miseryxcompany's manga / #⭐⭐⭐⭐(15)

Hot but if ur crossdressing character is gonna go so far as to pretend to be a chick just bite the bullet and make them trans. Or futa at least.

I was worried that my concerns about Maurice wouldn’t be addressed. He’s an idealist at his core. Though I enjoyed that he stayed true to his convictions and followed his heart over his instincts, refusing to bow to the status quo and love who he wants, not what this society or his ‘instinct’ tell him to. Though it’s just as Claude said, he’s only able to harp on about a world where Omega’s and Beta’s can be afforded the same circumstance as Alphas and so openly defy the status quo because it favors him as an alpha. Claude came in the stead of his father and Maurice, who’s only been propositioned by Omegas wanting to marry him, approaches Claude with contempt. But he is surprised by Claude’s interest in literature and ability to debate and immediately confronts his biases. It is not that Claude loved Maurice, but he adopted a sort of learned helplessness in the face of his own oppression as an Omega and tried to find himself a comfortable compromise. That Maurice shared his liberal beliefs was ideal, and he was probably holding out for a future in which they could love each other. But when confronted by this at Claude’s mansion, Maurice seems to treat Claud as an idiot who lacks faith in a better world. When he says, “Did you expect me to treat like an Omega? I respect you as a person” sticks out to me in particular. How many times have you heard the phrase “I don’t see race,” or “I don’t see color”? This is all fine and well within your interpersonal relationships, but in a society where such things hold real weight in the land of opportunity, they matter. They need to be seen. Claude is at the end of the line, his family is running out of money and you know what happens to a poor Omega (I don’t, actually why couldn’t you tell me…). The only reason he’s an heir is because there was literally no one else for it. I don’t see this as a flaw in the writing though, I just see it as a flaw in Maurice. Of course, having been in a position of privilege as an Alpha his whole life, he wouldn’t be privy to the nuances of discrimination on the basis of secondary genders. Of course, Maurice always planned to support Claude. I just think he banks on chance too much for someone who doesn’t believe in fate. What would he have done had marrying into the Conte family not been putting the Sechelle family at risk? If the revolution had failed? Ultimately I think Maurice’s refusal to marry Claude is in line with his character— that would be in adherence to the state of affairs that he’s so vehemently rejected. But I think it would’ve done the narrative well to illustrate him coming up with his plan to have Claude be the face of an Omega suffrage movement. Simon I feel plays more of a passive role in the narrative but is what primarily drives Maurice. He’s selfless to the point of going against the wishes of those he loves. He’s why Maurice adopted his liberal belief and…frankly… kind of lacks a backbone. But it’s endearing cause he’s just so in love with Maurice. And I could go on about how beautiful the art is aughhhhh. The extra story is also super cute. * Tagged dubcon because Maurice forces himself on Simon while he’s asleep. Simon’s into it, though.

God he’s such a dumbass. Also I like this kind of dry, not-really-trying mundane type of comedy. * Tagged Dubcon cause Mr. Yoo’s favorite words are ‘stop’ and ‘no’ and frankly he seems like too much of a retard to ever consent to sex

TBR

I’m really fond of this which is why I hate it. Partners follows six gay swingers, each in a committed relationship with another man, set in 1990s New York. Though they often get together for play parties, they’re dedicated to their individual partners. It’s more realistic in its portrayal of the gay BDSM scene and there are multiple points in which the level of honesty and communication needed to maintain their relationships is displayed. It’s a very mature work and reads as though it could go on for a number of volumes, which is disappointing since i became invested in the more pedestrian side of each of their relationships: Lewis’ body dysmorphia, Randy’s football career as a closeted gay man and his commitment and anger issues, Phil and Randy’s rocky relationship, Marlon and Dougs’ day jobs at the same office, and Marlon’s bedroom troubles mentioned by Lewis. With that in mind, I was disappointed with how Doug’s jealousy was portrayed. I like that he and Marlon have conflicting feelings about one another being alone with the other men— it could have made for a very intimate conversation about boundaries, monogamy and their commitment to each other. Instead, Doug feels pressured into lying about being interested in sleeping with Charlie in front of everyone and hypocritically takes his jealous rage out on Marlon for being interested in Lewis- which sucks because it was a very tender moment in which Marlon affirms Lewis's attractiveness and this just abandoned in favor of Dougs hissyfit. In the same chapter, Phil says he’d like to try more gentle sex with Doug, and Randy snarkily apologizes for being too rough. Regardless it’s a very hot and surprisingly tender story that I just wish was much longer.