A Silent Voice, Vol. 1

I have mixed feelings about this series. I still can't decide whether I like it or not.

2.5 stars Excuse the rant, but YIKES. So this is a story about bullying: Shoya is a ~daredevil who bullies people because he's bored and Shoka is the poor girl being bullied because she's deaf... I mean, I enjoyed the story, but the characters are ALL horrible! Shoya is so rude to his mother (he calls her an old hag and she basically thinks its funny), he's being awful to Shoka who can't really defend herself (but fear not cause karma is a bitch? no.) and nobody ever calls him out on it until it's fucking too late and things have gone too far. The teacher is just as hopeless. I kid you not, when another teacher suggests they all learn sign language he basically goes: “meh, why should we, it's not going to help”!!! The entire class is mean/annoyed with Shoya because she's “slowing everybody down”. And Shoya's mother tells Shoko he has a “vulgar face, just like his mother”. WHAT IS GOING ON PEOPLE?

This was on our high school's summer reading list a while ago and I finally picked it up while at the desk the other day. (Don't tell.) I enjoyed it but it's definitely the first volume. I have a feeling if I continue I will be emotionally devastated.