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#readbannedbooks
Read. Banned. Books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mike‘s arrival in Japan catches his husband‘s brother by surprise…I loved seeing Kana‘s delight in welcoming her newly discovered uncle to her home, while subtly helping her father examine his biases and preconceived (culturally driven) notions.

So my resolution to slow down a bit and savor books isn't going great.
I read 5 books this week.
My favorite was the Manga My Brother's Husband.
Was really disappointed in Really Good, Actually which started strong then just became a repetitive whine fest for a healthy, supported, young white woman going through a break up. Spare man was good writing, but I am over rich people doing whatever they want being a storyline.

First book of 2023 and my first Manga ever.
This is an adorable, heartfelt story about a Canadian man who goes to stay and learn about his recently deceased husband's brother and niece. The art work is detailed, the story is wonderful, LGBTQ issues are a struggle in Japan and not widely accepted, it was nice to see the brother open up and to see the child acceptance and curiosity of the niece.
A wonderful little story.

Final round up of #JubilantJuly #Readathon

@Andrew65 📚

My brothers husband- Read
Norwegian wood - just started audio book
The Yorkshire Vet - 2 house left on audio book

A heartfelt read! Single dad Yaichi is forced to examine his personal bias when his deceased brother's Canadian husband visits. I love the dynamics between all of the characters, and the facial expressions are so much fun throughout. I can't help but chuckle now and then because the author's typical genre is much more erotic in nature and it shows up in several shots of our well-muscled protagonists in various states of dress. #LGBTQ #Manga

Fantastic book! The story is sweet and a little sad and approaches cultural differences, prejudices, and expectations in a very gentle way

Would definitely recommend and I'm looking forward to the second volume which I also got out the library! 😄

That moment when your husband (or other life partner) asks you to slow down on one of the manga you checked out from the library because he wants to catch up 😍 #manga

I picked up this manga publication to get over my reading slump. It‘s like a breath of fresh air. Thank you for suggesting that I try a graphic novel, Jessie. 💕

#currentlyreading #Japan

This graphic novel in the manga style has been on my TBR for awhile. What a charming story about family, differences between cultures, & connections that can be made even through loss of a loved one.uplifting & sweet , I wanted to give the 3 main characters a hug even though, Japanese culture not so big on hugging.😄

This was fantastic! A really interesting way to look at differences and understanding between cultures. Loved all the characters. Can't wait to read the second part.

About to start this one on the recommendation of a friend.

Finished a graphic novel and a manga this week. My Brother‘s Husband is so lovely. I love all the little domestic details of homes and food in this - and of course it importantly deals with Yaichi understanding his brother better after meeting and getting to know Mike, his brother‘s husband. It does this in such a gentle way with little Kana acting as a conduit for innocent questions. And such beautiful drawings!

Love this!

I can't begin to say enough about this wonderful book. The illustrations are so detailed and expressive and the story is one we all need to read and absorb. I can't wait to read the next volume.

This was my first manga for the #ReadHarder Challenge and I just loved it. What a lovely story, told with such compassion. And the art is beautiful.
#manga

Oh, the feels. So many feels. I adjusted pretty well to reading the panels and book from right to left; however, my hand never got comfortable turning the pages that way. Must find Volume 2! 💗

I thought this was well written and illustrated. The main character gets to know his brother's husband and grow more comfortable in knowing his brother was gay and that his widower is a great guy. It's sad but sweet.

My Brothers Husband follows the story of a man who learns of his deceased and estranged brother's husband. It focuses in dealing with internalized prejudice. It feels like the beginning of such a beautiful story. Seeing how much the character challenges his own thoughts and slowly learns to accept his brothers husband absolutely takes my breath away. I can't wait to continue the series.

Some real basic principles being adduced here, but very very charming nonetheless.

Okay, maybe I love two men.

I love one (1) man and it is Mike the Canadian

Manga? #readharder2019 #abookofmanga

Super cute, fun manga with more than a touch of melancholy. Yaichi is forced to confront his own homophobia, and that of the people around him, when the husband of his dead twin brother comes to visit. His daughter Kana is the best part of the book. I‘ll have to get volume 2 from the library soon!

This is a perfect slice of life manga all about inclusion and diversity.
I haven‘t read a manga in ages and this was a wonderful way to dive back in. One part made me want to cry and go and hug anyone who is closeted out of fear and let them know there are people out there who will not reject them.
Part of my #readharder challenge for the year.

These books were my first time reading manga and they provided for a fantastic first experience. In this 2 volume series a single father and his daughter, play host to the father‘s deceased brother‘s husband (who has traveled from Canada to Japan to meet them.) The volumes explore the hurt, pain, shame, and sense of dislocation caused by the unspoken intolerance of homosexuality in Japan (certainly applicable elsewhere.) Highly highly recommend!

