Goong, Vol. 2: The Royal Palace (v. 2)
Grade 7 Up—In the first volume, a middle-class girl is betrothed to the crown prince of Korea in an arranged marriage. This book begins with an abbreviated look at the many steps in the traditional Korean wedding ceremony of Chae-Gyeong and Prince Shin. Soon, the newlyweds face adjustment issues in their new life (the delicate issue of a wedding night is skirted by mention of the fact that they're not "of age"). Scared and unsure of herself, Chae-Gyeong turns to her new husband for comfort, and he, snotty prince that he is, warns her that his "shoulders are too busy shrugging for anyone to lean on." Oddly, when he offers her friendship, instead of romance, she bites his arm. The couple visit her family and return to high school—and both of their families feel uncertain about this hastily arranged union. Will Chae-Gyeong and Shin ever develop the love they will need to sustain their marriage?Goongis full of soap-opera drama with cartoon elements, including a boisterous eunuch; Shin's ex-girlfriend, with whom he's still in love; and Shin's cousin, second-in-line for the throne, on whom Chae-Gyeong is developing a crush. The book has a well-structured story with crisp illustrations. Readers who enjoy the more lighthearted romance series, such as Chica Umino's "Honey and Clover" or Kazune Kawahara's "High School Debut" (both Viz Media, 2008) will take toGoong.—Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.