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When last we left our intrepid young Serenity, she had just moved to town and was still undecided about whether to label the kids of the “Prayer Club” as friend or foe. “Serenity, Vol. III - Basket Case (“Serenity”)” finds our puckish protagonist battling the trials and tribulations of high school with all of the spunk and gusto of a girl who is forced to draw her own road map for life. This installment showcases a slightly more subdued version of the Serenity that we met in volume one. Serenity is now hanging out with the Prayer Club on a regular basis. However, Serenity and the Prayer Club learn that no matter how pious you are, adolescence has pitfalls that no one can avoid. The whole school goes into an uproar when a member of the “Prayer Club” gets a hold of a “purity test”. Curiosity gets the best of everyone and accusations start flying as each character gets a moment to tally their score. A not-so-subtle statement on hypocrisy and parenting is included when Serenity fills out the test based on her mother’s life choices.

The second half of the manga is dedicated to a lesson on responsibility when Serenity and her friends are given the all-popular “parents for a week” assignment. The students are divided into pairs (all except for Serenity, who is chosen to be a single parent because there is an odd number of kids in the class and Serenity “won’t mind”) and given an egg to watch over. Serenity throws her egg away, deciding that the exercise is pointless. However, Serenity finds herself learning a bigger lesson than an egg could ever teach her when she comes upon an abandoned baby.

The bottom line for me here is that while I still personally feel that this series is a bit heavy-handed, it is still worthwhile and even humorous. This series is still incredibly target-specific; but, if you fit the target range for this manga, chances are you will really enjoy it. This manga is well illustrated and a good beginner read for those who aren’t ready to jump into the deep end of manga just yet. I was also impressed by the seamless transition that Serenity is making. So far, this manga has done an exceptional job at depicting Serenity slowly coming to grips with her situation and herself. (I am really pleased that Serenity wasn’t a total bad girl in the first issue and then a completely reformed person in the next.) The transition period here feels very real. I personally enjoyed watching Serenity traverse the sometimes-difficult road of life with all of her human faults intact. Serenity isn’t trying to approach life as a Christian; she is just trying to learn how to be a good person.

IN SUMMARY:
If you enjoyed the first and second volumes of “Serenity,” then you will definitely want to pick up volume three.

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