Manga Review: A Devil and Her Love Song, Volume 7, by Miyoshi Tomori

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: VIZ Media (Shojo Beat)

Volumes: 13

Spoilers?: Yes, with warning for major.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Meet Maria Kawai—she’s gorgeous and whip-smart, a girl who seems to have it all. But when she unleashes her sharp tongue, it’s no wonder some consider her to be the very devil! Maria’s difficult ways even get her kicked out of an elite school, but this particular fall may actually turn out to be her saving grace... As Maria begins to recall bits and pieces of her tragic past, Yusuke tells her that he’ll stay by her side and support her, no matter what. Meanwhile, Maria still hopes to reconcile with Anna, so she enrolls in the same music school that Anna attends. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Anna wants Maria’s help or friendship…

Reads R to L (Japanese Style) for teen audiences.

Review:

Maria finally talks to her friends (excluding Shin) about what happened at St. Katria with Anna. There’s a lot of crying, and a lot of sweet words from Yusuke and Tomoyo. Maria comes to some realizations about herself and her relationship with Anna. Afterward, as Maria and Yusuke are walking home, Yusuke confesses, and Maria has a flashback of her mom. Which starts off Maria’s knowledge of Yusuke’s feelings, their nightly phone calls (to get closer, but also to help Maria from having nightmares), and the beginning of Maria’s realization of what happened to her mother. And Shin is trying to figure out what to do with Maria, is finding out stuff about her and Anna’s past, and cluing Yusuke in on some of it.

Then the focus shifts to music. Maria wants to sing for people, and she has a big confrontation with Anna about it, that rather upsets both of them, and none of them really know what to do about any of it. Maria also decides to sing on the street, but that doesn’t turn out. And the music instructor at the music place, Mr. Sakaki, is pushing Maria to sing, that all that matters is the technique, not the words or the feelings, which upsets Maria immensely.

(SPOILER!) And then Anna leaves. She leaves the school, the dorm, everything, leaving behind an identical necklace to Maria’s, with no word. Maria is upset about this, as she was hoping to clear something up; she was starting to find it hopeless, but still wanted to do something. I don’t think this is the end of Anna, so maybe they’re going to hunt her down, but I’m still not sure what’s going to happen with them. It’s all just messy and angsty and sad and bad, and I’m wondering what’s going to happen and hoping that it doesn’t have a cliché conclusion.

Very much so looking forward to the next volume, though, which I should have very soon.