I Shall Never Return Volume 2 (Yaoi) (Deux)
In spite of the overwritten back cover blurb, this volume delivers in surprises and emotional impact.Ken's recognition of his need for Ritsuro brings him to confess a dark secret - that he was responsible for a younger friend's death, the result of suicide attempt brought on by the shame and disillusionment that occurred after Ken unfeelingly raped him during a night of drug fueled partying. Ken resolves to give up his lifestyle and takes on a job as a pizza deliveryman. However, his past catches up with him and on a delivery he meets up with some former customers who gang rape Ken. Uchida doesn't pull any punches with either of these episodes, they're presented for full emotional, not sensual, impact.Just as Ken's life is so turbulent, Ritsuro's is so normal. But even during the school trip to Okinawa, Ritsuro can't forget about Ken. At one point he makes a call to Ken, who tells Ritsuro that he is just about to masturbate, and Uchida makes it very clear that what prompts this activity is a letter from Ken's mother asking him to come live with her again. In spite of Ken's protestations of needing Ritsuro, this really brings up the question of what Ritsuro really means to Ken. At the end of the volume, Ken prepares to leave for Singapore with his mother, albeit for two weeks, leaving a confused and heartbroken Ritsuro.There's lots of storyline here. There's the whole issue of Ken's attractiveness to others - his almost half brother Iwasaki and the unfortunate Yu. Nobody can just quit Ken. And what about Moeko? Her part is smaller here, but she does make a splash with her new guy. This is a series that just doesn't let up. Recommended. --Patricia Beard - Mania EntertainmentIt is so hard to review books in a series. You don't want to give away what happened in the last volume, but often you have to do some spoilers. I am going to apologize ahead of time if I ruin anything for you. Feel free to read my review for the first volume here.Moeko Kobashi still has feelings for Ritsuro Yoshinari. But the only person for Ritsuro is his longtime friend Ken Amafuji. Moeko and Ritsuro are assigned as committee chairs for their senior trip to Okinawa. They are together quite a bit and everyone still thinks that they are together. Ken on the other hand is looking for the bright side in his life and decides to get a decent job and change his outlook on life. Kazuyoshi Iwasaki comes onto the scene. It turns out that Kazuyoshi's father and Ken's mother dated for a while and they were to get married. Kazuyoshi was excited that Ken was going to be brothers. Although Kazuyoshi seems to like Ken more than brothers. Ritsuro thinks that the bond that Ken and Kazuyoshi share is strong and thinks that they slept together. But the relationship between Ken and Kazuyoshi isn't at all what Ritsuro thinks.The day that Ritsuro is supposed to leave for Okinawa it is raining so hard that their flight was cancelled. Ritsuro skipped school anyway. It turns out that Ken and Kazuyoshi's dark secret is they raped a classmate/friend while in a drug induced haze. Not long after the incident, Yuichi (the friend/classmate) tried to commit suicide, was unsuccessful and lapsed into a coma. Yu passed away 10 months after the attempt. Ken wanted to pay his respects and visited the grave. Ritsuro wanted to be there for Ken so he accompanied him to the cemetary. But Kazuyoshi was there waiting for him to kick his butt. After the fight Ken finally gets to ask for forgiveness and put this terrible thing in the past.Ritsuro and his class head to Okinawa. It turns out that they are staying near a hotel that Kazuyoshi's father designed. While in the lobby, Ritsuro runs into Kazuyoshi's father and finds out that the two of them don't get along. Ritsuro wants to help Kazuyoshi and become his friend. --Kris - Lincoln Heights Literary SocietyIn spite of the overwritten back cover blurb, this volume delivers in surprises and emotional impact.Ken's recognition of his need for Ritsuro brings him to confess a dark secret - that he was responsible for a younger friend's death, the result of suicide attempt brought on by the shame and disillusionment that occurred after Ken unfeelingly raped him during a night of drug fueled partying. Ken resolves to give up his lifestyle and takes on a job as a pizza deliveryman. However, his past catches up with him and on a delivery he meets up with some former customers who gang rape Ken. Uchida doesn't pull any punches with either of these episodes, they're presented for full emotional, not sensual, impact.Just as Ken's life is so turbulent, Ritsuro's is so normal. But even during the school trip to Okinawa, Ritsuro can't forget about Ken. At one point he makes a call to Ken, who tells Ritsuro that he is just about to masturbate, and Uchida makes it very clear that what prompts this activity is a letter from Ken's mother asking him to come live with her again. In spite of Ken's protestations of needing Ritsuro, this really brings up the question of what Ritsuro really means to Ken. At the end of the volume, Ken prepares to leave for Singapore with his mother, albeit for two weeks, leaving a confused and heartbroken Ritsuro.There's lots of storyline here. There's the whole issue of Ken's attractiveness to others - his almost half brother Iwasaki and the unfortunate Yu. Nobody can just quit Ken. And what about Moeko? Her part is smaller here, but she does make a splash with her new guy. This is a series that just doesn't let up. Recommended. --Patricia Beard - Mania Entertainment