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A review by levendir1021
Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Volume 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga
3.0
Actual rating: 2,5/5
Very interesting concept but sadly lacking in the execution department.
The idea of a female-run Edo-period Japan after a mysterious disease is killing about 3/4ths of the male population, making them scarce, valuable and in need of protection is an interesting one. What would such a world look like? What would be the tasks appointed to men? How would gender dynamics change? Sadly, it feels like the author didn't seem to want to think all too deep about it.
Some roles are literally just reversed, the men in the Ooku are responsible for many traditionally feminine tasks, such as sewing clothes, without much thought given to it. It just seems the author thought reversing things exactly would be the logical outcome. But then it still perpetuated the 'boys will be boys' narrative. Men will feel oppressed because they aren't supposed to fight and do Kendo, flamboyant gowns for men are somehow... Bad? Or at least the main character thinks so.
Speaking of him, he's annoying. He legit feels like a modern-day macho who is slightly restricted in his freedoms but still very much acts domineering. I am feeling that this is very much a 2000s problem with Japanese fiction, especially Manga and light novels, though and since the series is still ongoing and we get some changes with him that hint at him not being as important in the following volumes (), I am still very much interested in seeing where this goes.
Again, some ideas that were laid out are very interesting but underdeveloped. Which is a bit disappointing since that seems to be the primal focus of the novel. Considering the subject matter, I expected it to be a lot darker, which I would have greatly enjoyed. We also do not get a romance or even a female shogun over-indulging in all her male concubines. Which was sort of disappointing, not going to lie.
Very interesting concept but sadly lacking in the execution department.
The idea of a female-run Edo-period Japan after a mysterious disease is killing about 3/4ths of the male population, making them scarce, valuable and in need of protection is an interesting one. What would such a world look like? What would be the tasks appointed to men? How would gender dynamics change? Sadly, it feels like the author didn't seem to want to think all too deep about it.
Some roles are literally just reversed, the men in the Ooku are responsible for many traditionally feminine tasks, such as sewing clothes, without much thought given to it. It just seems the author thought reversing things exactly would be the logical outcome. But then it still perpetuated the 'boys will be boys' narrative. Men will feel oppressed because they aren't supposed to fight and do Kendo, flamboyant gowns for men are somehow... Bad? Or at least the main character thinks so.
Speaking of him, he's annoying. He legit feels like a modern-day macho who is slightly restricted in his freedoms but still very much acts domineering. I am feeling that this is very much a 2000s problem with Japanese fiction, especially Manga and light novels, though and since the series is still ongoing and we get some changes with him that hint at him not being as important in the following volumes (
Spoiler
I kind of hope that he is gone for good, to be honest, but I somehow doubt itAgain, some ideas that were laid out are very interesting but underdeveloped. Which is a bit disappointing since that seems to be the primal focus of the novel. Considering the subject matter, I expected it to be a lot darker, which I would have greatly enjoyed. We also do not get a romance or even a female shogun over-indulging in all her male concubines. Which was sort of disappointing, not going to lie.