kastra (kastra) wrote in bl_review, @ 2007-09-20 05:45:00 |
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Current mood: | relaxed |
"Othello" is love
Othello by Toui Hasumi
Oh yum, Another book bought because of the cover and the art inside is just as good! Something about it really made me notice details like her use of shadows to denote mood and expression.
The main story is about a twin, Ayumu, who has separated from his brother when their parents divorced. Ayumu's brother stayed with their mother and essentially lived a happy life whereas Ayumu was forced to live with an absent father and an abusive stepmother. Ayumu is forced to fend for himself, essentially moving out by the time he was 16. Thus when his twin is killed in a car accident, Ayumu jumps at the opportunity to move in with his real mother. Realizing how wonderful his brother's life was, Ayumu decides to take his brother's place.
Although I initially thought the whole idea of good twin, bad twin had been way overdone, it is still a very interesting story. The author is able to elicit real feeling from the reader with her sad portrayal of Ayumu. His conflict between his own natural character and the idyllic persona he is trying to maintain creates a depth of character which is heartrending yet beautiful.
In general the translation of the story is well done, although it could have been smoother. This lack of normality to some of the language is also be accentuated by the almost poetic feel of other bits of dialog and inner musings of the characters. It is really a case of "when she was good, she was very, very good and when she was bad she was horrid." The good is so pretty that the bad really stands out.
Unfortunately, I don't feel terribly inspired to write about the three other stories in the book, but all of Toui's stories have a level of angst to them. The last story is definitely more of a horror and, although short, is very striking. If you are looking for cutesy love and pink ponies, you may want to give this one a miss.
Overall, Othello is a mix of beautiful artwork and a poetic script which makes this book stand out on my bookshelf. Definitely re readable and an inspiration to artists.