The Guilty Volume I: Verdict
by Katsura Izumi
My review guidelines can be found HERE.
Toya Sakurai only went into the publishing business to work with his favorite author, Kai Hodaka, one of the top-selling mystery writers of all time. And now he's getting the chance to do exactly that!
But the demands of the job are more than he ever expected. When his company wants Hodaka to publish ahead of schedule, Toya has to find some way to persuade the author to cooperate.
His idol takes cruel advantage of the situation, demanding Toya's body in exchange for his next book. But the love of a fan is not so easily conquered. Let's just hope his fiancee understands!
COVER ART
- Classic
SEXUALITY
- Yaoi, M/M
- Non-Con?
- Cheating
- D/s
REVIEW
- This is my first yaoi (Japanese manlove) novel and is interesting in relation to the yaoi manga (Japanese comics). The tone is certainly the same. Disjointed at times with very little transitions between scenes.
- At first I wondered at the title. Now I understand. Guilty is the mental state of the main character. A fight against his true submissive sexuality.
- The D/s byplay is hard to rationalize but by the end of the book I understood the individual drives of the Dom and the sub. They are never specifically labeled as such in the language but their actions clearly place them in these categories.
These quotes exemplify that:
"your cock is only for me..."
"[I will] break you and reform you" - Terroristic; Toya constantly expresses feelings of being torn apart piece by piece. Broken down to be rebuilt into something foreign and strange.
- Non-con is suggested but I'm am not going to stick with a solid interpretation of that. Toya always has an out option but his honor forces him into the sex he thinks he doesn't want. It certainly is rough, and there is a lot of pleading but I just can't say with certainty that it is rape. More a manipulation of circumstances and a willingness to endure the consequences therefore displacing the blame of desire or lust.
- Kai is mysterious throughout and I was holding my breath waiting for the explanation of his actions. At the end a peek into his psyche is revealed. Toya and the reader suddenly understand all previous actions.
- An intense read, laden with guilt and sexual angst. Slightly disturbing and outside of my cultural reference. A good read, no hearts and flowers here.
I received this book through the Great Yaoi Swap and have sent it on its way to the next participant.
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Sweet dreams...
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5 comments:
I haven't finished book 2 yet (I was ready to smack Toya and there is a book 3 so maybe they'll get their HEA yet. LOL
I have some others I haven't been able to get into either. Sigh. I should try to finish them.
Oh, 2 & 3 huh? I think I will have to space them out 'cause I am with you... smacking was on my mind! LOL
okay i am just here to show my love and support for ya honey. great review... i am not sure if this type of writing has gotten to me yet... i have not been bitten by the bug yet. but when it happens, you will be the first to know! hugs!
Don't know if I'll sign up for this one. Probably better read a lot of sweet ones first before I try a darker one like this.
Thanks for the review! :)
I'm not such a great fan of the novels. *whispers* I like to look at the prettie pictures instead.
Dub con is a prevalent theme in yaoi. I think it is much easier to 'read' in a manga though, because you do get to see that the uke doing all the protesting etc is actually getting pleasure from the act. Maybe he is not totally convinced emotionally, but his body is. Does that make sense?
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Thanks so much for delving into my head. It's scary in here sometimes, so it is nice to have company! Don't step on the zephyr...