Review by litematcha - Is Love the Answer?

litematcha 's review for:

Is Love the Answer? by Uta Isaki

5.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense 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

As a lover of all things queer, I'm always on the lookout for anything LGBTQ+ hitting the shelves. I was so excited to see Is Love the Answer?, a manga centered around asexuality and aromanticism, available to read through NetGalley, as I have been eager to read it for a while now. This book was fantastic in so many ways: the character arcs felt realistic, the extended metaphor was touching, and of course the art was beautiful! But what I liked most about the book was the depth of its nuance about identity, labels, and systematic discrimination. While I do love a fluffy, almost fantastically progressive setting for LGBTQ+ couples in manga, I also enjoy that grey space that's more realistic, gritty, and uncomfortable; a space that asks the community and allies, how do we find confidence in ourselves and respect for one another when we don't understand ourselves? Once again, thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Content Warnings