"Fullmetal Alchemist: Valley of the White Petals" (2006) by Makoto Inoue REVIEW

As a fan of the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise, I was willing to dive deeper in Ed and Al's universe. My younger brother (who, coincidentally, is taller than me) found this book in the library and a was nice enough to check it out for me!

From I could gather, this light novel takes place within the three year gap before the series begins. Colonel Roy Mustang sends Ed to a town in the middle of nowhere called Wisteria to check things out and fill out a report. When the Elrics get there, they meet a girl named Ruby that helps them into the town. According to rumors, Wisteria is a paradise for those who have no home to go to, those who felt were treated poorly by the military or the outside world. In Wisteria, Ed and Al discover that the economy of the town runs on equivalent exchange, just like alchemy, and everyone seems to love living and working there. However, dark secrets lurk in this paradise and soon reveal themselves, leaving the brothers to wonder if this town is really a place to call home.

This novel is a great addition to the franchise, but, unfortunately, it falls flat in some areas. This is a story of teamwork and fairness and the author teaches these morals well. The characters are exactly how they are in the manga and the anime, making it a true tie-in. However, the main plot itself gave me strong deja vu of the Liore story early in the comics and the shows. Also, the ending felt really rushed. There were characters that hated each other and didn't want anything to do with one another, but, right after an argument, they suddenly drop the ball and become nice people to everyone, leaving me to feel robbed of a chance to experience some great character development.

Even with its faults including some mistranslatiosn, though, this is still an enjoyable read for Fullmetal Alchemist fans. Would I recommend it to people not familiar with the franchise? Not so much.

3/5 Stars

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