamaki unusually perceptive and able to distinguish Hikaru from Kaoru.  That would take away from Haruhi's specialness.  Instead, Tamaki won them over by being his over-exhuberant, hyperactive self.  I can totally understand why the twins thought life with him would be consistently interesting.

The story about the princess was....okay.  I liked the idea that she was abusing her power, but to do so for the sole purpose of returning to her brother?  Whatever.  Kyoya was what made that story bearable.

And then Tamaki's emotional crisis when he finally realizes he likes Haruhi.  Poor sap.  Are boys really so oblivious about their feelings?  I am constantly creeped out by his habit of calling himself Haruhi's "father," and the fact that this story line was resolved by realizing that fathers can kiss their children was pretty disgusting.  Although I admit his gleeful "hee hee hee" as he passed out in bed made me lol.

Three out of five wrapper scrapbooks.

Release Date:  July 2007
Reading Level:  Grade 7+
Where In Dunlap Public Library's Collection:  Not currently part of Dunlap Library's collection.

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