Have you ever considered how difficult writing a story without conflict must be? I mean, think about it - no screaming matches, no tears, no throwing things, no hand of god tragic events...what is there to care about?Would it even be possible to write a story in which everyone was just...nice?
Watashi no Su is that story.
Because the Yumi/Sachiko Touko era of the novels is over, we now turn our eyes to other characters around Lillian. We are introduced to Momo, a first-year whom we ultimately learn is in Touko, Noriko and Kanako's first-year Tsubaki class. One day, just as she's leaving class, she passes out. Eiko-sensei, the school doctor has her escorted home by a second-year, Tamaki. Tamaki is instantly likable and a little goofy-whimsical, reminiscent of Sei. When asked what to call her, Tamaki suggests Tama-chan or Tama-Tama. Momo declines politely and sticks with Tamaki-sama. Tamaki suggests that Momo call her "onee-sama" but when Momo asks don't they have to be soeur for that, Tamaki's reply is, "well...why not do that then?"
That night Momo learns that her mother is marrying the younger man she's been dating for a while. It's a second marriage for Kaya, Momo's father died while she was still young. Momoko likes Shuu-chan and is fine with that, and fine that they'll be moving into his family house.
When they get to meet the family, it turns out that Shuu-chan's grandfather also has a second marriage - a much younger woman named Tsubaki. And they have a daughter, Momo's age. You see this coming, right? Yes, it's Tamaki.
So, when Momo works out the relationships, Tamaki would be her step-great-aunt. Tamaki declines to be called this, so they stick with Tamaki-sama. :)
The rest of the story is just...stuff. Stories from both sides of the family, parties, who's going to do the laundry when, the stuff I call "playing house." There is no conflict, except in very small ways, when people share lives.
It's really nice. Nice to have Momo and her family welcomed by Shuuto's parents and grandparents, nice to have Shuuto and Momo get along. It's just...nice. Every chapter is a pleasure to read and the final 'crisis' is obvious, small and...my god, it's nice.
I went into this book wondering if Konno-sensei could make me fall in love again. I mean, let's face it, Yumi and the gang were charming and lovable and it's really hard to just set them aside. You keep wondering how they are. :-) Cleverly, Konno places this story in a time and place that the story has already covered, so you *know* where and how they are, which frees you to just enjoy Momo's story. And by god, what a nice story it is.
Ratings:
Overall - Nice
The Oshaka-sama mo Miteru series is continuing as well. I find I also like Yuuki and his friends and am looking forward to bits that we don't already know about from the previous novels. Basically, Konno-sensei can write characters that are really likable - which is, in itself, incredibly difficult to do.