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A review by breedawnwriter
A Silent Voice, Vol. 1 by Yoshitoki Oima
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
"You're still the one who started it, aren't you? What right does the boy who bullied Shoko have to judge his friends?"
I don't usually give manga five stars. Because they're so short, the pacing can so easily feel rushed, which makes it hard to feel fully satisfied.
But A Silent Voice is different.
This manga is powerful. It has meaning. It carries so much more weight than I would have ever expected a manga to carry.
This is a story about bullying. That's how it's marketed, anyway. But, I would say it's a story about mistakes. A story about wanting to be redeemed. A story about this innate desire we all have to be forgiven when we do not deserve it.
When we know that we don't deserve it.
This story leaves off on a cliffhanger that has me ready to drive to my library while sick to try and get my hands on the sequel. (Don't worry, I'm not actually going to do that.) But this is a purposeful, intentionally written story with illustrations that bring so much of the story to life.
The way a child's actions can come back to hurt him isn't always discussed in the YA area, even though it should be. And Yoshitoki Oima has crafted a masterpiece that, I'm sure, will go on to push these boundaries for years to come.
I don't usually give manga five stars. Because they're so short, the pacing can so easily feel rushed, which makes it hard to feel fully satisfied.
But A Silent Voice is different.
This manga is powerful. It has meaning. It carries so much more weight than I would have ever expected a manga to carry.
This is a story about bullying. That's how it's marketed, anyway. But, I would say it's a story about mistakes. A story about wanting to be redeemed. A story about this innate desire we all have to be forgiven when we do not deserve it.
When we know that we don't deserve it.
This story leaves off on a cliffhanger that has me ready to drive to my library while sick to try and get my hands on the sequel. (Don't worry, I'm not actually going to do that.) But this is a purposeful, intentionally written story with illustrations that bring so much of the story to life.
The way a child's actions can come back to hurt him isn't always discussed in the YA area, even though it should be. And Yoshitoki Oima has crafted a masterpiece that, I'm sure, will go on to push these boundaries for years to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Ableism, and Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse