I am working my way through this series again to get caught up. Currently on Volume 2 and I still absolutely love this series. I should be caught up before the next chapter since this is monthly iirc.
This chapter's done a good job answering a lot of the outstanding Robin questions I had, but the big one is still there. What's the goal of his experiments?
Also, what is the implication of the monument in the square? That she had something to do with the orphanage after they fled Asakusa?
That's exactly what I was wondering, and especially the last one.
I didn't recognize the statue - was I supposed to? My first thought was that it was the director much younger, but we've already seen flashbacks to the younger version of her, and that wasn't her. So who was it?
And the memorial was to "New" Heaven. I don't recall the other place being called New Heaven - just Heaven.
Part of the problem is trying to sort out the timelines. I was pretty sure that
The statue is definitely supposed to be recognizable, but we haven't seen her in quite a while now so I don't blame you! Mikura Manaka is the person who tasked Kiruko with protecting Maru on his medicine delivery quest from the start of the series.
spoiler
She is also the director after the transplant operation that put her brain in Nata's body.
My confusion comes from what the monument to her is meant to imply though. With it being presented like that on the last page of the chapter, it looks like it should be a big revelation, but I don't see it. Feels like it has to be more than just "she helped take care of the children here for a while".
I missed that this place was New Heaven though... It's a stretch, but what if the children here are a new generation of Hiruko? Mikura must have been doing research somehow if she was able to develop a cure.
Alright, I haven't quite caught up to this chapter yet (work has been hellish this week, on chapter 39), but I just wanted to pop in here after seeing the discussion brought up Book of the New Sun. I really liked the series, and I think about it a lot at random times when it just pops into my head. Behind the Foundation series, it is probably my favorite sci-fi work out there.
It's easily one of my favorite works of literature. I think it's absolutely brilliant. I've read through the whole series at least half a dozen times now, and still discover (or figure out) new things every time.
And I could go on at great length about it, but I'll refrain.
On another note, I've been threatening off and on to reread Foundation, since I read it the first (and only) time about 30 years ago, and pretty much all I remember is the broad outline and that it impressed the hell out of me then. But for whatever reason, I never remember it when I'm casting about for the next book to read.
And right at the moment, I'm casting about for the next book to read, so thanks for the reminder.