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Gothic Lolita
TWO GIRLS, THOUSANDS OF MILES APART...
Chelsea lives in Los Angeles; Miya lives in Tokyo. Other than the fact they're both half Japanese and obsessed with dressing like Gothic Lolitas, they would seem to have nothing in common. Or do they?
THE BLOG THAT WENT AWAY.
They got to know each other through their blogs. But three years ago something happened to Chelsea, an event so terrible that she stopped writing altogether. Miya's been checking Chelsea's blog ever since, to see if she's come back, but she never has. Until today.
A LIFE AND DEATH CONNECTION.
Today is the day Chelsea finally goes back online and tells Miya everything. And today is the day that Miya's life could change forever because of it.
Like a Japanese manga come to life, Gothic Lolita is a mythic fairy tale about love, death, and rebirth...and the courage it takes to reach out to another soul.
Chelsea lives in Los Angeles; Miya lives in Tokyo. Other than the fact they're both half Japanese and obsessed with dressing like Gothic Lolitas, they would seem to have nothing in common. Or do they?
THE BLOG THAT WENT AWAY.
They got to know each other through their blogs. But three years ago something happened to Chelsea, an event so terrible that she stopped writing altogether. Miya's been checking Chelsea's blog ever since, to see if she's come back, but she never has. Until today.
A LIFE AND DEATH CONNECTION.
Today is the day Chelsea finally goes back online and tells Miya everything. And today is the day that Miya's life could change forever because of it.
Like a Japanese manga come to life, Gothic Lolita is a mythic fairy tale about love, death, and rebirth...and the courage it takes to reach out to another soul.
194 pages, Hardcover
First published November 25, 2008
7 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 10, 2013
The subtitle bills this as a "mystical thriller". Sorry, there was nothing terribly thrilling about this, and I have no idea why the author would have called this a thriller. Mystical? Sure, maybe, depending on your interpretation.
Chelsea and Miya are separated by thousands of miles and a mutual inability to reach out to each other. But despite never actually speaking to each other, they feel connected through their blogs. (Which sound a lot like tumblr blogs, pictures with a line or two to go with them.) There are a lot of similarities and connections between the two girls, and more so as the story goes along.
It was a very quick read, even though the lack of capitalization slowed me down. Although I could identify with the girls, to a certain extent (liking being online, but being too shy to comment) I still didn't get involved in their stories. Maybe partly because they felt detached from their own lives. I get that, but it does make it harder for me to connect. I could also see where this book was heading from very early on, so there were no surprises.
I can see this appealing to teens who are interested in the gothic lolita style, though the style itself didn't have much to do with the book. I got the feeling that it was just window dressing, because any other style or no style at all would have suited just as well.
Chelsea and Miya are separated by thousands of miles and a mutual inability to reach out to each other. But despite never actually speaking to each other, they feel connected through their blogs. (Which sound a lot like tumblr blogs, pictures with a line or two to go with them.) There are a lot of similarities and connections between the two girls, and more so as the story goes along.
It was a very quick read, even though the lack of capitalization slowed me down. Although I could identify with the girls, to a certain extent (liking being online, but being too shy to comment) I still didn't get involved in their stories. Maybe partly because they felt detached from their own lives. I get that, but it does make it harder for me to connect. I could also see where this book was heading from very early on, so there were no surprises.
I can see this appealing to teens who are interested in the gothic lolita style, though the style itself didn't have much to do with the book. I got the feeling that it was just window dressing, because any other style or no style at all would have suited just as well.
May 5, 2012
No likable characters, no fucking plot, it was plain weird, and hard to follow.
Enough said.
The pictures were pretty, though.
Enough said.
The pictures were pretty, though.
December 17, 2008
Chelsea and Miyo are just two normal girls, except they live on opposite sides of the world. Chelsea lives in Los Angeles and Miyo lives in Tokyo. They formed a bond through blogging. Everything was going good till the day Chelsea disappeared from the cyber world. It has been three years, since Miyo last communicated with Chelsea. She wonders all the time how she is doing. Chelsea has a secret and she is ready to share it will Miyo. What Chelsea has to say, will change Miyo’s live forever.
