Torikai’s work is a frank and nuanced examination of the emotional and practical effects of sexual violence, rendering the messy realities in gorgeously refined linework and dialogue far more naturalistic than most manga. The author veers away from blunt indictment to paint one of the most complex and fascinating psychological portraits of both rapist and victim in any medium. Very much not just for manga fans, Sensei’s Pious Lie will appeal to readers of graphic novels and literary fiction in general.
Seeking to free herself and transform sex into something more than a curse, Misuzu Hara has finally stood up to her abuser, with devastating results. But what lesson will she take from that explosion of violence? And how will it affect the people around her? Akane Torikai brings her deftly woven masterpiece of power dynamics and gender relations to its conclusion with a series of startling turns and a seemingly limitless reserve of compassion for the human condition.
18+
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