This was lovely, about a Japanese single dad who is having to confront his prejudices and guilt about his dead brother, when his husband shows up from Canada. Great artwork, good story, and meaningful conversations about acceptance and living among prejudiced people. Kana is supercute; Mike is a loveable bear; Yaichi is brooding but compassionate and understanding. My favorite parts were them bonding as a family. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A look at Japanese culture through the lens of a single father coming to terms with his brother's homosexuality when his husband comes to visit.

Adorable manga about a (hairy) Canadian man Mike who's visiting Japan. Mike's the widower of Yaichi's estranged gay twin, Ryoji. Yaichi's young daughter, Kana allows for all kinds of questions Yaichi would never have been able to ask.

An interesting insight into just how conservative Japanese society is, My Brother‘s Husband is a sweet story about diversity, acceptance, the innocence of children, and the weight of social expectation. Although I think these stories are important, I felt that this one barely strayed from conventional narratives and themes, so at time it struggled to hold my attention. #readharder2019 manga

My first Manga. Read it for @bookriot #readharder challenge. 4 ⭐️

This was warm and gentle and affecting. An absolute delight. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

On to volume 2!

I haven‘t read this sort of manga in years, but it was fun. A Japanese man comes to terms with his brother in law and faces his own thoughts about gay men via interactions with his daughter and neighbors.

Want to have your heart grow multiple sizes? Read this series. I honestly couldn‘t have been more delighted with this manga series- the art, the story, the characters, the setting. It was all just so wonderful!

Confession: this is my first manga so it took me a while to adjust to reading back to front pagewise and right to left cellwise, but it was worth the effort.

One day a bearish Canadian named Mike turns up at Yaichi's home in Japan and says he is Yaichi's twin's widower, in Japan to experience the small things that made up his husband's childhood. What follows is some cultural exchange made more possible by the curious daughter Kana. (More below)

Out of January‘s 28 books read there were:

14 comics
3 middle grade fiction
2 classics (one of which was a play)
3 nonfiction (two of which were audiobooks)
1 retelling of a classic
3 literary fiction
4 translated books (1 from Taiwan, 1 from Russia, 2 Japan)
12 books by authors of colour
13 books written by women (& another 5 comics written by men but illustrated by women)
Faves: The Lost Garden, Squirrel Girl, My Brother‘s Husband, Becoming

It‘s a very rare book that has me rereading it immediately after I‘m done with it. This was such a wonderful read, even if you‘re not a manga reader, I‘d definitely encourage you to read it! It was moving and heartwarming. I‘m from a country where gay marriage is illegal (like in Japan) & even a picture book like And Tango Makes Three is shelved in the adults section, so I‘m glad to see this manga about LGBTQ+ acceptance in Japan.

Whee! After a good lunch at The Kebab Shop and then test-driving a Tesla (we‘ve been thinking about getting an electric car), a new #24in48 read. I‘ve been really excited to get my hands on this manga!

It‘s 7:20am NST (5:50am EST). Usually I sleep in on the weekend but need to get going on the #24in48 readathon. Pictured are my potential reads this weekend. Trying to knock off some #readharder challenges at the same time. Happy reading!

I've been wanting to read this manga so @hyperhawk gave me it for Christmas.

It tells the story of Yaichi and his daughter Kana, who are visited in Japan by Mike- the husband of Yaichi's estranged, deceased twin brother.

The heart of the story is Yaichi trying to overcome his own prejudices about his brother's life and sexuality, but it's also a commentary on how little gay culture is discussed (or excepted) in Japan.

Highly recommended!

Awwww I love this story 🥰 So much love, so heartwarming... LGBT may still be a tough topic to speak openly in Japan, so I‘m pleasantly surprised that this graphic novel touches on this issue with comprehensive subtlety 🌈💜

I should probably be doing housework, but the sun is actually out and it's nice enough to be in the sunroom. The furballs and I are taking advantage of it! ☀️☀️☀️☀️

New goal: persuade Casey to take up Murchie's mantle and pose with every book I read. #caseyplusbooks

This book keeps making me cry.

Finally have a quiet day after an insane week. I picked up some yarn for a christmas present I‘m making a friend, and grabbed some comics! Going to do some #audioknitting as I re-listen to Harry Potter, catch up on Lumberjanes and read some manga. Emma is standing by to assist. She is a very diligent knitter.

In this volume, Yaichi and his daughter Kana meet Mike Flanagan. Flanagan is Yaichi‘s brother‘s widowed husband. Yaichi confronts his own thoughts and fears about homophobia, and determines how he wants to raise young Kana.

A thoughtful look at the still-closeted Japanese gay culture.

Sweet graphic novel about Japanese single dad forced to confront his own homophobia when his deceased brother's Canadian husband comes to stay. Sounds heavy but is light and fun. Just the thing when you're in bed with the flu.

Quick read so very good. We have a lot we can learn from children.

I have wanted to read this for awhile. Found it at my library. Great way to end this weekend.

This was so perfect in every way. I was sad it was over. Do yourself a favor and read this endearing story.

New acquisition. This manga looks like Yotsuba&! with a gay uncle and I'm totally into it.

#queercomics