I have to admit that I was some what disappointed that this story read more like one continuous poem and not like the suspense thriller, I was expecting to read when I picked up this book. Miyo in my eyes was the pretty much the one and only main character in this story. She talked about how her and Chelsea’s friendship was formed, along with how the communication between them stopped the day that Chelsea stopped blogging. What I did like was the way Chelsea and Miyo met each other. I can relate as I just started blogging a few months ago myself and have met many great people. The way though Gothic Lolita started out; made me think that Chelsea didn’t even exist but in Miyo’s mind. I didn’t really care that much for the way Gothic Lolita read for me. The pictures inserted throughout this book were very beautiful.
November 12, 2018
Man oh man, reading this book was like travelling back in time to see my younger middle grade self. I'm reading this and I can imagine my younger self loving every bit of this, the no capitalization anywhere, the italics for dialogue, the endless emdashes, the overflowing sad desperation feels from the characters, girls with young brother feels, and mixed with nerdy anime references along with obvs Gothic Lolita references, and internet friends and like no joke middle grade me would have GOBBLED THIS UP!!!
The stars are from pure nostalgia feels lol. Highly enjoyable read.
The stars are from pure nostalgia feels lol. Highly enjoyable read.
November 9, 2010
Dakota Lane, Gothic Lolita: A Mystical Thriller (Atheneum, 2008)
What a concept—combining a mystery novel with live-action manga panels to create a hybrid quite unlike anything that's been seen before (that I know of, anyway). It's a great idea, and if it's ever done right, I think it'll take off like gangbusters. Gothic Lolita is not that book, but at least it paves the way. I'm guessing the format was originally supposed to be a good deal different than the finished product, where the pictures, instead of being interspersed, are gathered into sections at the end of chapters (think “true-crime book with added photo pages” here). As for the mystery angle itself, it remains a bit on the vague side. This is most likely because if the narrators, both of whom are teenagers, both of whom are so desperately self-absorbed that another narrator would probably have served a solid purpose here. I understand the concept behind the technique (it limits what the reader gets to see), but I think it crosses the line a few times. The characters are more interested in what's happening to them than they are interested in themselves, which gives us very shallow narrators, but they're not interested enough in what's happening to them (or not in the right way, perhaps) to make this into a solid plot-based novel, either. There was a good deal of potential here, and glimmers of what this could have been show through on a regular basis, but it's pretty average overall. ** ½
What a concept—combining a mystery novel with live-action manga panels to create a hybrid quite unlike anything that's been seen before (that I know of, anyway). It's a great idea, and if it's ever done right, I think it'll take off like gangbusters. Gothic Lolita is not that book, but at least it paves the way. I'm guessing the format was originally supposed to be a good deal different than the finished product, where the pictures, instead of being interspersed, are gathered into sections at the end of chapters (think “true-crime book with added photo pages” here). As for the mystery angle itself, it remains a bit on the vague side. This is most likely because if the narrators, both of whom are teenagers, both of whom are so desperately self-absorbed that another narrator would probably have served a solid purpose here. I understand the concept behind the technique (it limits what the reader gets to see), but I think it crosses the line a few times. The characters are more interested in what's happening to them than they are interested in themselves, which gives us very shallow narrators, but they're not interested enough in what's happening to them (or not in the right way, perhaps) to make this into a solid plot-based novel, either. There was a good deal of potential here, and glimmers of what this could have been show through on a regular basis, but it's pretty average overall. ** ½
January 19, 2009
Not much of a "mystical thriller". Chelsea lives in Los Angels, Miya lives in the suburbs of Tokyo. They are both half-Asian and into Gothic Lolita. This led them to find each other's blogs online. "Gothic Lolita" is also the name of a fictional character in a manga the two girls have read. Chelsea stopped posting in her blog three years ago when her little brother died, about the same time that Miya's little brother Akio was born. Now Chelsea's mother wants to adopt and Chelsea has to figure out if that's something she wants or not. Very vague in many of the entries, with threads that end up connecting later down the road. Some threads are never fully explained. There is very little suspense in this novel though. A little dark, very angsty.
January 5, 2021
So whoever designed the book jacket definitely didn’t read this book because it is hardly a mystical thriller. I would describe it more as a rambling, sad-but-pretty slice of life narrative. I don’t think it’s for everyone, but I enjoyed it for what it is. The photographs are a fun bonus.
