frances_frances's reviews
295 reviews

3.5 stars rounded up

This book wasn't perfect but I really enjoyed the writing. The prose flowed easily and was rich and engaging. 

The main character, Helen felt very authentic to me. Her choices and motivations were often frustrating but as the story goes on, her reasons become clearer. She has a history of depression and the often toxic dynamics of her marriage and close friend group have instilled in her a sense of helplessness and self doubt.

For a psychological thriller, the pacing was just a bit too slow for me and some passages could have been edited out. I wanted a bit more to work work with earlier in the book, rather than having everything explained in the final pages. 

Overall, the writing and atmosphere were compelling enough to make up for the weaker aspects. Would recommend to others.

I'd never seen Lucie Bryon's art prior to reading this and I'm blown away by her work. I love the color palettes, the loose but neat line work, and the way she conveys texture. Her illustrations are captivating but also light and cute. The characters were all interesting and realistically complex. And of course I loved the sweet gay romance of it all.

My only complaint is about the story itself. The plot lacked something. I think I wanted a bit more depth, more time to let things land. Plus, the book takes place at numerous parties, making everything run together a bit. It could feel somewhat repetitive. More development in between these party scenes might have helped. 

I would definitely recommend this book just for the illustrations alone. So beautiful.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as the hype around it suggested I would. I liked the writing style and pacing. There were many elements that felt unique to me which is always refreshing in the domestic thriller genre. The twists and the climax were a bit underwhelming but overall, a solid thriller and worthwhile read.

To anyone who's tearing her down or calling her stupid for not understanding romantic love or sex in the same way you do, educate yourself about the asexual spectrum and/or consider the fact that other people have different thoughts, feelings, and needs than you do. If you can't do either, just pick up a different book....

This book has rather mixed reviews so while I enjoyed Nagata Kabi's previous books (especially My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness and My Alcoholic Escape from Reality), I wasn't sure what to expect. 
On the surface, not much happens so I understand why some readers might not know what to make of it. But this book was way more intriguing, unique, and relatable than I anticipated. 

I'm on the ace spectrum and that definitely informed my reading of this book. And while she never names aromanticism, asexuality, demisexuality or graysexuality, Nagata's experience felt like an ace story. She wants love and connection but is ambivalent about sex. She grew up understanding romantic love as a concept but until her 30's hadn't understood it as a reality or lived experience. Her unpacking these thoughts and feelings was fascinating to me (and somewhat relatable!). I haven't seen anyone discuss or explore these ideas so honestly and openly. Whether or not Nagata identifies as ace in any way, I think her experience speaks to many ace realities. Things that seem straightforward or obvious to those with romantic and/or sexual feelings may not be to those without them (or who experience those things with much less urgency or importance). 

As I looked though the reviews for this book, I saw a lot of acephobia, especially in terms of infantilization. It's true that Nagata talks about sometimes having a childlike sense of the world and having interest in things the dominant culture might view as immature. However, a disinterest or ambivalence about sex and/or romantic intimacy itself does not take away one's legitimacy as an adult human. We tend to conflate sexual interest/experience with one's overall level of maturity. This is ignorant and often discriminatory.

I love Nagata's authenticity and ability to convey experiences and feelings that are often misunderstood or shied away from. You don't have to relate to someone else's experience in order to respect their humanity or see value in their perspective.

As far as asexual/aromantic representation, this manga was great. There's not much ace content to begin with, and even less that features nuanced conversations or authentic growth. I appreciate that Chika ends up helping a sexually-involved couple navigate the aftermath of a cheating-related argument. Marginalized people often have unique insight and perspectives that could benefit all of us. Learning about an experience that differs from the dominant culture and dominant narratives provides opportunities for us to imagine possibilities beyond our current scope of thinking. I'd happily share this manga with young people in my life!