I just read the manga Bradherley's Coach (BRADHERLEY NO BASHA) and it was great. And terrible. Terrible in a good way. This manga is a super short story but not for the faint of heart. Seriously, there were times when I had to look away from the pages, especially in the first chapter. I'll try to talk about the story with out spoiling it, because it really is worth the read.
The manga is set in the early 20th century, around the time of the Great War (guessing from the attire, presence of zeppelins, and politics). It revolves around a famous opera troup, known for annually adopting in orphaned girls to join them. The orphans who get onto "Bradherley's Coach" are promised to meet the lord of Bradherley castle. He is the father of the adopted girls and founder of the opera troup.
Not all of the orphans get to reach the stage, however. The girls that aren't taken to the castle go to an entirely different place for a "Pascal Festival" where they become the "lambs".
One of the interesting things about this story is that we see it unfold from so many points of view. Not just through the orphan's eyes, but we also get a glimpse of the mind of Lord Bradherley himself. Just a glimpse. Enough of a glimpse that we completely understand what is happening and what the characters feel, but still have feelings of our own. It's hard to get attached to any one character though.
Don't judge this book by the cover art or title. If you go in expecting a historical drama about scandalous aristocrats having tea parties and dancing in ballrooms then don't open the book. It's a brutal story told in such a subtle way that after reading it, you aren't going to wanna sing and skip around.
The closest thing I can compare Bradherley's Coach to is the movie Magdalene Sisters. If you can handle Magdalene Sisters then I'm begging you to read this.
Because of the mature rating and graphic content, I'm putting a TRIGGER WARNING on this. It starts off pretty intense but the ending really softens the blow.
In the end, I was really pleased with Bradherley's Coach.