The alternating perspectives of the two main characters read as exactly what they were trying to be—sad, traumatized teens venting about their particular situations. There isn’t really a solid plot, more hazy, vaguely interconnected scenes and snippets of information. I really enjoyed the style that the author has; unsurprisingly, given the photographs, she focuses a lot on imagery.
I think the one major slip-up is that the author didn’t really do justice to manga. There’s a made-up manga in the story that is heavily leaned upon thematically. When it’s described, it feels less like a retelling of a manga in prose and more like a recap of a novel. Manga tends to have panels that you read through quickly, particularly in the shounen genre that is clearly being referenced in the made-up manga (one of the main characters is literally named ‘Shōnen.’) The descriptions of it didn’t give that sort of quick, punchy vibe at all, instead sticking to the pretty, but in this case definitely out of place, flowery descriptions.
The same could probably said for the descriptions of gothic lolita fashion, but I know a lot less about that so I won’t go too far into detail about it.
I guess I would say it’s all around a mixed bag. I definitely liked it and can see myself reading it again, but it’s far from the best and I could easily see someone else strongly disliking it.
The alternating perspectives of the two main characters read as exactly what they were trying to be—sad, traumatized teens venting about their particular situations. There isn’t really a solid plot, more hazy, vaguely interconnected scenes and snippets of information. I really enjoyed the style that the author has; unsurprisingly, given the photographs, she focuses a lot on imagery.
I think the one major slip-up is that the author didn’t really do justice to manga. There’s a made-up manga in the story that is heavily leaned upon thematically. When it’s described, it feels less like a retelling of a manga in prose and more like a recap of a novel. Manga tends to have panels that you read through quickly, particularly in the shounen genre that is clearly being referenced in the made-up manga (one of the main characters is literally named ‘Shōnen.’) The descriptions of it didn’t give that sort of quick, punchy vibe at all, instead sticking to the pretty, but in this case definitely out of place, flowery descriptions.
The same could probably said for the descriptions of gothic lolita fashion, but I know a lot less about that so I won’t go too far into detail about it.
I guess I would say it’s all around a mixed bag. I definitely liked it and can see myself reading it again, but it’s far from the best and I could easily see someone else strongly disliking it.
October 21, 2009
Not that thrilling...
March 25, 2018
Well, that was different. At first, I was a bit confused with the formatting of the book, but then I realized these are blog entries the girls are reading. The names of people and places and the first letter of each sentence were in lower case which confused me. It took me a bit to wrap my head around it, but once I did the reading was smoother.
The story is about two Japanese girls who met through their blogs. Chelsea lives in Hollywood, not the fancy part but more like the poorer outskirts. Miya lives in Japan. Both girls have a younger brother. Or at least they had. Chelsea's brother, Memphis has gone missing in a forest when she didn't accompany him on their daily early morning escapades. They never found a trace of him. That was three years ago and she hadn't posted a single blog update since. But Miya keeps checking Chelsea's blog, hoping she posted something new. Her brother, Aiko, is special in some way, though it wasn't explained other that Miya knows how special he is, but their dad thinks there's something wrong with him. So he sends him to live in a home. Miya couldn't bear to be separated from him so she moves into the same home to be with Aiko. However, they are both getting too old for the home and need to move out. There's an American woman who's planning to adopt a baby. Finally, Chelsea makes a new entry on her blog, that's where things get interesting.
The story is about two Japanese girls who met through their blogs. Chelsea lives in Hollywood, not the fancy part but more like the poorer outskirts. Miya lives in Japan. Both girls have a younger brother. Or at least they had. Chelsea's brother, Memphis has gone missing in a forest when she didn't accompany him on their daily early morning escapades. They never found a trace of him. That was three years ago and she hadn't posted a single blog update since. But Miya keeps checking Chelsea's blog, hoping she posted something new. Her brother, Aiko, is special in some way, though it wasn't explained other that Miya knows how special he is, but their dad thinks there's something wrong with him. So he sends him to live in a home. Miya couldn't bear to be separated from him so she moves into the same home to be with Aiko. However, they are both getting too old for the home and need to move out. There's an American woman who's planning to adopt a baby. Finally, Chelsea makes a new entry on her blog, that's where things get interesting.
