Olympos
These are not your parents’ Greek gods. In Olympos, bored Apollo, Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon bear only the vaguest resemblance to the traditional Greek gods. Aki’s gods are young, androgynous, gorgeously drawn, and filled with ennui and confusing, rambling, pseudophilosophical rants. To relieve his boredom, Apollo spirits lovely prince Ganymede off to a miniature garden in the heavens, where the rest of the gods, who are also bored, visit and tease Ganymede with the thought of freedom. The very thin plot of humans kidnapped to relieve the gods of their boredom is really just a vehicle to showcase Aki’s beautiful manga characters and backgrounds. As long as readers focus on the lush illustrations, they can easily ignore the pages of whining from gods and humans alike. This title may appeal to aspiring artists and fans of shonen-ai manga. While not an essential addition, it is recommended for libraries serving a voracious manga readership. Grades 9-12. --Candice Mack