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愛はね、 #2
ぼうや、もっと鏡みて
いつも駄目な男とばかり付き合い、傷ついては縋ってくる幼なじみの望。俊一は、そんな望のことを、愚かでかわいそうなヤツだと思っていた。そして、望の自分への恋情を知りながら、ずっと気づかないふりをし続けてもいた。だが、そんな望がある事件をきっかけに変わり、俊一に頼らなくなった。望の気持ちに応える気はないのに、いざ距離を置かれると苛立ってしまう俊一は、望を傷つけては、その気持ちがまだ自分にあることを確かめずにはいられず…。
「愛はね、」から一年。俊一の出した結論は……。
「愛はね、」から一年。俊一の出した結論は……。
- GenresJapanese Literature
255 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2011
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 17, 2017
AAAWWW MAN. THIS WAS GOOD. THIS WAS REALLY GOOD.
to be honest, i came into this book (which takes place a year after "ai wa ne") not expecting much. i got a taste of what was to come by the extra story at the end of ai wa ne, so i would be lying if i said i wasn't looking forward to this book. but despite my anticipation, i expected this to be just "okay". i mean, this time the story is in shunichi's pov, so like... it can't be that good, right? if anything, i'll prob be riding those waves of frustration like a surfer pro by the end.
HOLD THE PHONE. here, hold my phone. i might drop it. BECAUSE SHET, I THOUGHT? this volume was reeeeeally hard to put down. in less than 2 days, i finished this novel goooood because misao didn't leave ANY opportunity for me to take a break in between scenes. it was one thing after another after another, i mean jeezus, can i breathe? i mean, there are times when you read novels and after awhile, you think, ok imma gonna need a break. NO BREAK HERE. I DIDN'T NEED A BREAK. BREAK WAS NOT NEEDED.
so, what did i like about this?
aside from the usual "misao's descriptive writing is bliss, the way she writes sex scenes and always, always with the nipples, like always, bless..." uh. i loved the fact that i was able to connect with nozomu a hell of a lot more this time around than in the 1st book. in ai wa ne, nozomu was pretty much blind to the things around him since he was so stuck on his unrequited love towards shunichi. however, by the end of that prequel, nozomu realized that it's okay to continuing loving shunuchi, but this time, to not despair about not being loved back. he learns to love himself, and to move on while at the same time, cherishing his unreturned love. i absolutely looooved how misao would bring certain moments from ai wa ne back to this sequel, but this time in shunichi's pov. one of my favorite parts from ai wa ne was when nozomu retorted strongly to shunichi that he isn't dirty (for liking men, and for sleeping with them). that scene from ai wa ne was such a perfect end to a climatic moment that seeing it mentioned again at the appropriate time made me super happy.
i also liked how realistic misao was when depicting nozomu's change a year later after ai wa ne. sure, he's more outgoing, cheerful, independent, steadfast in his goals, etc. but on the other end, it wasn't easy for him. it STILL isn't easy for him. he lost weight, his nails shows history of being chewed on heavily, his hair grew even longer without proper maintenance, etc. but at the same time, he's trying. getting over being hurt takes time. it's not something that will magically get better after a year.
my heart yeeearned for nozomu this time. which was rather interesting seeing as i didn't feel like i connected with him as much in ai wa ne. but seeing the nozomu of this volume a year later, with him consciously changing for the better. omg. nozomu. my heart screamed for him. and during that one scene when he was attacked quite viciously by shunichi, and his heartfelt cry... the way misao described him crying from the bottom of his heart in pain... LAWD. i felt like crying with him. I FELT SO BAD, AND I WASN'T EVEN THE ONE WHO MADE HIM CRY. i wanted him to be truly happy, and i was rooting the entire time for shunichi to open his FRICKIN' EYEBALLS so nozomu can finally. be. happy.