August 23, 2020
Ok, I don't know how to rate this book. It is not good and it is full of elementary Japanese language and culture errors (ex: it is not 'hirigana' it is 'hiragana'). But. But... I think I can possibly make something of this weird, dumb, dilettante book? Because I think it speaks to *wanting* to make connections, to *wanting* to understand each other. Additional questions: why does the LA girl have to be half-Japanese? Is there a suggestion of the necessity of this cross-cultural understanding to have to be somehow culturally or ethnically bound? Or is it just to make the wildly unlikely storyline of international adoption in the 2010's plausible? The actual subculture of gosurori is not at all actually portrayed here, which eventually becomes part of the plot, but also gives cover for a totally imaginary and sort of dumb superficial goth take on the general ethos of gothic lolita. So baffling.
March 17, 2017
Okay, my father always used the phrase "they were like a fart in the wind" meaning, you noticed them for a short while and then forgot all about them. This book is kind of like that, a fart in the wind. An easy, mindless read with zero need to commit to anything.
I gave it two stars because I enjoyed the author's stylized writing by omitting capitol letters, it made the book almost read like poetry, which I really liked. I also enjoyed the Japanese elements of the story, it was interesting to learn more about manga, Japanese mythology (sort-of), cosplay and the wee bit of Lolita culture the book did touch on- not enough of this by the way!
If you find yourself sick at home laying in bed, wondering how on earth this book has come into your ownership, take an hour or two and give it a read; then it will disappear from your memory like the aforementioned fart.
I gave it two stars because I enjoyed the author's stylized writing by omitting capitol letters, it made the book almost read like poetry, which I really liked. I also enjoyed the Japanese elements of the story, it was interesting to learn more about manga, Japanese mythology (sort-of), cosplay and the wee bit of Lolita culture the book did touch on- not enough of this by the way!
If you find yourself sick at home laying in bed, wondering how on earth this book has come into your ownership, take an hour or two and give it a read; then it will disappear from your memory like the aforementioned fart.
January 31, 2021
When I started reading this book at the beginning I was a little confused, but the more I read the story, it became a beautiful story. What a rollercoaster of a story though, sad but a beautiful story. I was going to rate this book 3 or 3 1/2, but the ending bumped it up to 4 stars. I felt sad and happy while reading this story. Some of it was still confusing, but none the less a good book.
October 3, 2010
TWO GIRLS, THOUSANDS OF MILES APART.
Chelsea lives in Los Angeles; Miya lives in Tokyo. Other than the fact they're both half Japanese and obsessed with dressing like Gothic Lolitas, they would seem to have nothing in common. Or do they?
THE BLOG THAT WENT AWAY.
They got to know each other through their blogs. But three years ago something happened to Chelsea, an event so terrible that she stopped writing altogether. Miya's been checking Chelsea's blog ever since, to see if she's come back, but she never has. Until today.
A LIFE AND DEATH CONNECTION.
Today is the day Chelsea finally goes back online and tells Miya everything. And today is the day that Miya's life could change forever because of it. Like a Japanese manga come to life, Gothic Lolita is a mythic fairy tale about love, death, and rebirth...and the courage it takes to reach out to another soul.
Gothic Lolita is one of those novels, one that speaks to the reader and has a message, but one that I really disliked reading.
I really am not a fan of free verse, and that’s exactly what this book was—with no capitalization whatsoever, which REALLY drove me crazy. If you’re like me and are easily distracted by lack of capitalization (my inner-editor was throwing chairs against the walls of my brain) then I suggest not reading this book.
I was just generally confused with this book, and not in the great “Harry Potter” confused way. It also took forever for the book to go anywhere, and even when the plot did move, it only moved an inch and then stopped, as if it were too tired to get up and keep going.
Also, I’m really not too keen on the cover photograph. That angle is really unflattering, and it makes the model look very… un-modely.
One aspect that I did like was the photography in between the narrative parts. The photos gave perspective to the story, and brought to life the setting.
Book Details:
Hardcover
194 Pages
Review from "What's Your Story? YA Book Reviews":
http://whatsyourstorybookreviews.blog...
