For some reason I really needed a cozy read not long ago; I’m part way through something that sounded like it should have but is turning out to not be that. I put down book #1, and went for option 2: manga. Or to be more precise, a series of short stories based on the manga (and also now anime) Spy X Family titled Spy X Family: Family Portrait. If you know the series it helps but it’s not totally mandatory as there is a basic character and plot review infographic at the beginning, and the stories themselves don’t directly work into the main storyline. The thing about this series is that while it’s loosely modeled on a sort of Cold War spy setting, and every member of the Forger family has a major secret (dad’s the spy, mom’s an assassin, kid’s a telepath, and the dog’s got foresight) the rest of the family doesn’t know (and a good chunk fo the story world doesn’t know the family is totally a cover, at least for some members, but maybe it’s getting a little more real too), the whole series still manages to balance the cute and entertaining with the action and suspense.
The four stories highlight one or two characters each time, with story 1 featuring daughter Anya on a school trip. Anya, being about 6, is totally over her head in an elite school where she wants to help her dad’s mission (which she only knows via misunderstanding some of the thoughts she’s heard from spy dad) by getting close to the son of dad’s target, known to Anya as “Sy-on” (‘scion’), or Damian to everyone else. Camping hijinks and some minor character development for Damian ensues. Mission 2 (aka story 2) features mom Yor’s little brother Yuri babysitting Anya. Yuri also has a secret, namely that he’s Secret Police, and has a tropey unhealthy cringey attachment to his older sister. Again, hijinks and some genuine bonding sort of occur. Story three follows dad Loid’s associate/informant Franky through a romantic misadventure that’s still kind of sweet. Final “mission” finally gets the family together for an outing where they encounter a situation where Yor and Loid suddenly have to try and make sure they don’t reveal their secrets, and hijinks ensue. Little epilogue indirectly features the family as viewed by a couple of waitresses.
It’s all relatively low stakes, mostly cute and entertaining, but still maintains some actual people moments that sort of keep things a little more real. It’s what I needed.