oh. shunichi. shunichi......... i didn't realize how much of an asshole he really is until this volume. i didn't like him all that much in ai wa ne, but since this volume was in shunichi's pov. ho baby. my patience. but since misao's writing and pacing was so good, SURPRISINGLY, my frustration level wasn't that high. don't get me wrong, i was rage. i was wtf. there were times i would put the book down for like 2 secs and go, "really shunichi? like, really?". but... like nozomu, i tried to relate to his feelings. here's a guy who is so stuck on "being normal" and not upsetting the status quo. nozomu was shunned in high school, estranged from his family, and didn't really have any friends apart from shunichi (back in ai wa ne) because of his homosexuality. shunichi fears being "abnormal" and the consequences of doing so.
but what is normal anyways? so... in hindsight, it was... interesting to see the inner battle going on in shunichi's head from what he THINKS is right according to society, to what he thinks is right according to his feelings (that he kept locked up). and when the realization hits him... i was like, PRAISE BE. THANK YOOOU. finally, jeezus. i enjoyed seeing his growth and character development throughout this book, despite not liking his asshole-ish character majority of the time :/
i learned to love shunichi's clingy side, ESPECIALLY at the end. and just like ai wa ne, the end of bouya also comes with an extra story (in nozomu's pov!!!) after misao's afterwards (this is not counting the epilogue, which takes place 3 years AFTER the main story, and remains in shunichi's pov).
characters from ai wa ne comes back to play here: nozomu's ex-abusive lover shinohara, goshima (he's such a rad character, please misao, please make a side story featuring him), oonuki, kawai, and nozomu's older bro shuuichi (unfortunately kouhei doesn't show up, darn!!). as well as new characters like yuuki eriko who is. heh. this chick. she's cray but i like her. i would totally ship her with shunichi if this wasn't bl.
if anything, this book made me want to go back and re-read ai wa ne. misao did mention in her afterwards that she wrote this book so that you wouldn't have to read ai wa ne to enjoy this story. you could pick either book up and not be lost. that may be true, but i don't think i would be able to enjoy bouya as much and appreciate nozomu's strive to change if i didn't know the struggles he went through in the first book. heck, i wouldn't even know there WAS a change if i didn't read ai wa ne. so imo, i say GO READ THAT FIRST. then come back and read this. DONE. i can't really say anything about what i didn't like about this book. YES, SHUNICHI'S ATTITUDE GETS ON MY NEEEERVES. but that's his character. he's supposed to be annoying af.
anyways, this gets a 4/5 out of me. i came out of this in high spirits, and i now have more of a fondness for ai wa ne. what a ride.
to be honest, i came into this book (which takes place a year after "ai wa ne") not expecting much. i got a taste of what was to come by the extra story at the end of ai wa ne, so i would be lying if i said i wasn't looking forward to this book. but despite my anticipation, i expected this to be just "okay". i mean, this time the story is in shunichi's pov, so like... it can't be that good, right? if anything, i'll prob be riding those waves of frustration like a surfer pro by the end.
HOLD THE PHONE. here, hold my phone. i might drop it. BECAUSE SHET, I THOUGHT? this volume was reeeeeally hard to put down. in less than 2 days, i finished this novel goooood because misao didn't leave ANY opportunity for me to take a break in between scenes. it was one thing after another after another, i mean jeezus, can i breathe? i mean, there are times when you read novels and after awhile, you think, ok imma gonna need a break. NO BREAK HERE. I DIDN'T NEED A BREAK. BREAK WAS NOT NEEDED.
so, what did i like about this?
aside from the usual "misao's descriptive writing is bliss, the way she writes sex scenes and always, always with the nipples, like always, bless..." uh. i loved the fact that i was able to connect with nozomu a hell of a lot more this time around than in the 1st book. in ai wa ne, nozomu was pretty much blind to the things around him since he was so stuck on his unrequited love towards shunichi. however, by the end of that prequel, nozomu realized that it's okay to continuing loving shunuchi, but this time, to not despair about not being loved back. he learns to love himself, and to move on while at the same time, cherishing his unreturned love. i absolutely looooved how misao would bring certain moments from ai wa ne back to this sequel, but this time in shunichi's pov. one of my favorite parts from ai wa ne was when nozomu retorted strongly to shunichi that he isn't dirty (for liking men, and for sleeping with them). that scene from ai wa ne was such a perfect end to a climatic moment that seeing it mentioned again at the appropriate time made me super happy.