Chelsea lives in Los Angeles; Miya lives in Tokyo. Other than the fact they're both half Japanese and obsessed with dressing like Gothic Lolitas, they would seem to have nothing in common. Or do they?
THE BLOG THAT WENT AWAY.
They got to know each other through their blogs. But three years ago something happened to Chelsea, an event so terrible that she stopped writing altogether. Miya's been checking Chelsea's blog ever since, to see if she's come back, but she never has. Until today.
A LIFE AND DEATH CONNECTION.
Today is the day Chelsea finally goes back online and tells Miya everything. And today is the day that Miya's life could change forever because of it. Like a Japanese manga come to life, Gothic Lolita is a mythic fairy tale about love, death, and rebirth...and the courage it takes to reach out to another soul.
Gothic Lolita is one of those novels, one that speaks to the reader and has a message, but one that I really disliked reading.
I really am not a fan of free verse, and that’s exactly what this book was—with no capitalization whatsoever, which REALLY drove me crazy. If you’re like me and are easily distracted by lack of capitalization (my inner-editor was throwing chairs against the walls of my brain) then I suggest not reading this book.
I was just generally confused with this book, and not in the great “Harry Potter” confused way. It also took forever for the book to go anywhere, and even when the plot did move, it only moved an inch and then stopped, as if it were too tired to get up and keep going.
Also, I’m really not too keen on the cover photograph. That angle is really unflattering, and it makes the model look very… un-modely.
One aspect that I did like was the photography in between the narrative parts. The photos gave perspective to the story, and brought to life the setting.
Book Details:
Hardcover
194 Pages
Review from "What's Your Story? YA Book Reviews":
http://whatsyourstorybookreviews.blog...
February 23, 2021
I've read this book twice. The first time, I was a freshman in high school. The second time, I was a freshman or sophomore in college. The first time, I read this book in a single night. Simple enough, given its short length. I was just "officially" dipping my toes into the goth world. I'd been trying to do that for ages before. But then I got to high school and the dress code was more lenient, so naturally I thought I was so cool carrying this book around, because the gothic lolita look was interesting to me back then. Did I really understand what I read or what the plot was? No. But did I enjoy it? Hell yeah. The book also contains photography in it. I still can't figure out the significance of half the images. But I loved it. And that inspired me, for all of five minutes (more like a year, actually), to possibly dabble in photography myself. Because as a writer, I wanted TOTAL creative freedom and wanted to express myself via photos too. At least, that's what I wanted as a 14 year old. So I credit this book for entertaining me and challenging me to try other avenues of art, even though photography didn't stick. And never really took off to start with.
Fast forward to my second read through. Did I understand it any better? A little bit. Sure, there's not really a huge plot. If you asked me to tell you what it was (without reading the goodreads synopsis), I'd have a difficult time doing so. But it was still very fun. I may have enjoyed it more the first time around, but it still captivated me as an adult too. Since it's so short, I can almost see myself rereading it again in the future.
Fast forward to my second read through. Did I understand it any better? A little bit. Sure, there's not really a huge plot. If you asked me to tell you what it was (without reading the goodreads synopsis), I'd have a difficult time doing so. But it was still very fun. I may have enjoyed it more the first time around, but it still captivated me as an adult too. Since it's so short, I can almost see myself rereading it again in the future.
March 2, 2023
This has the same narrative feel of a manga or anime and the pacing is very well done! I found the ending very sweet and the teen angst actually touching and a little heartbreaking (I often get annoyed by it 😅).
As much as I like the experimental narrative style I think the photos used could have been in color and sometimes the text on top was hard to read.
I can absolutely tell this was written in the 00s which isn't bad but it does make this novel feel a little dated especially given the subject matter of the lolita fashion subculture.
It's a short, easy read and I think great for a reading slump!
As much as I like the experimental narrative style I think the photos used could have been in color and sometimes the text on top was hard to read.
I can absolutely tell this was written in the 00s which isn't bad but it does make this novel feel a little dated especially given the subject matter of the lolita fashion subculture.
It's a short, easy read and I think great for a reading slump!
