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amyalwaysbooked 's review for:
He's Expecting Vol 1
by Eri Sakai
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
Kentaro is a man living in a speculative world in which it has recently become biologically possible for men to become pregnant. After having unprotected sex with a casual partner he discovers that he is pregnant. The story follows him over the course of his pregnancy well as a series of other characters navigating this new reality as it affects each of them differently.
I'll be honest, I didn't know what to expect (yes, of course, the pun is intended) going into this one! I've read plenty of omegaverse manga in my time and this is definitely not that. Do not read this expecting smut or even romance. The focus is instead on the thought exercise of a world where men can become pregnant. On the whole, it appears society has not changed much. Many people still consider pregnancy and children a burden in the workplace. If someone is pregnant out of wedlock people still think ill of them male or female. The world is not made to accommodate parents and the children they care for.
The story peers at the changes within individuals as they experience pregnancy or are connected to someone who is. The idea is explored through many eyes. At the center is Kentaro, a well-off businessman who decides to raise his child as a single parent. There is also a teenage couple who repair their relationship after an abortion, the woman who is the mother of Kentaro's child, and a single woman who similarly chooses to be a single parent.
The story I found most interesting was about a housewife who gave birth to their first child and is now dealing with her husband experiencing pregnancy. It sheds light on the imbalance of the mental load it takes to have a family and keep a home. Admittedly, I don't know that the story brought the husband to fully understand what his wife has been dealing with all those years, but it at least opens up the conversation.
This could have tread into some really tricky territory, but Sakai seemed to know what they were looking to say and stayed within that lane. Overall I found this quite refreshing and would recommend it as something a little different!
Kentaro is a man living in a speculative world in which it has recently become biologically possible for men to become pregnant. After having unprotected sex with a casual partner he discovers that he is pregnant. The story follows him over the course of his pregnancy well as a series of other characters navigating this new reality as it affects each of them differently.
I'll be honest, I didn't know what to expect (yes, of course, the pun is intended) going into this one! I've read plenty of omegaverse manga in my time and this is definitely not that. Do not read this expecting smut or even romance. The focus is instead on the thought exercise of a world where men can become pregnant. On the whole, it appears society has not changed much. Many people still consider pregnancy and children a burden in the workplace. If someone is pregnant out of wedlock people still think ill of them male or female. The world is not made to accommodate parents and the children they care for.
The story peers at the changes within individuals as they experience pregnancy or are connected to someone who is. The idea is explored through many eyes. At the center is Kentaro, a well-off businessman who decides to raise his child as a single parent. There is also a teenage couple who repair their relationship after an abortion, the woman who is the mother of Kentaro's child, and a single woman who similarly chooses to be a single parent.
The story I found most interesting was about a housewife who gave birth to their first child and is now dealing with her husband experiencing pregnancy. It sheds light on the imbalance of the mental load it takes to have a family and keep a home. Admittedly, I don't know that the story brought the husband to fully understand what his wife has been dealing with all those years, but it at least opens up the conversation.
This could have tread into some really tricky territory, but Sakai seemed to know what they were looking to say and stayed within that lane. Overall I found this quite refreshing and would recommend it as something a little different!