i also liked how realistic misao was when depicting nozomu's change a year later after ai wa ne. sure, he's more outgoing, cheerful, independent, steadfast in his goals, etc. but on the other end, it wasn't easy for him. it STILL isn't easy for him. he lost weight, his nails shows history of being chewed on heavily, his hair grew even longer without proper maintenance, etc. but at the same time, he's trying. getting over being hurt takes time. it's not something that will magically get better after a year.
my heart yeeearned for nozomu this time. which was rather interesting seeing as i didn't feel like i connected with him as much in ai wa ne. but seeing the nozomu of this volume a year later, with him consciously changing for the better. omg. nozomu. my heart screamed for him. and during that one scene when he was attacked quite viciously by shunichi, and his heartfelt cry... the way misao described him crying from the bottom of his heart in pain... LAWD. i felt like crying with him. I FELT SO BAD, AND I WASN'T EVEN THE ONE WHO MADE HIM CRY. i wanted him to be truly happy, and i was rooting the entire time for shunichi to open his FRICKIN' EYEBALLS so nozomu can finally. be. happy.
oh. shunichi. shunichi......... i didn't realize how much of an asshole he really is until this volume. i didn't like him all that much in ai wa ne, but since this volume was in shunichi's pov. ho baby. my patience. but since misao's writing and pacing was so good, SURPRISINGLY, my frustration level wasn't that high. don't get me wrong, i was rage. i was wtf. there were times i would put the book down for like 2 secs and go, "really shunichi? like, really?". but... like nozomu, i tried to relate to his feelings. here's a guy who is so stuck on "being normal" and not upsetting the status quo. nozomu was shunned in high school, estranged from his family, and didn't really have any friends apart from shunichi (back in ai wa ne) because of his homosexuality. shunichi fears being "abnormal" and the consequences of doing so.
but what is normal anyways? so... in hindsight, it was... interesting to see the inner battle going on in shunichi's head from what he THINKS is right according to society, to what he thinks is right according to his feelings (that he kept locked up). and when the realization hits him... i was like, PRAISE BE. THANK YOOOU. finally, jeezus. i enjoyed seeing his growth and character development throughout this book, despite not liking his asshole-ish character majority of the time :/
i learned to love shunichi's clingy side, ESPECIALLY at the end. and just like ai wa ne, the end of bouya also comes with an extra story (in nozomu's pov!!!) after misao's afterwards (this is not counting the epilogue, which takes place 3 years AFTER the main story, and remains in shunichi's pov).
characters from ai wa ne comes back to play here: nozomu's ex-abusive lover shinohara, goshima (he's such a rad character, please misao, please make a side story featuring him), oonuki, kawai, and nozomu's older bro shuuichi (unfortunately kouhei doesn't show up, darn!!). as well as new characters like yuuki eriko who is. heh. this chick. she's cray but i like her. i would totally ship her with shunichi if this wasn't bl.
if anything, this book made me want to go back and re-read ai wa ne. misao did mention in her afterwards that she wrote this book so that you wouldn't have to read ai wa ne to enjoy this story. you could pick either book up and not be lost. that may be true, but i don't think i would be able to enjoy bouya as much and appreciate nozomu's strive to change if i didn't know the struggles he went through in the first book. heck, i wouldn't even know there WAS a change if i didn't read ai wa ne. so imo, i say GO READ THAT FIRST. then come back and read this. DONE. i can't really say anything about what i didn't like about this book. YES, SHUNICHI'S ATTITUDE GETS ON MY NEEEERVES. but that's his character. he's supposed to be annoying af.
anyways, this gets a 4/5 out of me. i came out of this in high spirits, and i now have more of a fondness for ai wa ne. what a ride.
Displaying 1 of 1 review