November 15, 2012
Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com
Chelsea lives in Los Angeles with her mother. Miya lives in Tokyo in a children's home. Chelsea's precious brother disappeared three years ago. Miya lives to protect her brother. They both have an obsession with the same romantic manga. Both girls are interested in Gothic Lolita. The girls have never met or talked, but the two are connected in more ways than they realize.
Finding each other through a girl blogger site years before, each girl posted about their life and happenings. Each girl found an avid reader in the other. But they never left comments or talked. Now, three years later, Chelsea has stopped blogging completely and is feeling lost and alone without her brother. Miya lives in fear that someone will take her brother away and starts to plan their escape.
Now is the time when the girls need each other the most. Will they break down the barriers, open themselves up to who they really are, and help each other?
This is a fascinating tale of friendship and love. Told in alternating voices in short quick chapters, this tale reads like poetry. The story is accompanied by black and white photographs taken by the author that added a sense of mystery and beauty to the story.
I loved how the author unveiled more and more about each girl and the reader is able to uncover just how their lives are connected. It felt like I was slowly unwrapping a delicious candy bar but I could only have it piece by piece. This is a book to be savored.
Chelsea lives in Los Angeles with her mother. Miya lives in Tokyo in a children's home. Chelsea's precious brother disappeared three years ago. Miya lives to protect her brother. They both have an obsession with the same romantic manga. Both girls are interested in Gothic Lolita. The girls have never met or talked, but the two are connected in more ways than they realize.
Finding each other through a girl blogger site years before, each girl posted about their life and happenings. Each girl found an avid reader in the other. But they never left comments or talked. Now, three years later, Chelsea has stopped blogging completely and is feeling lost and alone without her brother. Miya lives in fear that someone will take her brother away and starts to plan their escape.
Now is the time when the girls need each other the most. Will they break down the barriers, open themselves up to who they really are, and help each other?
This is a fascinating tale of friendship and love. Told in alternating voices in short quick chapters, this tale reads like poetry. The story is accompanied by black and white photographs taken by the author that added a sense of mystery and beauty to the story.
I loved how the author unveiled more and more about each girl and the reader is able to uncover just how their lives are connected. It felt like I was slowly unwrapping a delicious candy bar but I could only have it piece by piece. This is a book to be savored.
February 10, 2016
This is a rather unusual book. It's centered on two girls. One is Chelsea, who lives in Los Angeles, has a mother, and has a brother who has disappeared. Miya is the other girl, who lives in Tokyo. She also has a brother, although he is alive but has learning difficulties. She and her brother are currently living in an orphanage. There are two links tying them together; the Internet, and Chelsea's mother.
The interest between the girls is based on their blogs.
The writing style of the book is unusual. It's really like reading a diary, although a diary where capitalizing the first word in a sentence isn't considered necessary. The book also has a number of arty photographs in it.
It's a style that may turn some people off. I think it's the type of book that you really need to read all the way through before coming to any kind of final conclusion. I had my doubts as to its quality at times but, after reading it all, I decided that it was an interesting book, although certainly not among my favorites. It's basically all teenage angst in almost pure form.
The interest between the girls is based on their blogs.
The writing style of the book is unusual. It's really like reading a diary, although a diary where capitalizing the first word in a sentence isn't considered necessary. The book also has a number of arty photographs in it.
It's a style that may turn some people off. I think it's the type of book that you really need to read all the way through before coming to any kind of final conclusion. I had my doubts as to its quality at times but, after reading it all, I decided that it was an interesting book, although certainly not among my favorites. It's basically all teenage angst in almost pure form.
September 1, 2009
Miya and Chelsea, are half a world apart, living in Japan and L.A. But it's been three years since Chelsea's last blog post, and Miya is feeling lost without her friend, even if they didn't really talk much. Chelsea misses the connection with Miya, too, but a tragedy in her life has kept her from communicating, and it seems like she'll never be okay. But there is so much the girls don't know about each other, and as the pieces fall into place, their lives will never be the same. You know you're in for something unconventional the minute you open this book. There isn't a capital letter to be seen - perhaps emulating the style of many teenage bloggers, since the two girls in Gothic Lolita met through their online journals. Part of the story is also told with black and white photos, and these images are both haunting and ethereal. This, with the poetic voices conjured by Ms. Lane, makes this book a must read.
