Requiem of the Rose King, Vol. 7

薔薇王の葬列 [Baraō no Sōretsu] #7

by Aya Kanno

As the war between Lancaster and York rages on, the physical bond between Richard and Prince Edward becomes ever more apparent. Edward’s loyalties are tested in the heat of battle as his wife, Anne, carries out a desperate act to protect their dominion.

Genres: Manga, Historical Fiction, Historical, LGBT, Fantasy, Comics, Shojo

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 14, 2017

About the author

Aya Kanno (菅野文; Kanno Aya) is a Japanese shōjo manga artist.

Former assistant of mangaka Masashi Asaki of Psychometrer Eiji fame, she made her debut in the January 2001 issue of Hakusensha's magazine "Hana to Yume" with Soul Rescue. Her works include Otomen.

Reviews

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know what to say about this story at this point, except that it's heartbreaking. The illustrations are so perfect, which only makes it more gut-wrenching. I do feel like a traitor to my Lancastrian heritage, but my heart lies with York, Richard especially in this case. Sigh.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god.... I think I might have died

[Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH MY LORD.

AAAAA.

I'M SHOCKED.

[Yub Yub Commander · Rating 5 out of 5]

. . . I need therapy.

[Hiena Biblioteczna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm drowning in my tears

[Yamell Lizardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dios ! Lo que he llorado.

Por qué crees que las mujeres, seres creados de la costilla de un hombre, somos capaces de engendrar y dar a luz ?

Para que seamos nosotras y no ellos, las dueñas de nuestro destino .

" Henry! Por favor, te lo ruego, ámame". 😭

[Nikola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten cliffhanger na końcu?!!! Tak się nie robi!

[火星の女 · Rating 5 out of 5]

En este tomo me muero yo

[DonutKnow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gosh, everyone’s so messed up and always with an agenda 😖 I can’t believe Edward is actually dead- I’m worried that his wife will take vengeance now that her only friend has been killed by the one she once loved...

[Gocrope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo más apoteósico y épico que he leído en mi vida. Todo este tomo ha sido un viaje emocional y desgarrador por la Historia ficticia de la Guerra de las dos rosas.

[Hoppipolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me ha gustado un montón este tomo, es un locuron, increíble. Ahora sí que veo la mezcla de Romeo y Julieta, Juego de tronos e incluso iría más allá, diría que bebe mucho de los clásicos góticos británicos, grandes dosis de drama y un descenso a la Locura que me parece sublime

[Yu Fang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible - easily some of the best chapters in this series.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know the history. I've read the plays. Aya Kanno is the first person to make me care about the characters. (Sorry, Shakespeare!)

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Aya Kanno's interesting take on the War of the Roses and Richard III continues as we are given the battle of Tewksbury and its aftermath. Unlike history, Richard plays a part in nearly every aspect - from the battle strategy to the accidental capture of Margaret's son, Edward. The Yorkists gain a decisive victory thanks to Richard but it comes at a heavy price for our beleaguered protagonist.

Story: Richard creates a risky plan to defeat the Margaret's Lancaster army. Margaret, meanwhile, is fearful for her son and convinces her daughter-in-law Anne to make sure Edward doesn't join the battle. But things don't always go as planned and Anne herself will make a bold move to save her husband and her father Warwick's memory. Richard, meanwhile, does not know how Edward feels for him and captures him in battle and must ensure he dies that day. Richard's brothers and mother, however, are rejoicing now that the Yorkish army has conquered England and reign supreme. But there is still one more loose end to be taken care of - in the tower of London sits the mad former king whom Richard loves - and the person he is commanded to now kill.

In this volume, we finally get the nature of Richard's 'deformity' as it is explained that he was born as both male and female. His mother continues to plot against her 'demon' child and is fearful that Richard's 'cursed fate' will somehow tip the precarious balance of her eldest son's new throne. Similarly, our other manipulative matron, Margaret, is desperate to ensure her son survives the battles and doesn't rush in foolishly. Ironically, just that happens despite trying to keep her son from running headlong to his own death.

Those who know the history of the end of the War of the Roses will recognize the liberties taken. Although the story follows loosely around the known facts, it also weaves a fun tale while also giving an idea of what was happening in the medieval period. So this isn't a replacement for actual history but it is an enjoyable overwrought melodrama as only a shoujo manga can do. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vol. 2 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 3 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 4 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 5 ★★★☆☆
Vol. 6 ★★★☆☆

Continues the momentum from the last volume! It's dramatic and angsty, filled with deaths and betrayals. I love how nuanced the female characters of this series are. I've always been rooting for York, yet this volume had me feeling sympathetic for Margaret. And unless I was reading too much into it, a certain character should be back soon enough.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

O.M.G. brb just need to pick up the pieces of my SHATTERED HEART 💔
Edit at the melancholic hour 🕛. That last chapter was literally one of the saddest things I ever read in my life. 😭

[kindofgirlyoulike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il reste 10 tomes et en fermant celui-là j’ai pleuré mais j’ai aussi pleuré 20 minutes après en repensant au tome je sais pas ce que je vais devenir

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

El tomo que más me ha gustado de todos los que llevo leídos

[Emi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una nueva batalla en la guerra de las dos rosas. Muchos acontecimientos importantes, varias muertes, un gran cambio en la situación de los personajes.
Un tomó intenso en contenido y acción.

