Gente Volume 3 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

Gente is the follow-up to Ristorante Paradiso, a stand-alone manga volume by Natsume Ono (not simple).  Set in Rome, Italy, Gente focuses on the owner and gentlemanly staff of the popular restaurant, Casetta dell’Orso.

Gente, Vol. 3 is the final volume.  As we leave the Casetta dell’Orso, we witness stories of romance, love affairs, and family.  A politician comes to an unexpected conclusion while enjoying a meal at Casetta dell’Orso, with a little help from his granddaughter’s fortune telling.  Next, the notorious playboy Signore Rizzo tries to help the troubled Savina, another Casetta dell’Orso regular.

Finally, everyone comes together to throw a birthday party for Nicoletta, the stepdaughter of Lorezno (Casetta dell’Orso’s owner) and the daughter of his wife, Olga.  Gigi makes a friend while visiting his father’s grave, and the staff prepares for a second birthday party.

THE LOWDOWN:  I think that Gente would be a lovely read even if it weren’t set at a quaint restaurant in Rome.  Creator Natsume Ono is so good at creating character dramas built around practically any kind of mood – from tragic to romantic.  I wasn’t crazy about this manga the first time around, and I prefer stories about the employees more than I do ones that focus on customers.  Still, the way this series ended makes me want to visit these characters again… and again.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of Natsume Ono’s manga or of romantic stories may very well like Gente.

B+