November 28, 2020
Gothic Lolita is essentially about two half-Japanese girls who, despite living thousands of miles away from each other and only knowing each other because of their blogs, are deeply connected. The main two characters are full of angst and anguish, both having lost close family members.
Unique features: This book is set in lapslock, first person POV that changes from Chelsea to Miya and includes photography.
Confusing parts: The front cover labels it as “a mystical thriller,” but I don’t agree. Mystical? Maybe. But thriller? No, I wouldn’t say there’s anything especially thrilling in this story. Also, despite being called Gothic Lolita, the plot has almost nothing to do with the style. Miya and Chelsea are gothic lolitas. Miya’s friend Matsu introduced her and Chelsea found it in a magazine when she was seven. That’s it.
Unique features: This book is set in lapslock, first person POV that changes from Chelsea to Miya and includes photography.
Confusing parts: The front cover labels it as “a mystical thriller,” but I don’t agree. Mystical? Maybe. But thriller? No, I wouldn’t say there’s anything especially thrilling in this story. Also, despite being called Gothic Lolita, the plot has almost nothing to do with the style. Miya and Chelsea are gothic lolitas. Miya’s friend Matsu introduced her and Chelsea found it in a magazine when she was seven. That’s it.
Read
September 18, 2009Gothic Lolita was an interesting story. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't great either.
The photos in the book were quite interesting. They didn't make much sense to me however.
At first I found parts of the story to be slightly confusing and so I was coming up with all sorts of theories about how the book was going to end.
Eventually I got the feel of how things were going and the book wasn't too bad.
The story line was a little boring. It's a short read but it took me quite a while.
I have to say though, I learnt quite a lot of bits and pieces about Japanese culture which was quite interesting.
Overall, I thought Gothic Lolita was an interesting book and not at all what I was expecting. I'd recommend this one to anyone looking for a different sort of read.
The photos in the book were quite interesting. They didn't make much sense to me however.
At first I found parts of the story to be slightly confusing and so I was coming up with all sorts of theories about how the book was going to end.
Eventually I got the feel of how things were going and the book wasn't too bad.
The story line was a little boring. It's a short read but it took me quite a while.
I have to say though, I learnt quite a lot of bits and pieces about Japanese culture which was quite interesting.
Overall, I thought Gothic Lolita was an interesting book and not at all what I was expecting. I'd recommend this one to anyone looking for a different sort of read.
July 24, 2010
This is a strange little young adult book. Fascinating strange, read-it-really-fast strange, but still strange. It's about connections and is definitely mystical--not sure I get where the thriller part of the title comes from, though. It connects with a culture many don't understand (myself included), the Japanese Gothic Lolitas and cosplay--so the title has little to do with Nabokov, and more with anime and the fashions scene in the Harajuku. At the heart of the book, it is a story of two girls--one in Tokyo and one in Los Angeles--who connect via blog over shared love of Loli-Goths and find they have much more in common than anyone might imagine. I'm not sure the story is as fully realized as it could be, but it's a fascinating ride.
Rated: A-
Rated: A-
April 12, 2015
I picked this up at the library because I was intrigued by the title. I had also just checked out a book called Gothic Lolita Punk. That one was non-fiction and full of pictures.
I did not expect this book to be as sad as it was. I knew it would be quirky - no capitalization, odd paragraphs, photographs. First Miya speaks, then Chelsea. Then Miya. Back and forth, back and forth.
Two half Japanese teenagers meet on an online blog. Both have brothers. The brothers are an integral part of this story. Something happens and the blogging stops. Both girls are going through some extremely hard times.
There's a bit of supernatural element to it and that becomes clearer toward the end of the book. Quite a bit of symbolism, also. Elephants, the forest, spiders, gothic lolitas.
I did not expect this book to be as sad as it was. I knew it would be quirky - no capitalization, odd paragraphs, photographs. First Miya speaks, then Chelsea. Then Miya. Back and forth, back and forth.
Two half Japanese teenagers meet on an online blog. Both have brothers. The brothers are an integral part of this story. Something happens and the blogging stops. Both girls are going through some extremely hard times.
