I gave this a 10 mainly of how ugly the relationships are in the latter half of the book. I agree with the others who pointed out that the first half and the second should have been separated. I would also add that I wish Ogawa Chise sensei would have taken the first three stories and made a separate collection then took the last three stories, added “Ienai Itami o Daite Iru” to them, maybe a follow up chapter for each couple and made a separate collection. Not because that the first three sweet stories were any lacking per se, but because the other dark ones over powered them. Sometimes one wants a certain after taste in one’s mouth whether it is sweet or dark, so mixing both is no good.
(I just came back from rereading this collection because I wanted a fresh prospect when writing this review since I have read it in the past. I must say that although I roughly knew what was coming, I was still, if not more, disturbed by the second half as if it was a fresh read. Therefore, my resolve to give this a 10 was strengthened even more.)
Now the first story and its follow up are absolutely sweet and beautiful. Ogawa Chise sensei was on her top game when doing the art and the story telling. Since I’m an arab, I always brace myself whenever I go into a rare middle eastern yaoi setting because of the way they portray the semes’ as the most closed-minded, exotic, possessive, desire driven alpha males, etc. and the ukes’ as the helpless sheep who enchant the sheikh with their unrivaled beauty. (Sorry I went off track here but the urge to vent came to me…) That was not the case here at all. Kamel (which means perfect in Arabic) won the heart of Alpharad (which roughly means the one) by his kindness and Alpharad took such gentle care of him it was refreshing. I love how pure their relationship was and I applaud sensei for giving Alpharad a mature personality.
He reasonably sent his loved one back home with the best of wishes because that was what Kamel truly wanted then. Kamel’s guardians were awesome and poor sadiku was a true friend till the end. (His name meant his friend.)
The second story was nice though I don’t have much to add on other than what the other reviewers have said. Sensei had poetically told the struggles of two youths without excessive exaggeration.
Finally, I will include the last three stories’ review plus my review of “Ienai Itami o Daite Iru” (, since I believe it belongs to them,) in one go and via this approach; Incest is ugly business. Honestly, I don’t fully understand why. If religions had not forbidden the act, what would have humanity’s morality judged the act as? Nonetheless, we live in a world where this might be the worst of sins. I applaud sensei for giving birth to these stories without altering much of their ugliness. Some relationships other than vanilla love exist in this world and should be acknowledged as ugly, unhealthy and wrong as they are. These stories, better or even worse happen behind closed doors in real life with little variety concerning details. Physical fulfillment, psychological needs and wants, the outside word, the peculiar personality of each individual and more make each of these stories distinct yet share the same disturbance. I enjoyed being exposed to them in my fiction since I hope I won’t see them in my reality. Since this is such a recent work, I hope sensei continues her chilling and psychological themes in the future.
Well, just read what you want.
(-16)
(+130)
