Everyone's Getting Married Vol. 3by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 Yuko, the woman Ryu had an affair with, is back, and Ryu lets slip a confession on live air while trying to defend her. He struggles with his thoughts and feelings. Asuka prepares to be transferred to another branch, and a serious marriage proposal from a co-worker makes her concerned about her choices. Asuka reveals to Ryu the reason she wants to get married and become a full-time housewife, and she struggles to find out why he doesn't want to get married.This story is amazing. I really wasn't expecting to like it, let alone love it. It's definitely a story for older readers (twenty-somethings and older, but probably more like thirty-somethings and older), who will empathize with and possibly resonate with the struggle of balancing work and love (and marriage!). The complications are realistic, even though there are details that amp the drama to something closer to a soap opera. I'm not surprised that Yuko is back on the scene and forced so directly into Ryu's life. It makes sense given their respective jobs, but it also adds twists and new levels of angst to everything, making for a good read. Ryu's confession is startling. It's unexpected, like his true feelings, yet when he thinks things through, he seems sure he's over Yuko and in love with Asuka. I loved how Ryu blocked Yuko from kissing him. I was glad to see him come to a realization about his feelings for her and Asuka, but saddened that that scene also drove home his notion that marriage doesn't guarantee happiness. Asuka's proposal does come as a surprise. Oh, there's plenty of logic behind it, and Rio confirms that sharing mutual interests and values is also a type of marriage. Aside from throwing a kink in things at a point when Asuka and Ryu are already facing challenges from Yuko returning, his schedule getting fuller, and her schedule and location changing, this proposal provides an avenue for Asuka to see things from the point of view of her significant others. While I don't agree with Rio that Asuka is just like Kamiya (the man who proposed to her), the similarities in attitude regarding marriage are enough for Rio to point it out and Asuka to think on it. We don't know Kamiya well enough for me to say for sure, but it seems like the main difference is that Asuka wants more than a business relationship for a marriage. I love how supportive Rio is; even after pointing out this "flaw", she reassures Asuka that things will work out for her. My favorite scene is also a painful one. After both Ryu and Asuka have had some unpleasant realizations, and Ryu honestly answers some of her questions about Yuko and marriage, the two go to bed together hurt and confused. He moves to hold her, and she turns into him, and they find comfort in each other -- comfort from the fear they are wrestling with. Both equally get my empathy, probably because Ryu was so honest. The only part of this volume that bothered me was when Ryu molests Askua as a sort of punishment / torture in order to get answers from her. I didn't expect Asuka to be such a pushover about it either, though I might excuse it to a degree, given that she wanted to apologize and she is physically attracted to him. (After the interrogation, he stops touching her, and she tells him not to stop, so they make love.) An excellent volume full of character challenges and growth! I'm on pins and needles waiting to see what happens next with all the relationships (including Rio and Hiroki, who also have an upcoming complication). Written: November 29, 2016
|
|
|
Home | Features | Columns | Culture Vultures | Report Card Tart Store | Indicia | Contact | Archives © Sequential Tart, 1998 – 2020 |
