09/10/08 14:15
"Cuz we're ordinary people"
Everyone ponders on the meaning of life sometime in their existence and "Narration of Love at 17" is a significant piece of humanity that addresses the insecurities of life in a high school girl's world.
At times it seems a little sophisticated in terms of philosphical and psychoanalytic content for the "appropriate for all ages" stamp, but the situations that are addressed can relate to anyone in any part of their lives. The whole series is really a mural of the troubles and anxieties that people endure throughout a lifetime. There is a lot of contemplating on self-worth, the mysteries that the future hold, and of course the timeless struggle of getting your crush to reciprocate your feelings. You can think of "Narration" as a guidline to the upsets and struggles of life.
"Narration of Love at 17" definitely isn't a manhwa that you can read for just its ups and downs of love--you will be challenged to ponder some heavy thoughts. And although it does deal with a lot of philosphical ideas, it remains unburdensome because of the steady ebb and flow of the amount of drama. Plus, the philosophical questions that are asked are age-old questions that have always returned from generation to generation. "Narration," then, is essentially a book of advice about life from the artist Kyungok Kang. So sit back and read what she has to offer for the struggles in life.
The artwork alone was enough to be worth the read. It was very detailed, even down to the extras in the background. Each had an individual characteristic that made it difficult for them to blend into the backdrop. But I think that's what the artist was going for to demonstrate the uniqueness of "ordinary people." I especially enjoyed looking at the expressions, which could clearly portray their sentiments even with the absence of dialogue.
We may be ordinary people, but it doesn't mean we can't have spectacular stories. And this series delivers not just a story about a girl's budding love story but her walk in coming to understand and believing in herself.