[Crystal]

I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES! It's definitely based on the Plantanegets and I could not be more entertained, I cannot put it down and I will be sad when it's over. :(

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, the heartbreak in this one is overwhelming... But I must read on...

[Sam Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

En este tomo se acaba el primer arco de la historia.

Y debo decir, todo lo que pasó, no me lo esperaba para NADA. El final de este tomo, me deja incluso más destrozado que el anterior, que había sido genial.

Menuda fantasía, sin duda, voy a continuar con la historia.

Por ahora, uno de los mejores volúmenes.

No puedo más con la intriga 😭

REREAD 2024:

[Kristilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am honestly just dead at this point. What can I say except that I am heartbroken? Basically on the brink of tears and riddled with anxiety? I am feeling WAY too many emotions for these characters and they are all feeling so much pain and complete torment!

The way Richard basically begged Henry to love him broke me so profusely... Richard baby, lemme give you a hug... cuz I sure need one after the end of this!

[Mary-Jean Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words for this except for

In a good way. Well, it was intense, to say the least.

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

haha hah hah ah hah

T_T

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

No mmn ahhhhhhh. Qué perro.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stop this pain! 💔💔

[Katja · Rating 5 out of 5]

AAAHH! This was so good, especially the last chapter! Mmfffggh, in this case I don't mind it is as far as from the truth and even the Shakespeare plays it can be, because it's so delicious and dark and sexy and tragic... Yup, I love it.

This volume focused on the big confrontation between Edward IV and Margaret of Anjou at Tewkesbury. Btw, I appreciate that Kanno keeps true to Richard being skilled military tactic/commander. So, there's quite a lot of action but it's not the main course because the chapters focus on the commanding people on both sides and their grudge against each other. It's all bombastic speeches and such, fitting for medieval drama like this. In the middle of it all is Richard's fall deeper into darkness as he finally learns who Henry really is... Save him, somebody! (My pick would be Anne of course but the way Kanno spins the story, I fear Anne's lot in life will be just sadness...) Speaking of Anne, she got an interesting moment in this volume which also is all Kanno's writing but which I quite liked.

But then that last chapter amped up everything! Everyone can see mile away it won't end well but it was very very intense in many ways. My skin went all goosebumps!

I just had one gripe about this volume: nearly everybody is ruthless and cunning but Cecily (Richard's mother) feels too overtly hateful towards Richard even in a manga where indeed every feeling is turned up to eleven... Oh, and another thought about a different character: I don't think I've seen Edward of Lancaster (Margaret & Henry's son) portrayed as positively as this series does before. I mean, he has his tragedies here too but he's not mean here, or passive. I don't generally have sympathy for him but here I did, a little.

I love Kanno's beautiful people, heh. Most of the time, her art isn't super detailed but with some flourish here and there (like eyelashes!), she creates such elegant characters. She is very good at creating atmosphere with shadows and conveying characters' feelings and drama through their faces and expressions. Sometimes dramatic flares override the readability though and you gotta take a moment to confirm whose thoughts are flowing on the page.

Anyway, once more: I bloody love this manga!

[Zeph · Rating 5 out of 5]

May 2018: 5 Stars
I can hardly handle how much this series torments me. It's painful, but it's the good kind of pain brought on by fantastic story-telling. Thus far, RotRK is a masterpiece of a series.
As much as the story rips my heart out, nothing proceeds to stamp on it and rip it to shreds more than Kanno's art. Her paneling is brilliant, and the way she illustrates emotions such as fear and hatred and pure love really bring this whole project together. My heart is broken, but I'm glad it was broken by this masterful series.
I don't want to delve into any details, since there would be a LOT of spoilers after this volume, but I WILL say that I'm not sure which mother I hate more - Margaret, the ruthless witch, or Cecily, the devilish b*tch. One thing is for certain though: mothers in this series are the absolute worst, including poor Henry's depraved mum. How ironic that I should read this just before Mother's Day!

[MunWolfieSNM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Estoy rotisima. Hacía tiempo que no me dolía tanto una historia.

Es que era mi personaje favorito :(

Y EL FINAL

Es que me cago en mi vida.

Yo ya sabía que esta historia me iba a destrozar. LO SABIA. Y aún así, ahí que seguí. En qué momento decidí leer esto.

EN QUÉ MOMENTO ME ESTA ENCANTANDO.

No puedo en serio, me estaba muriendo de pena, sin poder parar de llorar, triste, enfadada y destrozada, y cuando creo que me puede arreglar un poquito el corazón ese beso, PUM. NO. NO. NO.

RICHARD.

MATAME A MI TAMBIÉN YA QUE ESTÁS.

Cómo me recupero yo de esto.

Lo peor de todo es que ninguno de los tres tiene la culpa :(

Ninguno se merecía cómo termina esto.

Qué triste estoy, nunca estuve tan triste. Todo es bronca y dolor.

La parte buena es que dos de mis tres favoritos están muertos y el tercero es Richard, así que ya no tengo que preocuparme por si les pasa algo, solo animar a Richard a matarlos a todos.

Después del final de este solo me queda decir: enemigos del heredero, temed.