The Tarot Cafe, Volume 3: Volume 3

Really great; I don't know what else to say about it that I haven't said about the other two volumes. The stories are great and Ash's past, along with Pamela's, is revealed even more this volume. The artwork is just as stunning as ever, of course. ^^ The kick-off story about the sultan is really strong and poignant. Shounen-ai lovers would probably love this volume (as well as the entire series). So if you're sensitive to mild homosexuality, stay away from this series altogether. Overall--tops. Can't wait for volume four. :)

This book threw me. There are lots of people who complain that supposed shounen-ai mangas only imply boy's love and never get right down to it. Imagine a book that has a sarcastic female lead and a plot based on gothic mystery- do you think rampant m/m relationships have a place in that formula? Honestly it was suprising to find that this time around, the number of shounen-ai couples outnumbered the straight couples 2 to 1. It wasn't a complete shock, as in the past two books the hints of shounen-ai accumulated as the story progressed-I think it's gotten to the extent that potential buyers should be notified.(Some of it is more mature than previously seen.) THERE IS A LOT OF SHOUNEN-AI IN THIS BOOK. Ok, now that that's in the clear, I want everyone who is isn't bothered or even happy with this fact to know that this book is excellent.The boy's love isn't the point, something big is going on. Remember when we got about two pages on Pamela's past, and her relationship with Ash? Much more about that is revealed, which the story is partially built upon- but this time, the story actually starts with Pamela! There's finally some development on the whys' of Belus, and Berial's artifacts.Oh, and say hi to a few more beautiful and enigmatic characters of some significance. In addition to the main storyline, Pamela also has two cases, one humorous, the other dark. In fact, the manic behavior of the book is what makes it so endearing-the characters laugh in prelude to suffering. Jokes never seem to lighten the consistent darkness overall, but they are charming. Just because something seriously creepy is going on with Pamela and the other main characters doesn't mean there can't be a sense of humor. This was also seen in the first two books, but it's never been better than in the third. So... a few heartbreaks, quite a bit of shounen-ai, and more mysteries. The story is picking up, so prepare to have number 3 make you antsy for number 4.