There's a bit of supernatural element to it and that becomes clearer toward the end of the book. Quite a bit of symbolism, also. Elephants, the forest, spiders, gothic lolitas.
June 20, 2009
I got a copy of this book from YaYnot?-seriously check that site out! This is a fascinating and beautiful tale of friendship and love. Told in alternating voices in short quick chapters, this tale reads like poetry. The story is accompanied by black and white photographs taken by the author that added a sense of mystery and beauty to the story.
I loved how the author unveiled more and more about each girl and the reader is able to uncover just how their lives are connected. It felt like I was slowly unwrapping a delicious candy bar but I could only have it piece by piece. This is a book to be savored. I will most definitely be passing this book along to my teens.
I loved how the author unveiled more and more about each girl and the reader is able to uncover just how their lives are connected. It felt like I was slowly unwrapping a delicious candy bar but I could only have it piece by piece. This is a book to be savored. I will most definitely be passing this book along to my teens.
January 5, 2010
i was surprised by how much i liked this book. i had assumed it would place more emphasis on pop culture, etc. instead, it was a dreamy tale of loss, guilt and ultimately, redemption. a mutual love of a certain manga, a fashion trend and blogging unite two girls across an ocean. of course, they wind up having more common than meets the eye. an unusual, delightful book. requires some suspension of disbelief, however, three years without contact? most teens would have given up on the other person. three years in the midst of our teens is a pretty dramatic span of time. at least it was when i was a teen...
February 18, 2013
Book #7 for 2013: Got this book last year from the bargain bins of NBS. I seriously don't remember why I bought the book. Probably because it was a bargain.
The story is okay, but oftentimes too slow and trippy for my taste. At the get-go, I noticed that the author also did not capitalize the letter at the beginning of each sentence. Did not capitalize "I" also.
The story is about two girls, miles apart, both half-Japanese, connected through their blogs. Then one of them stops writing, the emo stuff starts there. I don't hate the book. But I don't love it either. The saving grace of this book for me are the black and white pictures. I particularly liked the photo of the elephant.
The story is okay, but oftentimes too slow and trippy for my taste. At the get-go, I noticed that the author also did not capitalize the letter at the beginning of each sentence. Did not capitalize "I" also.
The story is about two girls, miles apart, both half-Japanese, connected through their blogs. Then one of them stops writing, the emo stuff starts there. I don't hate the book. But I don't love it either. The saving grace of this book for me are the black and white pictures. I particularly liked the photo of the elephant.
May 16, 2011
This is the story of two girls who met online and felt an instant connection. It took me about a chapter to get over the fact that there were no capital letters for beginnings of sentences and the word I. Although you get a very deep look into what each of the girls are feeling, at the end I felt like it was dragging and repeating itself. The photographs are beautiful but the writing can be choppy. I realize that some of the choppiness is because of the girls expressing their thoughts, but it seemed more so than it needed to be. This is for any fan of Japan and the Gothic Lolita style.
February 16, 2011
This was an AMAZING book. It shows true feeling and amazing emotions and an amazing friendship. It was a little confusing the first time I read it because of the fliping and flopping between the characters and Id say its definitely a challenging read for younger (8th grade and under) people, but I was in 6th grade when I finished it. So it is possible. This is a MUST read. Trust me, I know youll love it.
May 11, 2015
I was SO disappointed by this book. I remember reading Johnny Voodoo in junior high and thinking that Dakota Lane was one of the best writers I'd ever encountered, and I was so excited when I heard that she was writing a new book. This book didn't seem like the same quality of writing at all, and I felt so let-down by this story.
November 12, 2015
This book had my hopes hope since when I read it, I was starting to get into the Lolita street fashion. This book brought me insight of one of the types of Lolita fashions, Gothic Lolita, and how and why some gothic lolita became what they are. I was lost in most of the book, and confused in others. The only way I could get through it was treat the story like poetry rather than a narrative.
December 23, 2014
This is a very unusual book. Two girls, Miya in Japan and Chelsea in the US, communicate in blogs, though they have never met. Both have experienced similar painful losses.Chelsea's brother disappeared and her father left. Miya's mother died and her father left her and her younger brother in an orphanage. There is also a whole subtext about the Gothic Lolita culture.
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