My Brother's Husband, Volume 2 (Pantheon Graphic Library)
Registered by GoryDetails of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 10/3/2018
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
I thoroughly enjoyed Volume One of this manga about a Japanese man who's astonished to find his late brother's husband on his doorstep. I got this hardcover at Barnes and Noble as soon as it was out, to read the rest of this charming domestic tale.
By this point, Mike has settled in to the household and Yaichi is getting used to the situation - but he's also finding himself imagining what might happen if little Kana turns out to be gay; he can accept Mike, but will he be able to see his daughter marry a woman someday? His imaginings along these lines make him uncomfortable, but when a school teacher calls him in to warn him about Mike possibly being a bad influence on Kana, Yaichi sets him down hard. (Yaichi's had quite a few moments throughout the story where he imagines how he should respond to some indication of homophobia or prejudice, but usually keeps his mouth shut or changes the subject; this time he's able to do what he knows is right!)
There are lots of lovely little scenes here, from poignant ones - an old schoolmate of Yaichi's and his brother's gets in touch, and has a private chat with Mike by way of asking about Ryoji; turns out the schoolmate's gay but deeply closeted, AND has a bit of a crush on Yaichi as he's Ryoji's twin. My favorite bits had to do with the trip to an onsen, where Yaichi's ex-wife joined the party to spend some time with Kana, with the we-are-family vibes being really lovely. Oh, and late in the book there's the heart-tugging sequence of Yaichi and Mike going over Mike's photos; Yaichi hadn't kept in touch with his brother, and seeing how happy he was with his husband made Yaichi realize how he'd pulled away when he should have reached out... I admit I got teary at the scenes in the cemetery, and I did wish that Mike didn't have to go home - but they all really are a family now, and I like to imagine Yaichi and Kana going to Canada someday to visit Uncle Mike!
[There's a TV Tropes page on the book, with some entertaining tidbits. And there's a live-action mini-series adaptation that looks really good!]
By this point, Mike has settled in to the household and Yaichi is getting used to the situation - but he's also finding himself imagining what might happen if little Kana turns out to be gay; he can accept Mike, but will he be able to see his daughter marry a woman someday? His imaginings along these lines make him uncomfortable, but when a school teacher calls him in to warn him about Mike possibly being a bad influence on Kana, Yaichi sets him down hard. (Yaichi's had quite a few moments throughout the story where he imagines how he should respond to some indication of homophobia or prejudice, but usually keeps his mouth shut or changes the subject; this time he's able to do what he knows is right!)
There are lots of lovely little scenes here, from poignant ones - an old schoolmate of Yaichi's and his brother's gets in touch, and has a private chat with Mike by way of asking about Ryoji; turns out the schoolmate's gay but deeply closeted, AND has a bit of a crush on Yaichi as he's Ryoji's twin. My favorite bits had to do with the trip to an onsen, where Yaichi's ex-wife joined the party to spend some time with Kana, with the we-are-family vibes being really lovely. Oh, and late in the book there's the heart-tugging sequence of Yaichi and Mike going over Mike's photos; Yaichi hadn't kept in touch with his brother, and seeing how happy he was with his husband made Yaichi realize how he'd pulled away when he should have reached out... I admit I got teary at the scenes in the cemetery, and I did wish that Mike didn't have to go home - but they all really are a family now, and I like to imagine Yaichi and Kana going to Canada someday to visit Uncle Mike!
[There's a TV Tropes page on the book, with some entertaining tidbits. And there's a live-action mini-series adaptation that looks really good!]
Journal Entry 2 by GoryDetails at Little Free Library, Robinson St in Somerville, Massachusetts USA on Saturday, June 22, 2019
Released 4 yrs ago (6/23/2019 UTC) at Little Free Library, Robinson St in Somerville, Massachusetts USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I left this book in the Little Free Library on this lovely day; hope someone enjoys it!
[See other recent releases in MA here.]
*** Released for the 2019 Pride LGBTQ release challenge. ***
*** Released for the 2019 June Brides release challenge. ***
[See other recent releases in MA here.]
*** Released for the 2019 Pride LGBTQ release challenge. ***
*** Released for the 2019 June Brides release challenge. ***