Perfect World, Volume 1 by Rie Aruga

Posted April 9, 2018 by Silvia in Manga & Graphic Novels / 0 Comments

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
This does not affect in any way my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

Perfect World, Volume 1 by Rie ArugaSeries: Perfect World #1
Published by Kodansha Comics on March 20, 2018
Demographic: Josei
Genres: Drama, Romance, Slice of Life
Source: NetGalley
Add to Goodreads
four-stars

Perfect World is Rie Aruga’s touching drama about the romance that develops between an abled interior designer and her first love, whom she reencounters one day only to find he is wheelchair-bound.
26-year-old Tsugumi Kawana reunites with her first crush from high school, Itsuki Ayukawa, at a get-together between an architecture firm and the interior design company she works at. He sends her heart aflutter, until she realizes he’s now disabled, and in a wheelchair. At first she feels she couldn’t date a guy in a wheelchair, but then her feelings begin to change . . .

As a Manga lover, I enjoy a variety of genres and I’d gladly sit down and read as many as I can but, even if I came across lots of different stories and complex personalities over the years, I still had to read one treating a delicate subject such as this. And, let me tell you, I’m happy I took the chance with Perfect World!

With a lovely and clean illustration, and characters who feel real, it’s difficult for the reader to put this volume down. Of course, one thing that got me particularly invested in the story is that it doesn’t lessen the issues caused by SCI, in fact, it makes you face the bitter truth for what it is. It shows you what someone with a spinal cord injury has to face on a daily basis—and for the rest of their lives—the struggle, the perils, and the mental strength required to go on with life, because life must go on. Itsuki Ayukawa successfully made a career no one would have thought possible after he got so severely injured, but his passion and determination didn’t let the disability stand in his way and deprive him of his dream. That is truly admirable but make no mistake, just because he doesn’t share it with the rest of the group—so to speak—it doesn’t mean Ayukawa’s positive attitude is all there is to see . . . After making better acquaintance with him and his condition, Kawana’s scepticism soon changes, leaving her open-minded and making everything more heartwarming.

This first volume well presented a realistic series with quite the potential. I personally think that with a better pace it would have worked even better, but it still was a pleasure to read and I can honestly say I loved it! Enthralling, moving, and refreshing, I’d definitely recommend it.


Silvia

About Silvia

Through her creativity and blogging, Silvia has met people from different industries and collaborated with them on various projects over the years. Her strong passion for reading and her fascination for different cultures and languages have led her to develop a keen interest in the East-Asian continent. Off to see her? Follow the colourful book road . . . ♡

Leave a Reply

(Enter your URL then click here to include a link to one of your blog posts.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.