by Miskat on February 7th, 2009, 6:13pm

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User rating of this review - N/A out of 5
Story/Plot - 3.5 out of 5
Characters - 3.5 out of 5
Drawing Style - 4.5 out of 5
Enjoyment - 4 out of 5
Overall - 4 out of 5

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Set in what seems to be the early 19th century, a rich young capitalist buys at an auction a doll-like girl, who is actually a living painting. He takes her home, locks her in a room with his other art collection, but later decides to raise her as her guardian.

Plot/Story
On the surface, the story touches on the intrigues, scandals and the gap between the social classes of the period. As you read on, however, you find that it focuses more on the growing feelings of the main characters toward each other, as the girl transforms into a lady.

Although the theme is mature, it never gets offensive. The romance is subtle and mostly hinted at, but still manages to enthral.

Characters
The two main characters are both likeable. Suzette is a taciturn, dainty and delicate girl, while Ian is reserved, rigid, but headstrong. He is first introduced as a mysterious man whose intention for buying a girl for a ridiculously high price is quite baffling. Despite his ‘bourgeois’ reputation among the upper-class, he is actually very gentlemanly. And the big age gap between him and Suzette will not put you off as their romance slowly builds.

Drawing Style
The character designs may not appeal to everyone’s taste because of the overly protruding noses and mouths of the characters. But overall, the art is exquisitely drawn -- the background is often very detailed and the clothes are elaborately designed. The lavishness of the art even adds grace to the more mature scenes.

Overall
This story may seem like a lolicon, but is actually tastefully told. It is not without corniness or clichés though; neither is it unpredictable nor original. Nevertheless, it is still romantically charming and enjoyable to read.

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