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REVIEW: In These Words GN




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KENZICHI



Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Posts: 1101
PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 10:39 pm Reply with quote
Whoa. Reading this review almost makes me scared to pick this one up. But that cover looks GORGEOUS and I'm intrigued by these sorts of stories so I think I'll still get it.
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here-and-faraway



Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 1528
Location: Sunny California
PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 10:57 pm Reply with quote
Wow. This review has me intrigued. I know I'll probably regret it, but I'm going to read it...
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Keichitsu0305





PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:10 pm Reply with quote
An OEL manga that takes rape seriously? With horror elements? And the art is gorgeous?

Yup, I have to try this! I've been meaning to buy it after hearing it mentioned on an older ANNCast but now I'm convinced.
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Ddoddka_10



Joined: 19 Dec 2011
Posts: 34
PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:35 am Reply with quote
sounds like my kind of manga Anime hyper, sounds pretty interesting, and graphic
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sakuragtin



Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 222
PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:45 am Reply with quote
I'll agree with Rebecca in saying that probably the most disturbing part of the whole book was the little chibi panels at the very end trying to make it cute in some weird way. This story is not cute and although I guess the authors were trying to lighten the mood a bit it just didn't work for me. Just made it creepier. That isn't to say this isn't a great read cause it is. The artwork is gorgeous to boot with the bonus of colored inserts at the front, and honestly I am curious to see what happens next.
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Hellfish



Joined: 19 Dec 2007
Posts: 391
Location: Mexico
PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:49 pm Reply with quote
Cover looks like Jo Chen, I am not picking it up but sure it looks pretty.
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poonk



Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 1490
Location: In the Library with Philip
PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:07 pm Reply with quote
I got this back when it came out and Ms. Silverman has hit the nail on the head with her review. The art is gorgeous but man, the story is not sexy or romantic in the least. However, I'm interested enough in where the story goes (I hope there's a twist-- I have a theory) that I'll be picking up v02.
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Gamescook



Joined: 30 May 2008
Posts: 58
PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 12:58 am Reply with quote
I'm not surprised it's trying to turn rape into romance. Even if you're a "real-life yaoi" guy, you so much as breathe a word of disapproval or leave a rating of less than five stars for a yaoi manga and the fans will come out of the woodwork to say that men are just haters that "don't get it".
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rinmackie



Joined: 05 Aug 2006
Posts: 1040
Location: in a van! down by the river!
PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:15 am Reply with quote
I don't think this story is supposed to be romantic and I, for one, will be disturbed if it takes a turn in that direction. As for the gag manga strips at the end; they did seem out of place but I didn't take them seriously. I don't mind non-con but it would be totally inappropriate to portray this as romantic within the context of this particular story. I'm not sure if this series is actually supposed to be yaoi as it seems to be a serious crime drama, at least so far.
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RestLessone



Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 1426
Location: New York
PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:40 am Reply with quote
Love that cover. I might pick this one up, but I'll wait for the second book. I'm not squeamish, but I don't want to read it if it turns into a romance. Judging by what people are saying, it would be in extremely bad taste.

rinmackie wrote:
I'm not sure if this series is actually supposed to be yaoi as it seems to be a serious crime drama, at least so far.

On Amazon.com it's listed as "In These Words (Yaoi Manga)" and GuiltPleasure itself claims to focus on BL/yaoi works. Of course, they could be using a more loose definition of 'sexual contact between males' rather than 'romance involving males.' They say they like darker, unconventional stories and themes.
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lebrel



Joined: 16 Oct 2009
Posts: 374
PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:01 am Reply with quote
Gamescook wrote:
Even if you're a "real-life yaoi" guy


I don't think it's possible to be a "real-life yaoi guy", unless you're claiming to be the embodied personification of women's fantasies about gender and sexuality, which would be totally awesome. (I'm assuming you mean you're actually gay, but that's not the same thing.)

As far as In These Words being yaoi, there is a sub-niche of yaoi in Japan which is less romance and more twisted-relationship borderline-horror; US publishers have historically been squeamish and avoided the more disturbing stuff, so Anglophone readers aren't necessarily familiar with it, but In These Words fits into that sub-niche fairly well.

Personally, although I generally have a thing for viscerally disturbing BL angst-fests, I didn't like In These Words; the abuse isn't yoked to enough emotional torque to make up for its brutality, and it's too graphically sexual to work as just a thriller. If you want to try an effective feel-bad BL, and can read French (or Japanese), look up Yuki Fukai's Réminiscences (Sono Kuchibiru ni Yoru no Tsuyu in Japanese) for a much more effective take on the all-rape plot.
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