Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful read., July 15, 2006
As far as yaoi novels go, I would rate Narisa Konohara's Don't Worry Mama at the top of the list (so far). The fact that it is a translation shows in some of the less interesting descriptive usages, but in all the writing is very good. It is certainly much better than the first awkward attempt at yaoi novel translation by DMP, Only the Ring Finger Knows. They seem to have found their novel translating groove with this one.
Don't Worry Mama is the tale of two coworkers who are accidentally abandoned on an island for two months by a series of unfortunate coincidences that you only find in works of fiction. It doesn't help that Yuichi is a short tempered gay man who dislikes his obese and incompetent mama's boy boss, Imakura. Oh, yes, of course that passionate distaste eventually translates into desire for Yuichi and the two men enter into an unlikely love relationship, but that is where the yaoi cliches end. This is a wonderful story of two men who grow and change by their situation with one another. When they are finally rescued, Imakura has to come to terms with the changes that he has found within himself after the experience and after some conflicted issues breaking from his mother's iron grip, come to enter into a love partnership with Yuichi. Yuichi for his part transforms from a gay playboy interested in much younger men, to someone who looks past physical appearances and not only falls in love, but does so with an overweight man 5 years his senior.
For those who read the word "obese" and decided that they didn't think this book was worth reading because it didn't feature hot biseinen, for shame. First of all, there is much to enjoy in Yuichi and Imakura's growing relationship and both men's emotional transformations. Imakura does eventually lose most of the weight, but that shouldn't be your reasoning to change your mind and read it. This is a fabulously constructed tale of two unlikely lovers finding each other through nearly impossible circumstances.
Yaoi novels make up for their limited illustrations with much more content and a much longer read (and are also slightly cheaper). It took me over 4 hours to get through this entire volume (as opposed to the average 1 hour of yaoi manga), and I look forward to DMP's future releases by Ms. Konohara.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended Yaoi! Love this!, August 13, 2006
This is my first Yaoi novel and definitely not my last if this is the type of quality published.
"Don't Worry Mama" surpasses my expectation . The story centers on the love between a young handsome gay white collar worker, Yuichi, and his older and less than presentable boss, Imakura. This novel is weaved with angst, emotions and quite quite erotic and does not need any graphics to help it along. I personally feel graphics would have done this story injustice as we would not have been able to follow the thoughts of the lovers that deeply. For you Yaoi readers, just use your imagination as this writer does bare all with her words.
There are 2 stories here. The first one told from Yuichi's view point is the original story of the same title introducing us to the initial "no love lost" relationship between Yuichi and his boss, followed by the sensual seduction of Imakura, their break-up because of Mama and ending romantically on their reunion. The second story according to the writer is a bonus and titled appropriately "Present" dealing with the 2 lovers' relationship 3 months later and it is warm, romantic, erotic and told from Imakura's viewpoint.
The translation here is solid and I hope the publisher will maintain this standard.
"Don't Worry Mama" has joined my top M/M erotic romance favorites and I look forward to the soon to be released "Cold Sleep" by the same novelist. Oh yes, I have also orderd "OTRFK" Vol 1&2.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
interesting ideas ruined by bad character design, June 1, 2007
it's my third attempt at a konohara novel, and will remain my last. this one is a little better than "the man who wouldn't take off his clothes", but not by much. at least the sex is consensual (for yaoi values of consent), but the main flaw for me is that konohara can't write consistent, believable characters. imakura starts out being utterly despicable. which isn't about his obesity -- i don't care that he's fat. i was in fact looking forward to reading yaoi in which a fat person becomes one of the lovers; it's unfortunately generally not done. but not only is he rude, mean, incompetent, childish, and demanding -- once they're marooned on the island and he still has food, he refuses to share even when begged by his hungry co-worker. i disliked him from the start, and didn't buy his 180 degree conversion into a loveable cuddly puppy who actively contributes to survival; it was too abrupt. i find less to complain about regarding yuichi, though why exactly did he fall in love with imakura? his other head was doing some weird thinking there. his character also falls apart after the rescue; where was the go-getter and organizer from the island?
i really wanted to like this novel because parts of the story are original -- aside from imakura being fat (and despite some loss remaining fat while they fall in love) there's also the phimosis and later his personal growth in trying to carve out a new career for himself. the island plot, while somewhat unlikely, is actually handled reasonably well. these all good story seeds. but it just never comes together for me because i don't believe the characters. and the plot past the rescue falls apart completely; i ended up not believing their love for each other either.
the translation is so-so; it could be better, but i've seen much worse. the writing itself is on the level of a harlequin romance; about what can be expected from the genre i'm afraid. yaoi manga has the art to potentially make up for any lack of writing ability, but the sparse illustrations don't save a bad novel.
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